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Paddington is a district within central London’s City of Westminster, situated in the West End of London. Initially a medieval township then a metro area, Paddington was incorporated with Greater London and Westminster in 1965. The area is located around Paddington railway station.
The first reliable mention of Paddington W2 comes from the 12th century. The name may derive from Padreingtun, Padingtun, or Pædingtun. The Padendene from the Domesday Book refers to the Paddington in Surrey. It’s possible that both areas reference the same notable ancient family, Padda.
Actress Joan Collins, historian William Page, mathematician Alan Turing, actor Kiefer Sutherland, politician Alan Johnson, musician Elvis Costello, footballer Joe Cole, actor Alfred Molina, actress Emma Thompson, musician Seal, actress Rhona Mitra, and cricketer Norman Mischler are some of the most famous people associated with the area. Other residents of the area include painter Lucian Freud, poet Robert Browning and philanthropist Ann Thwaytes.
Paddington Bear, the fictional character, is named after the Paddington station where he was found by the family who adopted him. Never Let Go and The Blue Lamp movies feature several Paddington streets that were bombed in World War II.
The 3 most significant landmarks of Paddington are Paddington Green Police Station, which is regarded as the UK’s foremost high-security police station; Paddington station, which is made by renowned engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel; and St. Mary’s Hospital. There is a huge Muslim population as well as several Anglican churches such as St. Peter’s and St. James’ in and around the area.