Royal visit

We remember the past in our local area by the special events which took place there.  Processions and street parties,  Olympic torch relays,  Hertfordshire Show, the opening of particular buildings.

Last week it was reported in the Herts Advertiser that the Countess of Wessex was welcomed to these parts by members of Highfield Park Trust; and there was a photograph showing the kind of activity Royals do best.  No, not shaking hands and participating in small-talk.  I am referring to the planting of a tree – or rather, spading a small pile of top quality top soil into the neat circular hole in which the tree has already been placed.  Waiting in the background, no doubt, was a 'proper' gardener in a green top, ready to finish the job properly, and, as we are always advised to do on Gardeners' World, "water it in."
Well, it was a small start to the 6,799 further trees which will need to be planted in the area known as Hither Wood.  So that will be next weekend, no doubt.

In case you are wondering, this is not the first time Royal presence has graced the turf of Hill End.  In May 1958  the Duke of Gloucester made his way here to carry out multiple tasks.  Not for him a simple tree planting.  First, he formally opened two new wards at Cell Barnes Hospital, followed by the opening of an annexe to the nurses home, a male nurses home and the Ackland Social Centre.  He then polished off the afternoon, to the delight of many children, formally opening the playground, funded by the Playing Fields Association, by unveiling a plaque.  The excitement of the children was probably more like impatience.  While the field and its equipment had been in use for some weeks, the space had been closed on this day until the Duke had made his visit, after which there was a youthful free-for-all.

Does anyone know what happened to the plaque.

A new page has now been added to the website.  As readers of Volume 2 have realised there is an appendix listing all of the streets, roads, avenues and closes in this east end of ours – all three hundred or more.  Except that I am bound to have missed out one or two – Guildford Road, for example!  Then there are around 25 or so roads for which no satisfactory explanation has yet been established about the origin of the name.

So, if visitors to the blog or website, or readers of the book have any suggestions to make, please email the author at saoee@me.com  Details will be added to the website page.

Finally, more pictures are being added to our group photos pages.  Do have a good look through them; there may be someone in the line-ups you recognise.  You never know.