I was so blessed to be born in such a great town. On summer holidays we were out from dawn till dusk,either down the woods off Ascots lane or on the other side over at Digswell..What a great place to grow up!
thankyou for sharing this video................i was born in 1969 & remember the '70's very well.........i just can't help thinking England was better then........ more hopeful & optimistic about the future than in 2023............i now in live in Hatfield next to Welwyn Garden City ............i am sure Hatfield is worse now than in 1970 !...........i don't think it's just the sort of nostalgic thing that a 54 year old British person would say...........it's not an opinion i want to have ...........i would like to the think the future will be better !!!!!..............perhaps the ongoing reality of this SET UP is that it always was challenging & always will be challenging........... until the day anyone changes it ?...................
Man I was 6 then. Left in teens never to return. Damn we had a good time there! Mushies and the Fountain pub. Woods parties and motors. Thank you world.
yeah real shame what happened to it almost wish I could have seen it back then now we all addicted to technology, drugs, phones, social media and instant gratification look at these people all taking part in these wholesome activities much rarer now sadly.
@@theyluv_ob I was born in WGC in 1969, I had family in wgc from its very first days, I left it 33 years later, last time i went back the place was utterly ruined by the out of control building. They should now drop the word "garden"
I was Born here in 1942 and still do. It was a beautiful place once but the years have punished WGC the council's planning office have neglected Ebenezer Howards vision of a Welwyn Garden City allowing high rise flats on every plot of land available instead of decent homes for families to live in with gardens for children to play and maybe grow your own veg.
SO much there I recall with loving memory of family and such good friends. Welwyn Garden City was, unlike so much of England, relatively classless, a planned ( remember that?) environment, safe, spacious, inclusive, kind to most. And now? I do doubt it continues in any recognisable form save for the buildings, as I look at clearly broken England from far far away and weep.
I've lived here my whole life, so far, most of my children live here and my grandchildren too. It's changed so much in my 50+ years but sadly not for the good, mostly. WGC has become violent, dirty, vastly overpopulated and under serviced. I miss my old town and the smell of Shredded Wheat 😢 I'm now worried about living here during my old age.
Hi, I miss the smell of the Shredded Wheat factory too. And I miss the past, but I hope you look forward to the time you have yet coming. We have nothing else but time. We should treasure that which we have yet to use...it is a gift.
I lived near WGC up until late 1970's moved back about 15 years ago and guess what it is JUST AS NICE NOW as it's ever been - in fact it's probably better in alot of ways ...however the new development WHEAT QUARTER is a horrible mistake and does not belong in a garden city ...
Wow looks amazing clean tidy and safe with happy looking people doing nice things. Fast forward to 2019 and let me tell you its none of the above. Full of drugs crime and miserable people. To many buildings / houses have been built and the infrastructure just can't handle it you might as well be living in London. It's Such a shame because I remember the good old days as a child back in 1979. 🤔
I grew up in Welwyn Garden in the 60’s / 70’s and while I’d agree with you that it was clean, tidy and safe, I’m not sure that it’s so very different now. There are certainly plenty of worse places to live. As for miserable people, I’m certainly not. This year Welwyn Garden celebrates its centenary. Over 100 events throughout the year, including a carnival on the 11th of July: www.wgc100.org
@@maxustaxus Well, I’m “only” 60 now. That said, I’d say it was mostly peaceful and tidy while I was growing up. Not the most exciting town - especially after the Police raided The Cherrytree Pub which was the only live music venue at the time - ( Now it’s the local Waitrose ). I used to call it The City of The Dead! LOL. The layout of neighbourhood shopping centres surrounding the town centre did create some friction between gangs of lads who identified with their locality SBB, HBB ( The Shoplands / Howlands Boot Boys ) etc and would convene in the town centre on a Saturday evening for a punch-up. There were some unsavoury types, but in retrospect, very few. The Queen Mother’s visit in 1970 was a highpoint and I remember an annual exhibition of local clubs and societies in huge marquees on the Campus. I particularly remember the Boys Brigade would always march around with their drums. Think the local Air Cadets and Sea Cadets did the same. While the Scouts fiddled with their woggles and tied knots. Probably my earliest memory was helping the local baker deliver bread in his van. Can’t recall his name but I remember the van was dark red and I’d pop a loaf into a brown paper bag, hold it by the corners and whip it round to twist the corners and close it. That and shivering at Lea Valley swimming pool when we Stanborough kids had swimming lessons. Oh God! It’s all coming back! LOL Many thanks for the good wishes. I hope the centenary marks the start of a new era for WGC. It’s still a very pleasant and safe town with plenty to do, although you have to look for it.
