[Members One of Another 8]

This film covers the years 1954 - 1956. Most of the film concerns ceremonies to open or unveil civic amenities in Harlow. 1) June 4th, 1954. A bronze statue in the paddling pool in Vicarage Wood, 'The Dolphin and Boy,' is unveiled by Sir Philip Hendry, director of the National Gallery and Chairman of the Harlow Arts Trust. There are views of the bronze, the speeches and then of children in the paddling pool. 2) June, 1954. Second Avenue is opened. There are shots of Second Avenue, some of which show it being used by cars and lorries. 3) April 19th, 1955. Sir Richard Costain, Chairman of the Harlow Development Corporation opens the Corporation Waterworks. There are shots of the ceremony and of the works. 4) May 20th, 1955. Mr. Duncan Sandys, Minister of Housing and Local Government, opened the 6,000th house to be built in Harlow. There is a posed shot of the family that are to inhabit the house. Mr. Sandys arrives by car. There is a short ceremony and then he hands the keys over to the occupants who enter the house. 5) On the same day, Mr. Sandys laid the Commemoration Stone at Stone Cross. There are shots of the ceremony. 6) October 5th, 1955. The Harlow New Town Heliport is opened by Lord Douglas, Chairman of BEA. There are shots of the officials assembled and then Lord and Lady Douglas arrive by helicopter. They are welcomed and then a second helicopter arrives. There are speeches. A newsreel cameraman is filming from the top of a car. The second helicopter gives a demonstration flight. 7) 1955. Shots show The High beginning to take shape. Some shops have opened in time for Christmas. As the camera pans the area, it is clear that there is still a lot of building to be completed. 8) May 17th, 1956. Sir Kenneth Clark, Chairman of the Arts Council, unveils Henry Moore's sculpture Family Group. There are speeches followed by the unveiling and shots of the statue. Henry Moore is present. 9) May 19th, 1956. Stone Cross Market is opened by Alderman Joyce, Deputy Chairman of the Corporation. There are many shots of the market crowed with people and of the stalls and their wares. There are also views of the car park and of shop window displays. The film finishes by showing other progress made. Hugh's Tower, a tower block of flats, features just before it was occupied. The construction work is shown in The Pinnacles, the West Industrial area, where one factory is in production and others are still under construction.

Featured Buildings

Hugh's Tower, Harlow

Featured Events

The Dolphin and Boy unveiled by Sir Philip Hendry, director of the National Gallery and Chairman of the Harlow Arts Trust, June 4th, 1954.Second Avenue is opened, June, 1954.The Corporation Waterworks are opened by Sir Richard Costain, Chairman of the Harlow Development Corporation April 19th, 1955.The 6,000th house to be built in Harlow is opened by Mr. Duncan Sandys, Minister of Housing and Local Government, May 20th, 1955.Mr. Sandys lays the Commemoration Stone at Stone Cross, May 20th, 1955.The Harlow New Town Heliport is opened by Lord Douglas, October 5th, 1955.Sir Kenneth Clark, Chairman of the Arts Council, unveils Henry Moore's sculpture Family Group, May 17th, 1956.Stone Cross Market is opened by Alderman Joyce, Deputy Chairman of the Corporation, May 19th, 1956.Members One Of Another 8.

Keywords

Ceremonies; Housing; New towns; Revelopment

Intertitles

1954 - 55 - 56 were perhaps the years of most intense activity in the Corporation's history and the development advanced at phenomenal speed.There were a number of interesting ceremonies to mark the advance.June 4th, 1954. The Dolphin and Boy bronze at the paddling pool in Vicarage Wood was unveiled.The unveiling was carried out by Sir Philip Hendry, Director of the National gallery and Chairman of the Harlow Arts Trust.In the summer of 1954 Second Avenue was opened to traffic.The Corporation's water undertaking was officially opened on 19th April, 1955 by Sir Richard Costain, Chairman of the Corporation. On May 20th, 1955, the Minister for Housing and Local Government (Mr. Duncan Sandys) visited Harlow and opened the 6,000th house.The Minister also laid the Commemoration Stone at Stone Cross.Members of the Harlow Urban District Council, which had come into being on April 1st that year, were present at this and other subsequent ceremonies.October 5th 1955. opening of the Harlow New Town Heliport by Lord Douglas, Chairman of British European Airways.1955 - Before Christmas some shops opened in the Town Centre (The High.) Henry Moore's statue Family Group was unveiled by Sir Kenneth Clark, Chairman of the Arts Council on May 17th, 1956.The Stone Cross Market was opened by the Corporation's Deputy Chairman, Alderman Joyce, on May 19th, 1956.And by Christmas 1956 the north-east corner of the High, around Stone Cross, was a busy shopping area.Work on other parts of The High was progressing rapidly. Hugh's Tower was about to be occupied.The West Industrial Area (Pinnacles) had one factory in operation and others under construction.That brings us to the end of 1956.