Hatfield Local History Society No. 60 NEWSLETTER March 2006 SECRETARY: Mrs. C. Martindale EDITOR: Mr. F.J.Cox

the plaque have been identi- fied. If you have any knowledge Frank Clayton of Dagmar and/or Alexandra Editorial House Schools I would be pleased to include it in the final version. Specifically I would like In February Welwyn Hatfield to hear of local day boys and Council launched a new look girls. website. Included in this is a page leading to details of the Thanks to Tony Lodge for North Mymms Local History So- the interesting article on Great ciety. To access this I visited Nast Hyde House and his re- www.welhat.gov.uk then clicked search into the property. Make on Site Map > Leisure and Cul- sure that you have booked your ture > Events > Talks and Meet- ticket for our visit on the 14th of ings > North Mymms Local May as there is a restriction on History Society > Full Details > the number available. Further Details > Brookmans It was with deep regret that Park Newsletter > Local History, we were informed of the The interest shown regard- and there you have 20 complete death of Frank Clayton after ing the old chalk mines has books and 40 Historical Fea- suffering from his injury on created a lot of comments and tures. There is a quicker way, by Remembrance Sunday last if you have any further knowl- accessing www.brookmans.com year. edge of this let us know to add but that bypasses all the Welwyn to the archive. Hatfield site. Would we have Elected onto the committee of this Society in 1992, anyone able and prepared to A number of visitors and input news and articles about Frank had served continual- researchers have already used ly and supportively until his Hatfield Local History? What a the comprehensive store of ar- accident. bonus that could prove for our chive photographs, local history Society. information files, family tree re- sources and research library He will be sadly missed by At our January committee available in the resources room his many friends and ac- meeting the matter of refresh- at . This quaintances. ments at Friendship House was free service is available on a raised. It was agreed to open the drop-in basis on Thursday doors half an hour earlier for mornings between 10am and members to come in before the 12 noon when a local history start of the meeting for tea and society member will help you socialising. find what you need. Alternative- ly you can make an appoint- ment for another day by calling The research into Dagmar 01707 271362. In addition to House School is progressing the regular Thursday sessions very well. The genealogical story the museum staff and volun- of the founder and principals to- teers are holding Behind the gether with lists of boarding pu- Scenes demonstrations on 7 pils is virtually completed and 19 May, 12 August and 16 Sep- of the 21 ex-pupils recorded on tember (Heritage Open Day) Children at risk in mine collapse scare

Fears that a collapsing mine chalk mine when the houses were he believed it was an underground could endanger children forced first built in Briars Lane in the river that could only be heard when the closure of a 1930s. Peggy told her mother and there had been a lot of rain. He had school this week. father she wouldn’t want to live in found the place when he had Engineers warned Welwyn & the area because the houses played there himself as a boy, I Hatfield district council that parts would fall down! guess about the time of the first of the New Briars Primary World War as he was born in 1907. School's car park and playing field risked falling into collapsing From Pauline Hannigan I have for many years lived in underground mine workings (neé Gower) Shropshire, mostly in the Iron- within the next 10 years. bridge Gorge where the Industrial The Briars Lane area of Hatfield Having read the December copy Revolution began. For over half a has suffered subsidence since of the Hatfield Local History Society century the area has suffered sub- the 1960s and investigations that Newsletter I was most interested in sidence with many cottages and began in 2001 revealed the area the article 'Hatfield's Old Chalk gardens slipping and large holes was on top of a former chalk mine. Mines'. I had no idea that such opening up at the sites of very old A detailed risk assessment re- mines existed but wonder if perhaps bell shaped coal pits and primitive leased by geotechnical engi- a childhood memory I have has any adits carved into the hillsides. neers at Hyder Consulting last connection. Most of the excavations have nev- week reveals that 11 properties, er been mapped and cause worry Around 60 (or maybe more) the main road and the school when a garden disappears! In years ago, my father took me for a were at. risk. 1952 and again in 1983 large land walk. The weather had previously movement prompted evacuation in been very wet but was dry and bright this village when ancient mine NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 15/29 DECEMBER as we went along Briars Lane. At the workings were flooded by natural 2005 top of the hill we climbed over a stile springs and water courses filling and set off across the field on the the tunnels and causing the under- Comment from Jim Page right. After walking some distance I lying clay to slide. Hopefully, Briars December 2005 was told to lie down and put my ear Lane will not suffer the same fate. to the ground at a certain place. I The tragedy of it all is that there heard a tremendous roar coming I will follow any further news were people in Hatfield (Peggy from below. It seemed to be a long about the chalk mines with great Skeggs’ grandmother for one) way off but was certainly quite as- interest. who knew of the existence of the tonishing to me. My father told me

