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Collection of books on Welwyn Garden City

Welwyn Garden Citizens' Handbook 1948

Author: -

First published: 1948 by Welwyn Publications Limited

Format: Paperback 7¼" by 4¾" with 215 pages

This is a very nice handbook printed in the year of my third birthday. The only illustrations in it are in 2 or 3 of the advertisements. The interesting feature of it is the large list of thriving organisations within the town which had only been in existence for 28 years.

The first item in the guide (after the contents list) is a 1½ page article entitled Mr Silkin Takes Over. It outlines the chronology of the events (between 24th September 1946 and 26 March 1948) surrounding the government decision to take the development of Welwyn Garden City out of the hands of WGC Ltd and place it under the control of the Development Corporation under the New Towns Act. This decision was against the wishes of WGC Ltd and involved a public enquiry.

Following this article is factual information under the following section headings:

• The Urban Council
  This lists members of Welwyn Garden City Urban District Council, followed by the directors and officers of Welwyn Garden City Limited.
• General Information
  This lists the names and addresses of miscellaneous bodies such as Chamber of Commerce, Employment Exchange, Libraries and Registrar.
• Churches
  There is a list of 15 churches or religious organisations in the town, with addresses, names of ministers or contacts and times of services.
• Cultural
  This lists 13 cultural clubs and societies in the town, excluding Drama and Music which have separate listings later in the guide. For each one an address and contact name is given together with a few sentences about the aims. Included are The Arts Club, the Welwyn Craftworkers Guild, and the Ring which is described as "a completely informal anarchy of young people [18 to 30] ... does exactly what its members want ... produces plays and organizes rambles".
• Drama
  This lists five drama organisations including the Welwyn Drama Club, the Welwyn Thalians, and the Welwyn Folk Players.
• Health
  Included in this section are the Family Planning Association, the St John Ambulance Brigade, and the W.G.C. Contributory Scheme which provided free hospital accommodation in a public ward for its members.
• Hotels and Boarding Establishments
  This includes the Guessens Court Private Hotel and The Guest House under the personal supervision of Mrs Bliss in Roundwood Drive.
• Industry
  Eight pages of commercial and industrial enterprises in the town including the Danish Bacon Company, ICI, Murphy Radio and the Shredded Wheat Company.
• Miscellaneous Societies
  Includes the British Legion Club, Save the Woods Committee, and the W.G.C. Vegetarian Society.
• Music
  Includes the W.G.C. Band, the W.G.C. Music Society and the W.G.C. Music Club.
• Political
  All the parties including the Communist Party.
• Professional
  This lists firms of accountants, architects, dentists, doctors, optician and solicitors.
• Public Halls and Meeting Places
  Including the Backhouse Room, Masonic Suite, and Parkway Restaurant.
• Schools
  The list includes the County Grammar School which I went to, but not Templewood Primary which had not been built yet.
• Sports and Pastimes
  All sorts of clubs are listed - football, beekeeping, photographic, tennis, cycling, etc.
• Trade Unions
  Boilermakers etc.
• Women
  Including the W.V.S.
• Youth Organizations
  St Francis Boys' Club, Girl Guides, Army Cadet Force etc.

Following the information section outlined above is a Directory of Roads which gives, for each house in each road, starting with Applecroft Road and ending with Youngs Rise, the name of the head of the household. Finally there is a Directory of Residents which is a single alphabetic list of residents (heads of household) giving the street address of each one. These two directories together account for 162 of the 215 pages of the guide.

In the back of the guide is a large pull-out street map (20" by 14") of Welwyn Garden City.

The scan below shows the advertisement for Edwards Tailors of Howardsgate which is inside the front cover of the guide. Despite what it says in this advertisement, and despite the fact that the man there was a very nice man, boys did not like being taken there by their mothers to select underpants and to be measured for school blazers.

click on the image for a better view