Southwark, Philadelphia

Southwark was originally called the Southwark District, a colonial-era area in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Today, it is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia part of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The name Southwark was chosen because it is located south of early Philadelphia, just like the borough of Southwark in Surrey, England, which is south of the city of London. This connection to its namesake shows how places in the United States often took names from important cities and towns in England.

History

Southwark is one of the oldest English settlements in the county of Philadelphia. It was the first district founded by settlers there, partly because it was part of the old Swedish colony of New Sweden. Because of the Swedish settlements nearby, Southwark grew earlier than other parts of the county.

The government created the district of Southwark in 1762 to help with building streets. Later, it had its own police force. A famous shipbuilder, Joshua Humphreys, built some of the first ships for the United States Navy there. In 1854, Southwark became part of the city of Philadelphia.

Today, only a few places still carry the name "Southwark", like a post office and a restaurant. Part of this area is now called Queen Village, and another part is known as Pennsport. The neighborhood remains a diverse community with people from many backgrounds.

Education

People living in Southwark go to schools in the School District of Philadelphia. They usually attend Southwark School for grades K-8 and then South Philadelphia High School.

The Vare-Washington School, which is near Southwark and used to be called the George Washington School, also serves some students. Those students may go to Furness High School for their high school years.

"The Swedish Church Southwark with the building of the Frigate Philadelphia," Plate 29 of Birch's Views of Philadelphia (1800)

Southwark School