Recreation, Education, Disillusionment and Joy
The objectives of this section:
* To reflect on the problems and successes of
the early residents, and how the authorities coped with the mass of
incomers.
* An overview of recreation and pastimes for the early residents.
* To look at experiences in school and to assess whether the comprehensive
system of education worked.
* To look in a fresh and realistic light the role of policing in
Harold Hill over the decades.
2. [Harold Hill Horticultural Club]
3. [Returning Back to London]
4. [Happiness Found in the Post-War Reconstruction]
5. [Prejudice from the Rest of Romford]
6. [Women Make the Best of the New Estate]
Work Starts on the New Towns and Estates
By 1951 the rate of house building was proceeding at a pace. In December of the previous year 3,000 had been constructed with completion estimated for June 1953. By March of 1951 3,325 houses had been built, 3,854 in total by May, 4,771 by November, and 5,253 in January 1952. Which is a building rate of 193 a month.
German P.O.W.'s played a significant part in the early building programme. They all left by 1948, sent back to their homeland. For further details read [When the German P.O.W.'s Built Harold Hill]
Symbolically, the foundations of much of the Harold Hill housing came from the bombed rubble left over from the destruction of the old London, with demolished air raid shelters in particular being used as part of the early roads. Quite literally, the new world was being built on top of the ruins of the old.
For a good overview of the New Towns development push read the interview with David Grove: [Forging the New Jerusalem: Reflections of a New Town Planner].
