Manoj Patel

Cultivation of corn on fertile land

For a long time the highest clay lands around where Hemel Hempstead would develop was suitable only for grazing, and resisted agriculture, but with the development of ploughs this land became available for growing grain. Looking along the rough furrows of this higher land you would think that nothing could grow in such heavy sticky stuff but by the skill of generations of farmers, come spring, these heavy, ridged fields will be a mass of green shoots and then fields of golden corn.

Trade in corn

The fertility of the soil locally is rated quite low when compared nationally but it was this soil that contributed to the growth of the High Street as an important trade centre long before a market charter was granted.

Corn to feed the Roman Army

The Romans recognised and exploited this potential to feed their army.

Two different peoples arrive, one to a new life one dispossessed of their land

Possibly a Saxon migrant named Hamel saw the good land and built a homestead on the gravel terrace just above the river giving the place his name. It was the custom of his people to cremate their dead on a funeral pyre.

A French King measures and counts the bounty of the land

Each people who arrived from across the eastern sea recognised the good lands and integrated or conquered, the most recent successful invasion was by a Norman, King William known as the Con-queror. He had all the farms counted and listed, ordering a census of all farmsteads, animals etc and Hemel Hempstead first appears referred to in what became known as the Doomsday Book around 1086: 'Hamelamesede, a village with about 100 inhabitants'.

The High Street, the market place for corn

Hemel Hempstead began as what is now known as The Old Town, turning left from a lane running past Bury Mill, where the Registry Office is now. The High Street initially was a slightly higher trackway to avoid the marshy land, and later maybe a route to keep the local people from poaching the fertile Gade valley that was owned by the Bonhommes of Ashridge. The Medieval cottages in Piccotts End are thought to be a Late 15th century a hospice for pilgrims on their way to Ashridge. At first the buying and selling took place in and around St Mary's Church, but was moved up to a new market place, (now the car park at the top of the steps) known as the Bailiwick, then we wirera too treplaced in the 19th century by the Victorian Town Hall which was later replaced by building of the Dacorum Borough Council offices in Marlowes . The many inns were where business was oiled and deals were struck, hiring of workers took place, corn was weighed and valued, animals were bought and sold, dead from the slaughter house or alive. Chickens and eggs, wild rabbits and game, feather mattresses, straw plaits for hats and the skills of all the local artisans were exchanged for cash or by barter. Ploughs and tools could be ordered from the blacksmith and later from the foundry. Much ale was drunk and the waste from the slaughter houses, animals and so many people ran down the street. Stalls became shops, public health concerns became laws and gas and electricity arrived - and the canal and railway for a wider market, then motor vehicles. Gradually from the 1930's the shops there satisfied all the needs for goods not only for the local community but also for the wider community. Banks, chemists, smart men's wear or working clothes, fashion clothes and shoes for ladies, animal feed, fancy goods and artist's needs, all were available in the High Street. All this until The Parade, Alexandra Road and gradually Marlowes began to take over the trade eventually to be the Marlowes Cen-tre and Riverside.

St Mary's, a church built on corn riches

St Mary's Church was built on the income from the fertility of the land in 1140 and is considered to be one of the finest parish churches in the county. The unusual church spire of 200 feet (61 metres) was built in the 12th century and is one of Europe's tallest built. The Charter of Henry VIII allows the people of Hemel Hempstead independence to be self governing (and keep some of their profit) In 1539 Henry VIII granted the Charter to Hemel Hempstead that gave right to elect a town Bailiff, the right to hold annual fair and importantly to hold weekly market. This market place first just a high street became known as the Bailiwick was initially the place where cattle were brought for trade, live or for slaughter, and corn for sale. Sir Astley Paston Cooper, surgeon to Queen Victoria the first Mayor of the Borough of Hemel Hempstead. Leisure World was built on fields donated by the daughter of a later Mayor, Arthur Jar-man in his memory.

