Matt 53
Not the Coronation Fountain part 2, Welwyn Garden City
Ok, my very average photo sparked a couple of comments, so here's the non-fountain from the opposite or 'southern aspect'. The 'lavender' in question in part 1 is beyond the non-fountain in this picture, and you can see that there are actually further lavender quadrants just in front of, and just behind, the non-fountain.
If you're still reading (and I'll understand if you've given up), there's a rather good cine film from the East Anglian Film Archive, in colour, shot in 1953, the year of the Coronation and when the fountain was built: www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5617
It's a fascinating insight into an earlier age (well it IS more than half a century ago now), with some excellent views of old cars and people going about their business - even the people in a hurry look far less frazzled than we do today! The fountain is filmed at 3mins 50 seconds. Also look out for the urban beekeeping at 1min 30, the horse and cart at 7:55, the cows at 9:25, the steam train at 10mins, the man and daughter and the rather restrained Christmas lights at 11:30 onwards and the winter scenes towards the end.
I still think the concept for the centre of quite a large commuter town has proved itself as a successful and lasting model. Shame it wasn't used in many of the other New Towns. Good for Welwyn, I say, even if I didn't get to see the fountain that I remember so clearly from 50 years ago.
Not the Coronation Fountain part 2, Welwyn Garden City
Ok, my very average photo sparked a couple of comments, so here's the non-fountain from the opposite or 'southern aspect'. The 'lavender' in question in part 1 is beyond the non-fountain in this picture, and you can see that there are actually further lavender quadrants just in front of, and just behind, the non-fountain.
If you're still reading (and I'll understand if you've given up), there's a rather good cine film from the East Anglian Film Archive, in colour, shot in 1953, the year of the Coronation and when the fountain was built: www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5617
It's a fascinating insight into an earlier age (well it IS more than half a century ago now), with some excellent views of old cars and people going about their business - even the people in a hurry look far less frazzled than we do today! The fountain is filmed at 3mins 50 seconds. Also look out for the urban beekeeping at 1min 30, the horse and cart at 7:55, the cows at 9:25, the steam train at 10mins, the man and daughter and the rather restrained Christmas lights at 11:30 onwards and the winter scenes towards the end.
I still think the concept for the centre of quite a large commuter town has proved itself as a successful and lasting model. Shame it wasn't used in many of the other New Towns. Good for Welwyn, I say, even if I didn't get to see the fountain that I remember so clearly from 50 years ago.