PART 15, A start on Chaulden
Chaulden House. |
In fact work was going so well on Bennetts End that Messrs Leslie & Co of Kensington, who were building a large number of flats and houses for the new neighbourhood, bought barrels of beer that Christmas and the site foreman acted as ‘mine host’ on Christmas Eve serving pints to bricklayers and labourers on the site!
This was also the year that saw the beginnings on paper of Chaulden and Warners End.
In July 1951 the development corporation issued compulsory purchase notices for large tracts of land in the area including “a parcel of approximately 8.341 acres situated on the west side of a cartway known as Grassy Bottom, Hemel Hempstead.”
The corporation explained that because of the successful development of the new industrial area where several large factories would be completed by the following year, it would be necessary to “press on” with its housing programme.
The Apsley/Bennetts End area would not provide sufficient housing sites for more than the 1952/53 seasons and a start would be made on the western side of the town in the spring of 1953.
The area concerned was described in the Gazette as to the north of Chaulden Lane from Bargrove Avenue and Hammerfield to the edge of the designated area. The total area involved was about 730 acres and the population forecasts from the development corporation were:
Boxmoor,up from 3,960 to 6,690.
Chaulden, up from 170 to 5,300.
Warners End, up from 44 to 6,050.
THE coming of the new town meant the days of another of Hemel Hempstead's big houses - Chaulden House - were numbered.
The house never had any great significance in the town, but the story goes that it was built in the 18th century by a man who had been a shepherd boy in the area and vowed if he ever became rich he would build a house on the land.
He became a merchant and had the money to build his house.
The construction of a new main road from Chaulden Lane was scheduled for the end of 1951, with a start on Chaulden in the spring of 1953 and Warners End in the summer of ’53.
Hemel Hempstead Borough Council immediately lodged an objection to the compulsory purchase order.
Councillors were angry that it had been published just as they were about to start their August recess.
At a public inquiry into the compulsory purchase order held at Boxmoor Hall in October, Mr J. Harry for the development corporation explained again the need for more houses and went on to say that, looking at other proposed new town neighbourhoods, the corporation wanted to develop Leverstock Green slowly so as to preserve its village character.
In the case of Highfield there would need to be a great deal of negotiation with Herts County Council to obtain the Highfield Children’’s Home.
He claimed that drainage in Chaulden was also much more advanced than in other areas.
The council, however, said development of Chaulden was “premature.”
Alderman H. Fletcher told the inquiry that if the proposed new road into the Chaulden area proceeded it would pass through his kitchen garden and reduce the value of his property.
His house was only meant for someone who wished to live in the country and enjoy the amenities of a town nearby. Mr T. R. Zeal wrote to the inquiry to say life would be unbearable if the new roads was built.
Councillor Mayo, chairman of the council’s new town committee, told the inquiry that the corporation should arrange for the completion of “balanced” developments in the neighbourhoods they were already working on and also developing the town centre before starting on virgin sites.
Apart from the western areas, the corporation was wanting to get started on the town centre and already homes in Bridge Street had been compulsorarily purchased - but the corporation’s actions were again under fire.
At a meeting with corporation chairman Mr Wells in November Alderman A. H. Jarman raised the issue of two old age pensioners who had been moved from their Bridge Street home where they had been paying a rent of 13s 10d and were now having to pay a rent of 30s 10d.
Alderman Jarman wanted to know what immediate assistance was available to such people. Mr Wells, the Gazette reported, replied that the corporation had no powers to assist in such cases.
But if Hemel Hempstead new town wasn’t popular with the old town residents, it was popular elsewhere.
In August 1951 it was revealed that about 10,000 people from Acton, Willesden, Harrow, Hendon and Wembley (the boroughs linked with Hemel Hempstead) had expressed a wish to move out to the green fields of Hertfordshire.
There was a waiting list for factory space up to 1955 and firms already ‘booked up’ to come here included Rolls Razor Ltd, Multicore Solders Ltd, Alford and Alder, and Addressograph Multigraph.
Representatives of Hemel Hempstead Ratepayers visited Adeyfield that same month to look over the new houses, rents for which ranged from 33/- to 40/- a week.
Corporation general manager Mr Hart said the houses cost £100 more than anywhere else to build because of the need to “import” labour.
Houses and new factories apart, Hemel Hempstead still retained some of its farms. In October 1951 the firm of Ruddock and Meijham gave a ploughing demonstration in a field at the top of Great Elms Road.
The event was staged over three days and the national press and a film unit visited.
Shortages in 1951 were still very much a part of everyday life and a new problem for local commuters arose when three trains a day were axed from the local service as part of the government’s bid to reduce coal consumption.
Paper was still in short supply and the price of the Gazette had to rise from 2d to 3d because of the increased cost of newsprint in the autumn of 1951.
One of the last pieces of news in 1951 was of the the fire brigade being called to deal with the first fire in a new town property.
It was at the home of Mr and Mrs Fitzpatrick at 220 Newlands Lane and involved clothing in an airing cupboard. Fortunately the damage was not too serious.
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