SW postcode area: Difference between revisions

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The '''SW (South Western and Battersea) postcode area''', also known as the '''London SW postcode area''',<ref name=guide>{{cite book | publisher=Royal Mail Group | title=Address Management Guide | year=2004 | edition=4 | authorpublisher=[[Royal Mail|Royal Mail Group]] |year=2004}}</ref> is a group of 20 postcode districts coveringwithin part of southwestthe [[London postal district|London post town]], in England. The area originates fromcomprises the South Western operational district (SW1–SW10covering the subdivisions of postcode district SW1, plus SW2 - SW10) and [[the Battersea]] operational district (SW11–SW20)covering districtsSW11 - SW20),<ref name="ILLP">{{ cite book | titleauthor=The[[Competition InnerCommission|Monopolies Londonand LetterMergers PostCommission]] | year=1980 |chapter=The authorLondon Postal Region |title=MonopoliesThe andInner MergersLondon CommissionLetter Post |chapter-url=http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1980/fulltext/122c03.pdf |publisher=[[Office of Public Sector Information|HMSO]] |access-date=17 May 2021 |archive-date=19 January 2012 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120119212832/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1980/122inner_lon_let_postfulltext/122c03.htmpdf | authorlinkurl-status=Competitiondead Commission}}</ref> ofand is the [[Londononly postalarea within the district|London]] post town to lie on both sides of the [[River Thames]].

The postcode area originated in 1857 as the SW district. In 1868 it gained some of the area of the abolishedvery short-lived S district, with the rest going to [[SE postcode area|SE]]. It was divided into numbered districts in 1917.<ref name="Archive Information Sheet">{{ cite web | url=http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/history/downloads/BPMA_Info_Sheet_Postcodes_web.pdf | title=Postcodes | work=Archive Information Sheet | publisher= The British Postal Museum and Archive | accessdatedate=January 2005 |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320052708/http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/history/downloads/BPMA_Info_Sheet_Postcodes_web.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2009 }}</ref> The South Western district<ref name=ILLP/> consists of the postcode districts SW1–SW10<ref name=ILLP/> and the once Battersea-headquartered district<ref name=ILLP/>component consists of the postcode districts SW11–SW20.<ref name="ILLP"/><ref name="streets 1930"/> {{clearClear}} The South Western head district was designated as SW1 and the rest of the numbering followed, alphabetically, by their most important parish, chapelry, topological or built environment feature names, up to 10. Similarly as to the Battersea SW11 once "head district".

The approximate coverage of the postcode districts, with the historic postal district names shown in ''italics'':<ref name="streets 1930">{{cite web | publisher=[[Office of Public Sector Information|HMSO]] | title= Names of Streets and Places in the London Postal area |url=http://www.londonancestor.com/po/1map-w.htm |via=London Ancestor | year=1930 }}</ref>

| [[Whitehall]] and, [[Buckingham Palace]], the [[Houses of Parliament]] and west of [[St James's]]

| [[City of Westminster|Westminster]]

| betweenNorthern 'Victoria' around [[Buckingham Gate]] and(a street) to include both sides of part of [[London Victoria stationStreet, London|Victoria StationStreet]]

| triangular area between [[Vauxhall Bridge]], [[ChelseaGrosvenor Bridge|Grosvenor (or Victoria Railway) Bridge]], and Victoria Station, taking in both sides of Vauxhall Bridge Road; Pimlicoincludes properPimlico

| South or lower [[Belgravia]] and [[Chelsea, areaLondon|Chelsea]] between(a corner), from [[Sloane Square]] andto Victoria Station, southto ofGrosvenor [[KingsWaterside Road]]basin

| Westminster, [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea,|Kensington Westminsterand Chelsea]]

| Rest of [[Belgravia]], (north of [[Eaton Square]]), [[Knightsbridge]] (parteastern half) and [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] (a corner)

| Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster

| All but the west of [[St James's]]

| ''Brixton district:'' [[Brixton Hill]], [[BrixtonTulse Hill]] (part), [[Streatham HillBrixton]] (part), [[TulseStreatham Hill]], [[Clapham Park]] (part), [[Balham|Eastern parts of BalhamLambeth]]

| [[London Borough of Lambeth|Lambeth]]

| ''Clapham district:'' [[Clapham]], [[Stockwell]] (part)

| Lambeth, [[London Borough of Wandsworth|Wandsworth]]

| ''Earls Court district:'' [[EarlsEarl's Court]]

| [[London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham|Hammersmith and Fulham]]

