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Sportspace - Hemel Hempstead
 
 
Thursday, 9th September 2010

 
Part 20

Henry Wells speaking at the opening of Adeyfield Hall
ALTHOUGH there had been a great deal of opposition to the new town by 1953 there were those on all sides who were making calls for greater tolerance and integration between the ‘old townies and new townies.’
As the mayor of 1952/53, Alderman H. Christopher put it: “No country, no city or borough, not even the smallest of communities, prospers or has a spirit of peace and contentment if, within its boundaries there are separate camps.
“Slowly, but surely desire to cooperate and a feeling towards civic consciousness is beginning to make itself felt.”
In a new year message for 1953, Alderman Mayo who was chairman of the Hemel Hempstead Council of Social Service said he believed the development of the town centre would help “unify old and new.”
He said: “Even its greatest admirers could never pretend Hemel Hempstead offers much in the way of shopping facilities apart from the ordinary requirements of everyday life.”

For the ‘new townies,’ Mr A. C. Pierson who was chairman of the Adeyfield Neighbourhood Council wrote to the Gazette saying he understood the old town residents’ “dismay.”
“Every time I, who have been here such a short time, go up the hill of Adeyfield and look along the valley leading up to Highfield I silently pray that it will be a long time before development covers such a beautiful view with a rash of new houses.”
However, in the Autumn of 1953 Lord Reith, the first chairman of the Hemel Hempstead Development Corporation (the former director general of the BBC) appeared to put his foot in the ‘peace’ talks in a speech at the opening of Adeyfield Hall.
He accused the people of Hemel Hempstead of lacking “elementary Christianity and decency” in not welcoming newcomers to the town, said the Gazette and it carried the headline “Lord Reith insults the Borough,” and the Mayor, Alderman Christopher said: “As I sat listening to him -I was seething.”

But what his lordship said in full was: “I would think it elementary Christian decency to repress feelings of dislike at the invasion. If I could not welcome them I would at least try not to show any signs of distaste. How much better it would be if we could take the decent Christian view.”
Interestingly, it was at the opening that it was announced the playing fields in Adeyfield (beside Longlands) were to be called Reith Fields.
The opening of the hall was itself somewhat controversial. Originally planned as a community facility, the treasury had withdrawn grants for amenities in new towns and this meant the hall (now Adeyfield Community Centre) had to be run by the corporation on a commercial basis, so the community continued to use Greenhills, or the halls at the two schools.

The Queen’s coronation in June 1953 helped draw new and old together with street parties galore. For instance, 17-month-old Johnny Beck was the star performer in the fancy dress party for Great Elms Road (South) and in Bennetts End beech trees were planted by youngsters Ann Evans and David Yeomans by the new Bennettsgate shops which were being built. In Masons and Hillswood roads, Mrs Ball won a 21-piece tea set for the best decorated house.
Sport, too, was seen as a great uniter of old and new and for the beginning of the 1953 season, Hemel Hempstead Cricket Club urged new townies to join them. “Sport will bring us together,” said the club.
Sometimes it is said today that there was a great community spirit in the early new town days and clearly, in some ways there was, but in others the problems of today are just the same as they were 50 years ago!
At the AGM of the Adeyfield Residents Association there were calls for more amenities, but Mr F. W. Frampton, the newly elected president called for more active participation by residents. He pointed out that of 5,000 questionnaires sent out asking people what social activities they would like to see, only 50 had been returned.

And then when the entire Hemel Hempstead Borough Council travelled out to Adeyfield for an “historic” meet the people session, only 80 people turned out.
It’s interesting to note that at the following year’s AGM Mr S. Douglas suggested that it was television that was wrecking the town’s social life. People were “too happy to sit at home.”
Television was becoming increasingly common in the early 50s and in 1954, a 14” by 10” screen English Electric TV could be yours for £27 down and £1 a week (still a lot of money in those days.”
But back to Adeyfield in 1953 and another problem of today that was evident then - vandalism.

Mr A. Kitchen told a meeting of Adeyfield Neighbourhood Association: “I’ve seen one of the nicest lads in Adeyfield degenerate into a spiv within a matter of six months.”
He urged that the problem of providing amenities for the youth of the area should be tackled.
Mind you, there was some action in the provision of amenities for younger children. Residents of Homefield Road and Longlands met in the hut and agreed to the siting of the first children’s play area behind the houses. A see-saw and sandpit were to be provided.
Mrs Adams had quizzed 50 children and they all said they wanted a play area.
Adeyfield Neighbourhood Association held its first dance at Adeyfield School with mr N. Pritchard as the MC and this was a success, but the valentine dance a year later lost £12. 7s because of a lack of support!

In the summer almost 3,000 people attended the 4th annual gala at the Greenhills Club and the opening ceremony was performed by James Hayter, the film, stage and TV star who had recently moved to the town. He devoted much of his spare time in the 50s to attending and opening community events in the town. View older pages
 
 

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