New Town

in 1946, after World War Two the government chose Hemel Hempstead as the site of one of its proposed New Towns to house the population dis Sites were being cleared in London. The Govern-braced by the London red in London She dbomb-stent purchased 5,910 berean Work. Km of what mer been farm land and began Work. The first new residents moved in during April 1949, and the town continued its planned expansion through to the end of the 19805, growing to its present population of over 81,000, with new developments enveloping the original town on all sides. The original part of Hemel is still known as the "Old Town". Old Town High Street Marlowes shopping centre and pedestrianised high street, the centre of Hemel Hempstead since 1952 when the New Town was built. This photograph taken 2006 Initially there was much resistance and hostility to the plan from locals, including those who would lose their farms especially when it was revealed that any development would be carried out not by the local council but by a newly appointed government body, the Hemel Hempstead Development Corporation (later the Commission for the New Towns). However, following a public inquiry the following year, the town got the go-ahead. Hemel officially became a New Town on 4 February 1947. The initial plans were drawn up by architect G. A. Jellicoe. His view of Hemel Hempstead, he said, was "not a city in a garden, but a city in a park. However, the plans were not well received by most locals. Revised, and less radical plans were drawn up, and the first developments proceeded despite local protests in July 1948. The first area to be developed was Adeyfield and the first houses built were in Longlands, Adeyfield, in the spring of 1949. The first new residents moved in early 1950. At this time work started on building new factories and industrial areas, to avoid the town becoming a dormitory town. The factories and oil depot were sited in the north east of the town. The first factory was erected in 1950 in Mavlands Avenue. Local opposition continued but the town was becoming increasingly popular with those moving in from areas of north London. By the end of 1951, there was a waiting list of about 10,000 wishing to move to Hemel. The neighbourhoods of Bennett's End, Chaulden and Warner's End were started. These neighbourhoods each had their own 'village centre' with shops pubs and services, and were designed around a few main roads with smaller crescents and cul-de-sacs in order to minimise traffic and noise nuisance. The Queen paid a visit shortly after her accession in 1952, and laid a foundation stone for a new church in Adeyfield - one of her first public engagements as Queen. The shopping square she visited is named Queen's Square, and the nearby area has street names commemorating the then-recent conquest of Everest, such as Hilary and Tenzing Road. This conquest is also celebrated in the name of a pub in Warners End - the 'Top of the World'. Around 1950 the plans for a double roundabout at Moor End were first put forward, but in fact it was not until 1973 that the roundabout was opened as it was originally designed. This became Heel's most notable creature, the famous 'Magic Round-about. A giant mosaic featuring the artist Rowland Emett was built into one of the walls of Marlowes In the 1970s the government abolished the Borough of Hemel Hempstead and the town was incorporated into Dacorum District Council along with Tring and Berkhamstead but on the strength of the Royal Charter granted by Henry VIII, lobbied to be recognised and regained the Mayor and Aldermen and became Dacorum Borough Council.

Buncefield explosion

The Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fuel de-pot, in Hemel Hempstead opened in 1968 handling mostly petrol, diesel and aviation fuel delivered by tankers and pipeline from the refineries. The explosion at the Buncefield fuel depot caused the UN's biggest peacetime fire. Smoke, literally a plume, drifted across the sky to be seen for hundreds of miles. Everyone agreed that a miracle had occurred. The buildings in Maylands Avenue to west, mostly offices and factories were of modern cellular construction usually housing hundreds of employees were literally gutted but it was Sunday morning and none of them were at work. Only one man was slightly injured. Some of the residents from nearby houses had to be evacuated due to damage to their houses, becoming refugees, while offices and warehouses around the site suffered major damage. It has taken a very long time for some to return their homes to normal.

Education

There is a Business and Enterprise College, Specialist College for Visual Arts, Specialist Sports Col-lege, Specialist Performing Arts, Maths and Science College, Specialist Technology and Modern Foreign Language College (Roman Catholic) and a Maths and Computing School.

Religion

From the time of Henry VIII the Church of England was the only legitimate church. Henry was the head of the church, as is Queen Elizabeth the Second.As king Henry was the church and the state. Queen Elizabeth, possibly one of the greatest statesmen of all time is the ordained head of the Anglican church, the Church of England, Scotland and Wales but has to bow to the voice of the people. There are many people following the Roman Catholic Church and other congregations of Christian people 'Protestants', i.e., Quakers, Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals etc. These built their own buildings, the Quakers built a Meeting House in the High Street, the early Baptists walked to Markyate until they built a chapel in Piccotts End. Historically only people people who were baptised in the Church of England could be buried in the holy ground of the Cemetery in Cemetery Hill and so the Quakers bought a field in the Redbourn Road and the Baptists found a place for burial in Figtree Hill. There is now a Council burial ground, Woodwells, where all can be buried although there are some specified areas. Cremations take place at West Herts Crematorium in Watford where the burial service can be of any religious persuasion or none. People who settled in Britain brought with them their own beliefs, appreciating the freedom of worship to be found here, Muslims, Indian Hindus, the Chinese and others. There was once a large Jewish community of elderly people in Hemel.

Integration

Integration for the first Ugandan Indians was dif-ficult, not the least due to the fact that the government ordered the councils to make council accommodation available for them and thirty families mostly Gujaraties were given shelter in Hemel Hempstead, being allocated council houses, allowing them to jump the very long waiting list. This was a cause of resentment for many people. It is a matter for concern that so many people coming in do not learn the language and do not make any effort to integrate and perhaps do not receive sufficient encouragement to do so.

Indian's contributions to the country

Indians rate security very highly and are committed to hard work and often long hours. They also respect the value of education and consequently thrive. The first generation of Asians who went to East Africa did same thing, working hard and save money to invest back into their businesses just to give security for their family and children, sadly this prosperity was what caused their businesses to be taken over as they were expelled from Uganda. This pattern of hard work and success is being repeated in Britain today. It is worth noting that young Indians are working in hospitals as doctors, In banking, insurance, the Civil Service, expanding their businesses from corner shops in some cases Pedley Manor in Tring is owned and run by Indian. Also the Indian Tata Company, Corus Steel and Tet-ley tea. As well as leading in business sector they are practicing law, there are teachers and professors in schools and universities, they are in demand for their IT skills, graphic design and are accountants, pharmacists, in politics and members of police. Almost any profession that you might name, Indian people are there.