| ''South Lambeth district:'' [[South Lambeth]], [[Vauxhall]], [[BatterseaNine Elms]] (parteast), Wandsworth Road, [[Clapham]] (partnorth), [[Stockwell|NW]] area(northwest), of[[Oval, StockwellLondon|Oval]] (west)

| ''Stockwell district:'' [[StockwellBrixton]], [[BrixtonStockwell]] (part), [[Clapham]] (part), [[Oval_(ward)Oval, London|Oval]] (part)

| ''West Brompton district:'' [[West Brompton]], [[RoyalChelsea, Borough of Kensington and ChelseaLondon|Chelsea]] (part)

| HammersmithKensington and FulhamChelsea, KensingtonHammersmith and ChelseaFulham

| ''Battersea and Claphamhead district:'' [[Battersea]], [[ClaphamNine SouthElms]] (west)

| ''Balham district:'' [[Balham]], [[Clapham SouthPark]] (part), [[HydeWandsworth farm estate|Hyde FarmCommon]] (part)

| [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames|Richmond upon Thames]]

| ''Putney district:'' [[KingstonPutney]], Vale[[Roehampton]], [[PutneyKingston Vale]], [[Wimbledon Common|Putney Heath]], [[Putney Vale]], [[Richmond Park]], [[Roehampton]], [[Roehampton|Roehampton Vale]]

| Wandsworth, [[Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames|Kingston upon Thames]], Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth

| ''Streatham district:'' [[Streatham]], [[Streatham Common]], [[Norbury]], [[Thornton Heath]], [[Streatham Park]], [[Furzedown]], [[Streatham|Streatham Vale]], [[Mitcham Common]], [[Pollards Hill]], [[Eastfields]], [[West Norwood]] (part)

| Croydon, Lambeth, Merton[[London Borough of Croydon|Croydon]], Wandsworth, [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]]

| ''Tooting district:'' [[Tooting]], [[MitchamBalham]] (part), [[BalhamMitcham]] (part), [[Furzedown]]

| ''Wandsworth district:'' [[Wandsworth Town]], [[Southfields]], [[Earlsfield]]

| ''West Wimbledon district:'' [[Raynes Park]], [[Lower Morden]], [[Merton Park]], [[Wimbledon Chase]], very small part of the east of [[New Malden]]

| Merton, Kingston upon Thames

SW1 was originallyis the South Western head district. AsSince about the 1890s it ishas nowhad a surplus of veryaddresses highand densitybuildings developmentfor itpractical hasdivision beeninto one set of inwards codes so is divided into smaller postcode districts. Wheresince districts are1917 used for mail purposes. otherSW1 thanis theused sortingin ofgeographic mailreference, suchstreet assigns useand ascolloquial ause geographicacross referencemost andcommunities. onIts street signs, the SW1eight subdivisions continue to be classed as one 'district'. Within the SW1 postcode district thereSW1A are severalkeynote distinctiveinward postcodecodes unitsincluding:

* SW1A 0AA – [[British House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]

The South WesternSW postcode area hascovers parts of nine boroughsLondon includingBoroughs. allNorth of the [[LondonRiver BoroughThames, ofit Wandsworth]],covers the westernsouthern portionparts of the [[London BoroughCity of LambethWestminster]], a very small part ofthe [[Royal Borough of KingstonKensington uponand ThamesChelsea]], the southern sections ofand the [[CityLondon Borough of WestminsterHammersmith and Fulham]]. andSouth of the river, it covers all of the [[RoyalLondon Borough of Kensington and ChelseaWandsworth]], the south-easternwestern portionpart of the [[London Borough of Hammersmith and FulhamLambeth]], the north-easternnorthern areaparts of the [[London Borough of RichmondMerton|London uponBoroughs Thamesof Merton]] and [[London Borough of Croydon|Croydon]] and the northernnortheastern sectionsparts of the [[London Borough of MertonRichmond upon Thames|London Boroughs of Richmond upon Thames]] and [[LondonRoyal Borough of CroydonKingston upon Thames|Kingston upon Thames]].<ref>[[:File:Londonpostal iln 1857.jpg]]</ref><ref>[[Postcodes in the United Kingdom#History]]</ref>

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*[http://www.poweredbypaf.com/how-the-royal-mail-postcode-address-file-paf-helps-organisations-verify-their-customers-identities/ A quick introduction to Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926234202/https://www.poweredbypaf.com/how-the-royal-mail-postcode-address-file-paf-helps-organisations-verify-their-customers-identities/ |date=26 September 2018 }}

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