Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire

Hollybush Lane

When I was a child in the early 1950s Hollybush Lane, from Woodhall Lane to Great Ley, was quite literally a lane. On one side the council had built houses, but on the other were the farm cottages that were built around the turn of the century or earlier and were a part of the Hatfield estate. I recall that the... [more]

Welwyn Garden City, Sweet Briar

This view is from the west side of Sweet Briar looking south down the hill towards Cole Green Lane (out of view). To the left is the entrance to Heronswood School (since closed, now a modern housing area).
I understood that the area was once very wooded, borne out by the many well established trees still lining the road and verge... [more]

WGC station memories

Having left London to live in WGC in 1957, our family often went back to visit relatives so that was one of our most regular excursions. In the fifties and sixties we did not have a car and nor did many of our neighbours. We relied on the green double-decker 324 bus service to get us to the station. As it... [more]

Templewood school.

I attended this school from 1954/55 - 1960. This view is taken looking towards the Infants playground and entrance to their classrooms, with the main dining hall in the background.

Stonehills WGC

This view is looking north from the west side of Stonehills towards the Cherry Tree Public House. Just out of view on the left was the old Police Station (the site of which has still not been developed) whilst across the road on the right is National Provincial Bank (now Nat West Bank) . Further along from the bank is Williams... [more]

Stonehills 1958.

I lived next door to the police station which is just to the left of this photo from 1952 until 1959 when my father (the local police station sergeant) retired. This photo is very evocative of memories I had as a young child living in the town centre. I well remember the buildings opposite my home including Munts cycle shop (they... [more]

More memories of stonehills

Just out of the picture to the left, was the location of the old police station, before it moved to its new home off of the campus, behind the council buildings. Now it's just an open space providing the walkway between Debenhams and John Lewis (formally the Co-Op and Welwyn Department Stores).

To the left of The Cherry Tree (Waitrose... [more]

Memories of Stone Hills.

This picture was taken from the corner of the Co-operative shop and features the Cherry Tree public house before it was turned into Waitrose. In about 1965, my friend’s mother remarried and my family was invited to the reception in the restaurant there. The single storey building nearest the Cherry Tree was a shop called Munts, which was a kind of... [more]

Hertfordshire Living Memories

Today, we feel that when Louis de Soissions designed the layout of the Garden City, he underestimated the impact of the motor car. However, it would appear from this photograph that he was correct in his predictions. Not a car or van spoils the gossiping ladies' view of the Parkway and the fountain. Ten years later it would be a different... [more]

Hertfordshire Living Memories

The first Welwyn Stores was founded in 1921 at Guessens road, but it closed in July 1939 when the new, larger stores was opened in the centre of the new town. Welwyn Stores had branches in many towns in Hertfordshire, and formed an important part of the Garden City Company. In 1947, Welwyn Stores contributed £1,560,000 to the company's gross income.... [more]

Hertfordshire Living Memories

Hollybush Lane lies in the southern part of the Garden City, and its tree-lined footpath and grassy triangular area typify Ebenezer Howard's vision of a ordered village atmosphere. He imagined a community living within a country town landscape benefiting from modern amenities and facilities. Like its near neighbour at Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City successfully achieves all his requirements.