David Jones’ mother re- members the chalk being burnt in Briars Lane at the entrance to the mines to convert it into lime. This photograph (dated 1999) shows the location of the original tunnel en- trance. Hyde 100 years ago. This was to be an GREAT NAST HYDE HOUSE exclusive estate of ‘country homes’ rather Wilkins Green Lane, Hatfield than a suburb of semi-detached houses. Tony Lodge The architects were Webb & Neilson of (north) entrance, which has only two ga- Enfield and the builders were C.Miskin & We are fortunate to still have in Hatfield bles. As to that last feature, some sourc- Co. of St.Albans. They were large houses, this fine 400-year-old House, variously es claim that the house is now not quite up to a Lutyens, Voysey or Bail- described as Elizabethan, Jacobean, a ‘back-to-front’, the original ‘front’ having lie-Scott quality of design but good ‘manor’ house, a farmhouse or a man- been the south front, the change having enough. The plans included a new roads sion. As we look forward to the Society’s something not quite understandable to do network, one of these running west from arranged visit to Great Nast Hyde with deluding Cromwell’s soldiers as to Ellenbrook Lane through the middle of the (Sunday 14th May, 2.00 p.m.) some ran- the way in ! - Cromwellian soldiers, Nast Hyde lands (and where Bramble dom information about the House might wishing to gain entry, would surely have Road now is) and named ‘Nast Hyde be of interest to those not already familiar done so via both front and back ! In any Road’ on the layout plan. Fortunately for with it. Much reliable information is avail- case, the south façade looks immediately Great Nast Hyde (though not for the able about the present House and it is onto Wilkins Green Lane, which up to the shareholders) the company, Nast Hyde believed that some sort of dwelling exist- 20th century was little more than a farm Estate, went bankrupt in 1912 having built ed on the site from the 14th century. track and hardly a front entrance ap- only 4 houses in Ellenbrook Lane – this Everyone with an interest in Hatfield and proach. was before Ellenbrook Crescent was built. a concern for its history and heritage One hopes the builders were paid before continues to rejoice that this old House For those wanting more detail, there is an this happened ! Only one of those houses has come again into private and caring interesting file or two of information at survives and is now in use as a Care ownership and is once more a family Hatfield Library, in the Local History sec- Home – this is ‘Honister’ (originally named home. When it was sold by British Aero- tion. Some of this is undated or anony- ‘Wild Oak’), at the corner of Ellenbrook space about 5 years ago there was great mous (or both) but it is all interesting and Lane and Wilkins Green Lane. Interest- local concern that it might fall into informative and with very little contradic- ingly, one of the other three houses, first ‘commercial’ hands and fears for what tion. There are copies of at least two or owned by a German gentleman, was that could mean. During our May con- three printed histories of the House which named ‘Bleak House’ originally and later ducted tour our hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Bai- unfortunately bear no date or author’s re-named ‘Roseleigh’, then owned and ley, will be telling us about the history of name, nor any clue as to their prove- occupied by the Owers family from 1912 the House and about their continuing nance. It would take a small book to up to the end of WW2. Another house, programme of restoration of it and its cover all the information which is availa- also owned by the Owers, was first called gardens. Many HLHS members - and ble. Our own HLHS Past Chairman, Brian ‘Holly Lodge’ and then renamed indeed many Hatfield people – will al- Lawrence, had his most interesting piece ‘Brookside’ (because it was by the Ellen ready know of the House and its role as on Great Nast Hyde House published in Brook) giving its name later to the present a VIP guest-house for visiting commercial ‘Hertfordshire Countryside’ of February cul-de-sac road of houses built on its site. aircraft buyers while it was for some 55 1997, which is also worth looking up. The The Owers family gave an evening garden years in the ownership of de Havilland, foregoing sources cover many aspects of concert on their tennis courts at ‘Holly later Hawker Siddeley and finally British the House’s past, including the origins of Lodge’ in July 1918 to raise funds for the Aerospace. Few, however, will know its strange name, its links to Hatfield nearby Napsbury Hospital at London Col- much of its earlier history from when it House (built about the same time and ney and the wounded WW1 soldiers there. was built in about 1600, since when, up with which it shares bits of an old ship’s This worthy tradition is now revived to its purchase by de Havilland in 1946, it companionway adapted as a staircase), scarcely 300 metres away down the road had a succession of owners and tenants the presence of tunnels allegedly leading at Great Nast Hyde House, where the (including being requisitioned by the gov- to the Bishop’s Palace at Old Hatfield and Baileys hold summer orchestral concerts ernment for the duration of WW2) and so on. Tunnels certainly have at least and firework displays in the grounds in aid changed from being a large ‘farm’ house twice been discovered apparently run- of the Menat Trust. The Menat Trust is a in the 17th century to become a ning between the two places, once on the registered charity founded by David and ‘gentleman’s residence’ in the 1800’s, the line of the present A1M just south of the Catherine Bailey to provide support for the farming activities having been removed Hatfield Tunnel and once in the grounds care and treatment of young children with to the (still existing) farmhouse across the of the nearby house ‘’ in Wilkins congenital heart disease, after their own road, then known as Little Nast Hyde. Green Lane. baby son survived this condition at birth in One of the owners, up to 1806, was a Around about 1910 or 1911 there was a 1997. To find out more about this Trust, St.Albans family by the name of Kentish; very ambitious development scheme look at their internet website, www.menat- there is one Kentish in the current tele- which might have caused the demolition trust.org, or telephone 01707 275351. phone directory living in St.Albans who of Great Nast Hyde House at that time. HLHS will be donating the proceeds of our may be a descendant. It is known that at The proposals were to build a considera- ticket sales for the May visit to the Trust. least one direct descendant of the Nast ble number of large detached houses There are a few tickets left for the 14th May Hyde Kentish family was living in or near with gardens of an acre or more in size on visit – contact Tony Lodge now. Tickets Hatfield up to about 1972. Contrary to a vast tract of land spreading from Wilkins are £5 each to HLHS members and Green Lane north-eastwards as far as some references, it was never really a include tea & biscuits on arrival and a Manor House, though some of its earlier Coopers Green Lane, west of Harpsfield two hours con- ducted tour of the occupants might have boasted that it Hall and taking in part of what later be- House and gardens. The party number is was. Also, the much-quoted claim that came the aerodrome land and also in- limited to 35. A few tickets might be Dickens based his ‘Bleak House’ on Nast cluding the whole of the Great Nast Hyde Hyde does not stand up to close scrutiny property. Strangely, the leaflet advertis- available for non-mem- bers if the – it is not ‘just outside the town’ ing this project called the big House at allocation of 35 is not fully taken up by (St.Albans), it is not ‘on a hill’, there is no Nast Hyde ‘The Old Hall’, though people members – we will know this in April. There drive with a ‘circular sweep leading to a living locally at the time never knew it by is ample car-parking space at the porch’, the ‘three peaks’ (gables) are not that name. The area which we now call House – directions will be on your ticket. visible from the approach to the main Ellenbrook was apparently called Nast TRAGEDY AT HATFIELD STATION

