Timeline of the History of Tring and District Villages
WORLD WARS AND MODERN BRITAIN (1914-2021)
What happened in this country
- Universal suffrage
- Post war economic impact
- Development of Welfare State
- Demographic change; population growth, longer lives
- Increased individual wealth and wellbeing
- More, newer housing, with greater use of technology
- Greater ease and speed of travel, both national and international
- Increase in leisure time and activities
- Growth in instant communication; telephone, internet, social media
- Expansion of further education and university access
- Modernisation of farming
- Increased urbanisation and commuting
- Dissolution of empires
- Cold and regional wars
What Happened in our villages?
Jeffries Wharf at Wilstone, supply port for coal to the area, closed due to pilferage
Long Marston airfield used as aerodrome for flights in first World War but ceased activities thereafter.
Building given to the village of Puttenham by Joseph Williams of Pendley Manor, to be used as a ‘Parish Room’. (This prefabricated building had to be transported from Tring in a horse drawn dung cart by two local farmers)
Long Marston airfield converted for use by RAF, later transferred to US Air Force
New school opened in Long Marston.
Puttenham Parish Room closed.
Long Marston Airfield closed.
Donald Sinden is the first celebrity to open the Annual Show in Wilstone (later celebrities included Wilfred Brambell (Steptoe), Neil McCallum and Norman Rossington).
Formation of of Long Marston and Puttenham WI
Wilstone School taken over by Hertfordshire County Council.
Victory Hall Long Marston completed and formally opened, after ten years of fund raising.
Outrage in the Parish Paper at the installation of a new telephone box in Wilstone.
Go-Kart track set up on Long Marston Airfield for public races.
The old slaughter house in Long Marston closed down; butchers business transferred from Rose and Crown to Cheddington Lane.
Long Marston FC win the Herts Junior Cup
Great Train Robbery; train is guarded afterwards at Marston Gate Railway Station
Wilstone School closed, service of thanksgiving held in St Cross.
Opening ceremony performed by James Allison, MP, for new Wilstone village hall.
Long Marston Rectory sold and demolished to allow the building of Church View; new Rectory built on Watery Lane.
Severe flooding in Long Marston on at least four occasions, cause unknown.
Long Marston Tennis Club moves to present site (previously used a single court on the recreation ground).
First pantomime performed in Victory Hall, Long Marston
The Queens Head wins the ‘Curry Club of the year’ award. Photo from Simon Sturt
The Tower Conservation Group come together and begin their plan to restore the old church tower in Chapel Lane, Long Marston.
Glasser’s Mill ceases production in Wilstone.
Bardaid, in partnership with Animal Antiks Charity, adopted the phone box in Long Marston, reclaimed it from nature, rehomed the spiders and filled it with books for the local community.
150th Anniversary of formation of Long Marston Cricket Club.
Fullers Brewery sell the freehold of the Queens Head to new owners.
En bloc resignations from 6 members of Parish Council, meeting abandoned due to lack of quorum, new council elected.
Sources
- A Potted History of Long Marston by the Long Marston and Puttenham Horticultural Society, 2012.
- A Short History of Wilstone by A.R. Gomm (WILSTONESTICKS.COM)
- The Story of Wilstone by John and Janet Painter
- History of Puttenham (www.british-history.ac.uk)
- History of Long Marston (www.british-history.ac.uk)
- http://longmarston.org/
- Long Marston Nostalgia Facebook Group
- https://www.wilstonecommunityshop.org.uk
- www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2
- www.dacorumheritage.org.uk
- Cuttings from local papers
- Past copies of Village News and its predecessor Parish Papers
- Memories of the 1940s and 1950s from local residents
Send in your photos, stories, documents and we’ll get them added!