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Collection of books on Welwyn Garden City

Hertfordshire Countryside Vol 25 No 136 August 1970
Special Welwyn Garden City jubilee number

Author: Leslie Bichener (Ed.)

First published: 1970 by Letchworth Printers Ltd. (Printed and published monthly)

Format: Paperback magazine 10½" by 8¼" with 78 pages

Handbook 1962

Pages 31 to 61 of this issue of Hertfordshire Countryside magazine comprise a series of articles to celebrate the golden jubilee of the founding of Welwyn Garden City in 1920. Above is a scan of the outer cover of the magazine, and below is the first page of the supplement which shows the Louis de Soissons memorial garden which was declared open by the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on May 30th 1970.

Garden City jubilee supplement

The articles in the supplement are illustrated by monochrome photographs from the Town. The articles are:

  1. Hippopotamus on the doorstep - The Advent of Welwyn Garden City (Sir Frederic J. Osborn)
    The article describes the opposition to the founding of the Town from various quarters.
  2. The town that stopped London (Anthony Wigens)
    More history of the development of the Town.
  3. Welwyn Garden City - the organization town (Dr. D. A. Lewis)
    About voluntary organizations in the Town.
  4. On foot around Welwyn Garden City (E. M. Bavin)
    Walks in parks and woodland in and around the Town including Sherrardspark Wood.
  5. A home for artists (E. V. Scott)
    About artists at Digswell House.
  6. Matchless Welwyn (Rev. Eric R. Littler)
    About two match factories which started manufacturing in the Town in 1932.
  7. A health service for a penny a week (Dr. G. Miall-Smith)
    A doctor's memories of her early days in Welwyn Garden City.
  8. The real importance of the garden city (W. A. Allen)
    Welwyn Garden City as world model for a new Town.
  9. Music-making in Welwyn Garden City (Anna Falchikov)
    From the foundation of the Welwyn Garden City Music Society in 1921 to the present (1970).
  10. The Shredded Wheat Factory (author not credited)
    A short history of the breakfast cereal company in the Town.
  11. A new life for an ancient barn (Roy Brewer)
    Short history of the Town's Barn Theatre.
  12. The Eylure story (Treena Price)
    A family concern which has been making false eyelashes in the Town since 1947.

In addition to the above, on page 14 of the magazine is a picture of Her Majesty meeting some early pioneers of the Town (below).

HRH the Queen Mother click on the image for a better view