The Eltisley History Society is lar soldier - twelve years in the from the Herts Advertiser and St. researching a story related to Hat- Grenadier Guards - and later emi- Albans Times, but no other informa- field and would be grateful for any grated to Canada. After six years he tion about the incident. The Coro- information that could be found to joined an Overseas Battalion of the ner's records have not survived. I assist in this research. Canadian Army and returned to am in touch with the librarian at Hat- England on the S S Olympic, leav- field House and the Great Northern Fourteen men from Eltisley, near ing behind a wife and two children. Railway Society to see if either can St. Neots, died in uniform during find any reference that would add to World War I. These men are re- It seems that he was granted a our knowledge. I have also tracked membered in our War Memorial, the short leave on Saturday 29 July, the GNR's accident reports to Kew Lych Gate at the church, and in a 1916 and visited his sister at Crox- and will see if they have anything to line of lime trees planted as news of ton, a village about two miles from offer. each fatality was received. Because Eltisley. On the way back to camp, memories fade as time passes and he got off the train at Hatfield and Meanwhile should you have families move away, we decided to disappeared briefly to answer a call any records of this sad occurence research these men and write a of nature. The train moved off and in please contact ;- small book about who they were trying to re-board he slipped and fell Peter King and how they died. between the platform and the car- 9 Greenfields Eltisley riage. He died from his injuries in St. Neots Martin Riseley was born in Bricket House Hospital on 31 July. PE19 6TN Eltisley in 1878. He became a regu- We have the report of the inquest 01480 880096

For Your Diary

Monday 13 March 7.30 The Life of Emma Hamilton Terry Pankhurst

Monday10 April 2.30 Pull Yourselves Together Girls The Spirella ( Company) Story Robert Lancaster Curator First City Heritage Museum

Monday 8 May 7.30 Annual General Meeting followed by A Knight, A Countess And A Packet of Sandwiches The Irish Rising, Roger Casement and the Countess of Markovitch Terry Cox

Meetings at Friendship House, Wellfield Close, Hatfield

Sunday 14 May 2.00 Escorted Tour of Great Nast Hyde House Limited number by ticket only Booking by Tony Lodge