highlighting Kensington District prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854 Anthony Palmer originally laid it out Kensington as town in the 1730’s. Palmer, a merchant from Barbados, had come to colonial Pennsylvania about 1704, invested in land, while continuing his mercantile business interests. He eventually turned to politics and was invited to join the Pennsylvania Council, which he did by 1710. When the local innkeeper Worthington put up the old Fairman Mansion for sale in 1729, Palmer purchased the mansion house and the surrounding 191 1/2 acres and began laying out his town of Kensington, selling lots to a number of shipbuilders in nearby Philadelphia, who were looking to expand, or enlarge their businesses. The town of Kensington started around this shipbuilding industry. Kensington was named for the residence of the monarch in England, Kensington Palace. The early street names of Kensington also bared this out as they mimicked the titles of the crown; King Street (now Beach) Queen Street (now Richmond) Prince Street (now Girard Avenue) Duke Street (now Thompson), etc. Due to his longevity, Palmer eventually became the acting Governor of Pennsylvania in 1748-49, due to the absence of the governor who went back to England for health reasons. It was during Palmer's brief reign as acting governor, that Kensington, for one day, was the working capitol of the colony, where the Council met, due to Palmer being old and infirm and not being able to make it into Philadelphia. By 1820, Kensington started to become a manufacturing center and with it began to acquire men of wealth, who petitioned the state to become a self-governing district within Philadelphia County, as the time it was a part of the Northern Liberties Township. It was granted self rule, and incorporated on March 6, 1820, for 34 years, Kensington was a self-governing district within the County of Philadelphia. In 1854, Kensington joined with the other towns, boroughs, and districts of Philadelphia County and consolidated with the City of Philadelphia. This was said to have been necessary due to utility and policing reasons (Kensington had been the scene of the start of the Anti-Irish Catholic Riots that occurred Philadelphia County in May & July of 1844). Over the years the town of Kensington became quite successful and quite well known as the heart of Philadelphia's industrial heyday. When Philadelphians referred to things being "Made in Philadelphia", most of what they referred to was manufactured in Kensington. There was another saying that "If you can't get it at K & A (Kensington & Allegheny Avenues) you can't get." Kensington was the place where a number of notable industries were founded such William Cramp Shipyard, John B. Stetson Hat Company, Schoenhut Toy Factory, Bromley Mills, and Disston’s Keystone Saw Works, amongst numerous other businesses. Before the Great Depression of the 1930's, Kensington at one time had 35,000 textile jobs alone. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_District%2C_Pennsylvania