Haywards Heath, Perrymont Road And Commercial Square c.1950

Photo ref: H252002

More about this scene

Harold G Turner Born in nearby Ardingly in 1885, Harold Turner became a well-known architect, particularly after his successful Gidea Park project in Essex in 1910. He came to Haywards Heath in 1920, and established his practice at Boltro Chambers - this was just a stone's throw from the railway station. His mock-Tudor designs were chosen for the redevelopment of Commercial Square during the 1920s, and his foray into Art Deco can still be seen at Clive Court in nearby Sydney Road. However, he is today best remembered for the distinctive style of the houses he designed along the Haywards Heath and Lindfield borders. His use of quality materials, especially oak stairways and brick fireplaces, together with his attention to detail, ensure that when any of his properties are offered for sale, they invariably change hands quickly, and often at a premium price. He lived in Perrymount Road; as with so many other large houses, his was subsequently demolished for commercial development. He died in 1961.