Hatfield Local History Society No. 59 NEWSLETTER Dec. 2005 SECRETARY: Mrs. C. Martindale EDITOR: Mr. F.J.Cox

Chris Martindale has arranged for speakers for next year to follow the most informative and Letters Editorial entertaining historical story of the soldier at Waterloo and the The past three months have Lost Gardens of Abingdon been quite hectic for your com- which evoked the possibility of Your September newsletter was mittee. To accomodate those a visit to gardens passed on to me by a local acquain- next year. tance, Mr, George Relph. I found Ms members who could not attend Laurence's article most interesting, meetings during working hours, because I had been there. meetings have been held in the We are grateful to Ron King- I was in Shenley military hospital at evenings with the added prob- don for the gift of a projector for the end of the war with pneumonia. In lem of a meeting place. We are our meetings. the spring of 1945 I was sent to Bush most grateful to Pat Sherrard Hall for two weeks convalescence. and Miriam Gaskin for converting Tony Lodge has negotiated I remember a mellow building with their lounges into temporary for a visit to Nast Hyde house lovely grounds, but I don't remember a stream. committee meeting places. on Sunday 14 May. Tickets, limited to 35, will cost members The stay was memorable, because while there I saw my first jet plane. It £5 to include tea and biscuits As chairman, Terry Pankhurst was a De Havilland twin boom Vam- represented the Society at the and a donation to the MENAT pire. As this whistled overhead, I Hatfield Town Council Annual charity and will be allocated on stared up in amazement. When I Service at St. John’s church. a first come first served basis. looked down again, I realised that I Contact Tony Lodge. was on my own - all the battle hard- Friendship House has been ened soldiers had flattened them- booked for members’ meetings selves to the ground at the first sound until next May and Terry has We have been invited to par- of a penetrating whistle overhead! negotiated costs and conditions ticipate in a Christmas event to With best wishes to your Society. be organised by the Town of hire. He hopes to start oral Ernest Kohn history recordings during the Council on Saturday 17 De- coming winter. Frank Cox will cember between 10 am and 4 Worthing co-operate with the museum re- pm. This will be held at the I thought I was getting on at 92 yrs, garding the listing and storage of Community Resource Centre, but Jim Parker at 192 beats me! (Well the tapes. Number One, Hatfield. The spotted - Sept. Newsletter error. Ed.) Guides will be distributing Fly- I was working in Fore Street in the early 30s and remember 2 young men Jim Parker’s excellent display ers and there will be live cover- age by Hertbeat FM radio. coming up the hill every morning to of the DH Dove aircraft was old Petit’s grocery shop opposite Chris, Joan and Miriam will prominently displayed in the win- Whitehead’s the butcher. I left Fore dow of the library and occa- work together on this and hope Street soon after and worked at Wel- sioned considerable interest. for support from members. Our wyn Garden City. I was called up in stall will include a display of 1940 and have only been back to Reg Coleman has addressed publications and panels of earli- Hatfield twice, once to my father’s the pupils of the De Havilland er projects. If you are prepared funeral and once to the Flower Festi- School on the subject of WW2 to help, talk about us to the val in the garden of by evacuees with references to public and recruit new mem- kind invitation of Lady Salisbury. Gladys Brown’s recorded memo- bers phone Chris. Yours truly, G. Austin Prime ries. HATFIELD’S OLD CHALK SALISBURY VILLAGE MINES Open letter to Councillor Atkinson, Welwyn Hatfield Council Subsidence in Briars Lane By Maurice Richardson Firstly let me explain why I, a resi- am convinced that it will take more dent of St Albans, I am sending this than the re-generation of the Town We went to the meeting in Briars letter to you. The matter to which I Centre, if it ever happens to the ex- Lane school and were fascinated to refer is one which I think you may be tent projected, to make Hatfield an see videos of some of the tunnels. able to relate to as you live in the appealing place to future prospec- They got the pictures by making Ellenbrook district and it is also some- tive residents. Nevertheless I re- shafts down which they dropped a thing of considerable interest to me. main hopeful that somehow it can camera. You could almost imagine I recently picked up the enclosed become, once more, a desirable miners in the Victorian era emerging brochure and, as someone who was from the tunnel openings. location and trust that the elected born and brought up in Hatfield and The meeting was chaired by Bob representatives will not