Stirling Betancourt, Powis Square, Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London

Stirling Betancourt, musician and pioneer of the Notting Hill Carnival. Stirling was born in Trinidad and came to London for the Festival of Britain in 1951 as part of the Trinidad All-Steel Percussion Orchestra. He stayed, and in 1964 helped originate the Notting Hill Carnival when he played at a small event to sooth tensions in the wake of race riots. The Notting Hill Carnival is today the largest street festival in Europe.

Powis Square was part of a development built by George Tippett, a Paddington builder, developer, landlord and probable architect. Between 1860 and 1875 around 250 houses had been built on the estate.

Historic England Archive DP183435.