Collection GB 0074 LMA/4255 - CHATHAM CLOSE, 005-006: HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 LMA/4255

Title

CHATHAM CLOSE, 005-006: HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB

Date(s)

  • 1910 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.15 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Hampstead Garden Suburb is an area of outstanding architectural importance situated to the north west of London. In 1951, Nikolaus Pevsner in his Buildings of England - Middlesex described it as 'the aesthetically most satisfactory and socially most successful of C20 garden suburbs'. The Suburb was the vision and accomplishment of Henrietta Octavia Barnett (later Dame Henrietta).

In 1905 Henrietta published an article in the Contemporary Review stating that she wanted to create a place where the rich and poor could live together. The estate would be aesthetically pleasing as it would consist of low dennsity housing and would be planned as a whole, a mixture of buildings and nature. The community would be served by a range of local amenities including churches, libraries, schools and shops. It would be a suburb for all, the old, the young and the handicapped. Nobody would be excluded. Henrietta wanted to bring different classes together rather than create a classless community. She hoped that the result would avoid the worst evils of conventional suburbs of the time - social segregation and destruction of the countyside.

The head architect employed by Henrietta was Raymond Unwin. He had the responsibility of surveying and planning the estate as a whole. Edwin Lutyens was appointed to plan the centrepiece, Central Square. The land purchase negotiations took place between 1900 and 1907. It was on the 2nd May 1907, that Henrietta ceremoniously cut the first sod of grass. Building work from this point was rapid, and by October of the same year the houses which are now known as 140 and 142 Hampstead Way were completed. Also in 1907, Central Square was constructed with its showcase buildings of St Jude's Church, the Free Church, and the Institute.

Although the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust Ltd owned and administered the suburb, a large section of the housing was built by the Co-Partnership companies. The Co-partnership Tenants Ltd was formed in June 1907, and they aimed to built houses for all classes but especially for the working class. They had a dividend limitation of 5% which limited their profits. The tenants of the houses were the investors, and after expenses had been deducted, surplus profits were divided amongst these tenants in proportion to the rent that they paid. The profit was given in shares only.

Other companies which were involved in the construction of housing in the period before the First World War were the Improved Industrial Dwelling Company Ltd. and the Garden Suburb Development Company (Hampstead) Ltd.

There were also Suburb Tenants Societies who elected their own Board of Management. The Hampstead Tenants Ltd and the Second and Third Hampstead Tenants Ltd (formed 1907, 1909 and 1910 respectively) and finally the Oakwood Tenants Ltd formed in 1913. The impact of all these companies was considerable as they increased the size of the Suburb by more than twofold during the period in which they were building.

Archival history

GB 0074 LMA/4255 1910 Collection 0.15 linear metres Unknown.

Hampstead Garden Suburb is an area of outstanding architectural importance situated to the north west of London. In 1951, Nikolaus Pevsner in his Buildings of England - Middlesex described it as 'the aesthetically most satisfactory and socially most successful of C20 garden suburbs'. The Suburb was the vision and accomplishment of Henrietta Octavia Barnett (later Dame Henrietta).

In 1905 Henrietta published an article in the Contemporary Review stating that she wanted to create a place where the rich and poor could live together. The estate would be aesthetically pleasing as it would consist of low dennsity housing and would be planned as a whole, a mixture of buildings and nature. The community would be served by a range of local amenities including churches, libraries, schools and shops. It would be a suburb for all, the old, the young and the handicapped. Nobody would be excluded. Henrietta wanted to bring different classes together rather than create a classless community. She hoped that the result would avoid the worst evils of conventional suburbs of the time - social segregation and destruction of the countyside.

The head architect employed by Henrietta was Raymond Unwin. He had the responsibility of surveying and planning the estate as a whole. Edwin Lutyens was appointed to plan the centrepiece, Central Square. The land purchase negotiations took place between 1900 and 1907. It was on the 2nd May 1907, that Henrietta ceremoniously cut the first sod of grass. Building work from this point was rapid, and by October of the same year the houses which are now known as 140 and 142 Hampstead Way were completed. Also in 1907, Central Square was constructed with its showcase buildings of St Jude's Church, the Free Church, and the Institute.

Although the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust Ltd owned and administered the suburb, a large section of the housing was built by the Co-Partnership companies. The Co-partnership Tenants Ltd was formed in June 1907, and they aimed to built houses for all classes but especially for the working class. They had a dividend limitation of 5% which limited their profits. The tenants of the houses were the investors, and after expenses had been deducted, surplus profits were divided amongst these tenants in proportion to the rent that they paid. The profit was given in shares only.

Other companies which were involved in the construction of housing in the period before the First World War were the Improved Industrial Dwelling Company Ltd. and the Garden Suburb Development Company (Hampstead) Ltd.

There were also Suburb Tenants Societies who elected their own Board of Management. The Hampstead Tenants Ltd and the Second and Third Hampstead Tenants Ltd (formed 1907, 1909 and 1910 respectively) and finally the Oakwood Tenants Ltd formed in 1913. The impact of all these companies was considerable as they increased the size of the Suburb by more than twofold during the period in which they were building.

Donated to the Archive in February 2000.

This collection consists of plans of 6-7 Chatham Close, Hampstead Garden Suburb, and a short history of these houses.

These records have been arranged in chronological order.

These records are open for public inspection.

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

See ACC/3816 for the records of Hampstead Garden Suburb (and a more detailed history); and LMA/4424 for more building plans from the suburb.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

August to October 2010. Residential buildings Architectural plans Cultural heritage Cultural property Immovable cultural property Historic properties Historic buildings Visual materials Plans Building plans Buildings Architecture Camden London England UK Western Europe Europe Hampstead

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated to the Archive in February 2000.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This collection consists of plans of 6-7 Chatham Close, Hampstead Garden Suburb, and a short history of these houses.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

These records have been arranged in chronological order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are open for public inspection.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See ACC/3816 for the records of Hampstead Garden Suburb (and a more detailed history); and LMA/4424 for more building plans from the suburb.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area