remain Jewell on behalf of WH Council and have spent most of my life in the area, oblivious of the unfortunate trends there were reps from HCC and the I was appalled to find that in the entire that have led to the present situation consultants etc. About 30 residents glossy brochure no mention is made of and will do everything in their power attended, and those closely affected Hatfield, although to my mind Astwick and re-double their efforts to restore were mainly concerned to know Manor has always been part of Hat- real pride to the community of this when work would start and be com- field! The description refers to Welw- historic town. pleted and, in some cases, to be yn Garden City and St Albans, but given a written confirmation that there are no photographs of attrac- Brian Lawrence their property was not affected, so tions in Hatfield (e.g. the Old Town or (Verbatim et liberatim) that they could pass it to their insur- Hatfield House). Furthermore, the “Dear Brian ers. They were promised that this Please except my thanks for your would be done. maps on the back show Hatfield in We were told that over 900 dyana- less prominent type than all the other letter and the copy of the sales litera- mic probes were made (I gathered towns shown. "Coopers Green Lane" ture. I have contact Frosts and have that this meant testing from above is in bolder type than "Hatfield Tun- raised the issue with them because I for any indication of holes or non- nel"! There is no mention of Hatfield like you have been upset by the lack solid matter) and a smaller number Station despite it being closer to prop- of connection the developers have of shafts down to 11 - 20 metres erties than Welwyn Garden City or St made with Hatfield as a clear example below ground. They identified a Albans Stations which are highlighted the one about Salisbury Village near number of places where there had and the address quoted carefully St Albans. been a shaft from the surface, but it avoids the inclusion of Hatfield even So I as past Chairman of Hatfield seemed as though the tunnels from though the postcode is clearly a Hat- Town Council and councillor for the them may have been interconnected. north ward in which Astwick manor is The English Partnership provided field one. These omissions cannot be about £1 million for the investigation, coincidental and I think the reason is located. Further being one of the an assessment will now be made of clear to anyone who has a grain of local councillors who approved the applica- the best method of filling each area, knowledge. tion to allow this redevelopment are eg concrete or expanding foam, and Of course, the content of a develop- some what disturbed by what you a request will be submitted to EP for ers' and agents' brochure is entirely have presented to me? funding probably in November. EP their decision but I am in no doubt You are right to bring this to my at- are expected to take about 4 months whatsoever that the wording has been tention and be rest assured I will be to come up with an answer, and the carefully chosen as they feel that any addressing these agents and devel- team were optimistic that EP would reference to Hatfield would tend to oper with a view to stopping this under fund all or much of the work. If the make the apartments less attractive to value of our fine Town prospects looked gloomy, say early next year, a public meeting would be prospective purchasers. I seem to re- I have taken to task the estate called to enable public and political call that when housing development agents for their sales material and pressure to be applied. In the last began on the airfield a few years ago have sent them a video of Hatfield resort funds might have to be pro- the location was also described as back to the future which will show the vided by the local authority, with the being between St Albans and Welwyn quality and history of Hatfield. possibility that householders' insur- Garden City. Please let others know about your ers might be involved. June/July I am sad to say that Hatfield has contact as I would like to hear from all could be the start date of the work, suffered badly over recent decades about this so we can start the change with completion about six months by comparison with its neighbours, Regards.” later particularly Welwyn Garden City and I Cllr. Nick Atkinson Dear Mr Atkinson IN MEMORIUM SCHOOL FOR YOUNG GENTLEMEN