Oh, many thanks to you for such an interesting account! Though I came from Stevenage, I recall the Fountain and the Cherry Tree myself. I had a friend in WGC called Christian, who would probably have visited the Cherry Tree around 1980-1983... In Stevenage we had the same tribal stuff between shopping centre/areas, and the usual Mod, Greaser, Punk, Skinhead stuff (I am not far of your age). Sadly, although our town was modern at the time, it was never as beautiful as WGC. I hope the centenary goes well too...thanks again for the reply.
@@maxustaxus I'm sorry. I thought it looked ideal in your video which is why I compared it to the surface of Pleasantville. I'll try to avoid cliches in future.
@@lewisner Please, no, I am sorry. I am a bit too sensitive for my own good. I get what you mean now. BTW, the notion of the "Thought Stopping Cliche" is intesting in its own right. And a search on Lifton (a Psychologist) might be useful...it is the idea that certain points, which we are very used to, can stop us from thinking further. I took Pleasantville in that way...but I know now you were quite reasonably saying it just looked like Pleasantville...which it does!
Are anal warts lanced? An anal boil is lanced, perhaps an excrescent leaking fissure may need such attention. But a wart? If in surgical terms a "lance" means to cut open a festering spot, then that is not a wart. But then you know this already....I suspect an adult of about 60 years, arrested at the age of 15, still haunted by jokes no longer funny.
The drug town stuff came a bit later...but WGC was by no means unique in this respect. We can muddy the water until we have no more to drink. But WGC was a wonderful place in the 1960s/70s. Surely a better place than most in the world at this time...with or without shredded wheat?
@@maxustaxus I was being a little facetious - I had been coming to WGC socially since 1970/1 and finally moved here from Welham Green in the mid 70's and I've always liked it. I think at that time, in common with a lot of places (it was the times, of course) there were always soft drugs around, and it wasn't uncommon to get stopped and searched if you had long hair, but unlike some other places WGC never felt particularly threatening or like a war zone. I'm still here 50 years later and I still love it.
@@bobgreen8142 Sorry, yes I see the joke now! And I know about the getting stopped thing, it was just the same in Stevenage when I was young and had long hair in the early 1980s. You never forget these encounters, and the sort of people involved.
I think all towns have an element of that now. I live in Welwyn having moved from Hatfield several years ago and it's much nicer in Welwyn IMO. Though I'm in a fairly nice area of Welwyn. I was surprised just how similar the town looks back then to now.
Thank god it's still got a drug problem....well not problem....its easy to score from weed to H....bonus.... No chang in those days but nice fluffy red n blonde leb
I was so blessed to be born in such a great town. On summer holidays we were out from dawn till dusk,either down the woods off Ascots lane or on the other side over at Digswell..What a great place to grow up!
Well done Ozzie! Loved it! My home town from 1971! Just as I remember! ❤
Great reminders my parents where the first landlords of the hollybush pub
thankyou for sharing this video................i was born in 1969 & remember the '70's very well.........i just can't help thinking England was better then........ more hopeful & optimistic about the future than in 2023............i now in live in Hatfield next to Welwyn Garden City ............i am sure Hatfield is worse now than in 1970 !...........i don't think it's just the sort of nostalgic thing that a 54 year old British person would say...........it's not an opinion i want to have ...........i would like to the think the future will be better !!!!!..............perhaps the ongoing reality of this SET UP is that it always was challenging & always will be challenging........... until the day anyone changes it ?...................
Man I was 6 then. Left in teens never to return. Damn we had a good time there! Mushies and the Fountain pub. Woods parties and motors. Thank you world.
You're welcome
Yes, woods parties Tim...
I was with you mate...Swuat up Geussens Rd....me n Elliot...u had brother Christian....nice lad....horse
1964 to 1985 then I left forever and can honestly say it was the best place in the world to grow up in.
What a time to be alive!
Thank you so much, I was 10 years and really enjoyed watching this.
Thank you for your kind comment, I am glad you enjoyed this.
yeah real shame what happened to it almost wish I could have seen it back then now we all addicted to technology, drugs, phones, social media and instant gratification look at these people all taking part in these wholesome activities much rarer now sadly.
Spent my first 20 years of life there..Fantastic chilhood spent in a great town in the countryside!!
