Having lived in Yorkshire all my life until 2005, I can say moving south was seen as somewhat surprising to my immediate family who to this day remain in Yorkshire. When I moved to Hertfordshire I lived with my partner in Hitchin and there we stayed for a few years. His mum lives in Letchworth and he was born and bred down here (unlike me). I really felt quite homesick until moving to Letchworth where I have really put down roots. And that’s something coming from a northern lass! It’s just such a welcoming place which has so much to offer and still has a very active, diverse and thriving community spirit.
How did I end up here?
In 2007 we looked at a house for sale on Eastholm Green (No.14) but, at the time, it simply wasn’t meant to be and we stayed put in Hitchin (and I must admit I sulked a little…). However, it must have been fate as two years later we ended up buying No.13 Eastholm Green and moved in October 2009. Over the years that followed I can say that I have developed a huge interest in and passion for the heritage of the town, and it’s all thanks to my house!
In 2009 the house was a bit of a sorry sight externally, having lost its original sash windows, both main chimneys (gaining an ugly metal flue pipe instead) and been subject to a DIY enclosed front porch in the early 80s. Despite this the house still felt homely and comforting. It’s just so welcoming and lights up like a church when the sun shines. On top of this the setting of Eastholm Green is very peaceful, a quite enclave, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life which is very neighbourly and friendly.
For us though, it wasn’t just the house which appealed as we are both keen gardeners and were really excited at prospect of having a much larger plot to work with. All in all, we bought it as a medium to long term project as we could see the potential of both the house and garden. Actually, looking back I think the house chose us; it was probably desperate for an image change and felt that the story of Eastholm was being forgotten!
A journey to the past via the pantry!
When we moved in we found a plaque in our pantry which is now displayed at the front of the house. Being the curious type, this led me to the Exhibition Cottages Group. This group of interested local residents had initially formed to celebrate the centenary of the Cottage Exhibitions in Letchworth (1905 Cheap Cottages Exhibition and 1907 Urban Cottages and Homesteads Exhibition 1907). The plaques had been produced and sold to residents living in the cottages built as part of these exhibitions. The group sought to promote the importance of these cottages to the town. So, I set out to find out more about my house and the 1905 Exhibition. While I initially did this to inform our restoration efforts, I ended up getting involved in the Group as the history was just fascinating.
This was the start of my voyage of discovery and real interest in Letchworth. After all, I didn’t even know who Ebenezer Howard was, let alone that my house was built by the first cottage society formed by the very first industry established in connection with the new Garden City!
I researched the Cottage Exhibitions to help inform walking tours around the exhibition sites which the Group ran during the Letchworth Festival. I was keen to find out more about the first residents and get beyond the architecture of the cottages. Every one of the early Letchworth houses has its own story to tell and I would encourage you to find out more about your own house!
Another member of the group was also involved in the Letchworth Local History Group who at the time were researching the 1911 Census for Letchworth. As I was keen to find out more about early residents to enrich the Cottages Exhibition walks, I got involved in this research and the 1911 Census Exhibition held by the Local History Group. I have remained a member of the history group alongside the Cottages Group and collectively we have continued our research into early Letchworth. What has become apparent through this collaborative work is the importance of the early cottages to the industrial aspect of the garden city story. For that reason, the Exhibition Cottages Group has now broadened its remit and is now the Garden City Cottages Group, promoting the importance of the early garden city cottages (including the exhibition cottages).
This industrial heritage was the focus of an exhibition held by the Local History Group in 2016 and we are now busy writing a follow-up book which will be published later this year. Both groups have received support from the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.
Over the past five years I have researched the town as well as my own house and the wider development of Eastholm Green. In the second part of my blog, I’ll touch on how we’ve renovated our lovely home and what further historical information I’ve uncovered!