By Frank Cox In 1861 John Dare, a 24 year soon living in Fore Street, Hat- old schoolmaster from Bridge- field. Recently whilst pursuing his in- water in Somerset, had set up a Following the death of John terest in the Great War my son boarding school for young gen- Dare in April 1891, his adopted was visiting the battlefields of the tlemen in adjoining houses Nos. son with his wife Caroline, 3 Somme and in his bed and 5 and 6 Spring Villas in French daughters and 2 sons were es- breakfast accommodation was Horn Lane, Hatfield, near where tablished in Dagmar House with displayed a beautifully carved the old Wesleyan Chapel was 18 boarding pupils. plaque as pictured: built. He lived there with his wife, Of the 37 boarders recorded in Mary and a 4 year old adopted 1901 none were local lads. Four son, John Raymond Sheehan a originated from the USA, 2 from local boy who had been born in India and 19 from London. Hatfield. In 1902 the schools were rede- By 1871 they had 24 boarding signated the Hatfield Collegiate pupils aged between 8 and 16 Schools. and hailing from such places as The local directory for Hatfield the East Indies, Illinois USA and names Capt. M. Ayton as the Astwick. Possibly sons of local principal in 1933. gentry attended as day pupils. The booklet ‘HATFIELD and its By 1881 the Dares had moved people’ part 8 tells us that the with the school to Dagmar school was sold c. 1923 to House, Great North Road, Hat- Messrs. T.W.Hearle and J.C. field just south of the Wrestlers Prentice and closed about 1934. public house at the junction of St. Another interesting facet from Albans Road. 30 pupils were the same booklet records that boarding at that time. ”1886 Mrs. Caroline Sheehan- On the 1st March 1882 John Dare” (wife of John Raymond) Raymond signed a deed evi- had a “ladies’ school, Fore Street dencing a change of name and (Morton House); continued c. The inscription reads from then was known as Shee- 1888 by John Dare, and c. 1892 han Dare. by his widow Mrs. Mary Ann IN GRATEFUL MEMORY Another John Sheehan, a pro- Dare. About 1898 this school OF THE MEMBERS OF moved to Dagmar House and c. DAGMAR HOUSE SCHOOL fessor of music from Cork in Ire- WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE land with his wife, Lavinia and 1900 to the adjacent Alexandra GREAT WAR daughter, also a music teacher House (J. R. Sheehan-Dare prin- JFL ADCOCK VJ AUSTIN had moved into the Spring Villas cipal). School sold c. 1923…. HK BRIGGS HG COLLINS JA DAVIS property. Closed about 1934.” ND EDINBOROUGH W HELDRETT In 1882 John Raymond Shee- Reliable information tells us WHN GIBBS M LE GRAIN AG han Dare married Caroline Eliza that Alexandra House School MAGDALEN J MASSON D MILLER Lane from Hickling, Norfolk at moved to Newtown House, 66 TGS PAYNE A PRICE GW PRICE J RICHARDSON AE SEARLE JA Holbeach, Lincolnshire and was St. Albans Road c. 1934 with STARKEY JH WALKER Miss Mary Thomas as principal. GH WHITTARD SBR WILLIAMS Dagmar House The proprietor had no knowl- edge of the school or of the men named. This has instigated a project to research the school and its his- tory and to try to identify the ex- pupils. Here is the first episode. THE HERTFORDSHIRE For Your Diary CENSUS 1851 Family History Edition Thursday December 8 2.30 Open Meeting with theme “Life on the Home Front” Jean West with extracts from her WW2 diaries Edited by Nigel Goose Bring your own memorabilia and memories Write your own short story of remembered event for display to members Free raffle!! Free admission for members and visitors!! This 1851 census is the first reli- able census to be conducted, giv- Thursday February 9 2.30 ing information on name, address, Road to the North sex, age, marital condition, family Jim Page relationships, occupation and place Will talk about the Great North Road of birth. An invaluable resource for family historians. Monday 13 March 7.30 This CD provides a transcription for the ancient county of Hertfordshire, The Life of Emma Hamilton in a format which is compatible with Terry Pankhurst most types of software. The files are in Microsoft Word, and also in Note change Monday10 April 2.30 tab-separated text files for easy Pull Yourselves Together Girls transfer to all popular spreadsheet The Spirella ( Company) Story and database software Robert Lancaster Curator First City Heritage Museum • Bonus file: Admissions and Discharges from Hatfield Union Monday 8 May 7.30 Workhouse 1834-61 Annual General Meeting followed by Published by the Centre for Re- A Knight, A Countess And A Packet of Sandwiches gional and Local History, University The Irish Rising, Roger Casement and the Countess of Markovitch of Hertfordshire, and University of Terry Cox Hertfordshire Press. CD-ROM £12.50. p & p £2 Sunday 14 May 2.00 Escorted Tour of Great Nast Hyde House Send orders to Dr. S.A.Jennings, Limited number by ticket only Centre for Regional and Local His- tory, University of Hertfordshire, Booking by Tony Lodge College Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB.

HIGH FLIGHT COLLECTION

Anyone interested in avia- tion may like to know that there is a circulating collection of avi- ation books at Hatfield Library until the New Year.The books were donated to the library service by the wife of Tony Marston who during his life cre- ated the collection.