I was born there but moved when I was 1 and now I am hopefully moving back 😊
@@theyluv_ob I was born in WGC in 1969, I had family in wgc from its very first days, I left it 33 years later, last time i went back the place was utterly ruined by the out of control building. They should now drop the word "garden"
@@ggj666 I’ve been back slot but I still really love it there, digswell is pretty green
I was Born here in 1942 and still do. It was a beautiful place once but the years have punished WGC the council's planning office have neglected Ebenezer Howards vision of a Welwyn Garden City allowing high rise flats on every plot of land available instead of decent homes for families to live in with gardens for children to play and maybe grow your own veg.
wonderful film
Happy days,long before kids were hypnotized by cell phones.
Ok boomer
SO much there I recall with loving memory of family and such good friends. Welwyn Garden City was, unlike so much of England, relatively classless, a planned ( remember that?) environment, safe, spacious, inclusive, kind to most. And now? I do doubt it continues in any recognisable form save for the buildings, as I look at clearly broken England from far far away and weep.
I've lived here my whole life, so far, most of my children live here and my grandchildren too. It's changed so much in my 50+ years but sadly not for the good, mostly.
WGC has become violent, dirty, vastly overpopulated and under serviced.
I miss my old town and the smell of Shredded Wheat 😢
I'm now worried about living here during my old age.
Hi, I miss the smell of the Shredded Wheat factory too. And I miss the past, but I hope you look forward to the time you have yet coming. We have nothing else but time. We should treasure that which we have yet to use...it is a gift.
One cannot live in the past forever.
@@Thalasius Is that some sort of justification for obliterating my past and culture?
I lived near WGC up until late 1970's moved back about 15 years ago and guess what it is JUST AS NICE NOW as it's ever been - in fact it's probably better in alot of ways ...however the new development WHEAT QUARTER is a horrible mistake and does not belong in a garden city ...
anyone remember the disco nights at the Cherry Tree pub every thursday and sunday
Hi, I think this is a collection of old family videos my grandad filmed spanning from the 60s to 80s. Would love to get a copy if possible.
In the days when there was a lot more things to do in Wgc
There is plenty you can do ;) sometimes you just have to make your own fun.
Wow looks amazing clean tidy and safe with happy looking people doing nice things.
Fast forward to 2019 and let me tell you its none of the above.
Full of drugs crime and miserable people.
To many buildings / houses have been built and the infrastructure just can't handle it you might as well be living in London.
It's Such a shame because I remember the good old days as a child back in 1979.
🤔
Christ! ain't that bad
I grew up in Welwyn Garden in the 60’s / 70’s and while I’d agree with you that it was clean, tidy and safe, I’m not sure that it’s so very different now. There are certainly plenty of worse places to live. As for miserable people, I’m certainly not.
This year Welwyn Garden celebrates its centenary. Over 100 events throughout the year, including a carnival on the 11th of July: www.wgc100.org
Not so safe if you were a longhair what with the skins back then. Also used to be a drug town with a small Shredded Wheat problem.
Wow! I used to live there
Nice place!
born 66 thumbswood blackthorn heronswood good old days ,,,,,,The Tapper left wgc and went to scotland
This year Welwyn Garden celebrates its centenary. Over 100 events throughout the year, including a carnival on the 11th of July: www.wgc100.org
@@maxustaxus Well, I’m “only” 60 now. That said, I’d say it was mostly peaceful and tidy while I was growing up. Not the most exciting town - especially after the Police raided The Cherrytree Pub which was the only live music venue at the time - ( Now it’s the local Waitrose ). I used to call it The City of The Dead! LOL. The layout of neighbourhood shopping centres surrounding the town centre did create some friction between gangs of lads who identified with their locality SBB, HBB ( The Shoplands / Howlands Boot Boys ) etc and would convene in the town centre on a Saturday evening for a punch-up. There were some unsavoury types, but in retrospect, very few. The Queen Mother’s visit in 1970 was a highpoint and I remember an annual exhibition of local clubs and societies in huge marquees on the Campus. I particularly remember the Boys Brigade would always march around with their drums. Think the local Air Cadets and Sea Cadets did the same. While the Scouts fiddled with their woggles and tied knots. Probably my earliest memory was helping the local baker deliver bread in his van. Can’t recall his name but I remember the van was dark red and I’d pop a loaf into a brown paper bag, hold it by the corners and whip it round to twist the corners and close it. That and shivering at Lea Valley swimming pool when we Stanborough kids had swimming lessons. Oh God! It’s all coming back! LOL
Many thanks for the good wishes. I hope the centenary marks the start of a new era for WGC. It’s still a very pleasant and safe town with plenty to do, although you have to look for it.
Oh, many thanks to you for such an interesting account! Though I came from Stevenage, I recall the Fountain and the Cherry Tree myself. I had a friend in WGC called Christian, who would probably have visited the Cherry Tree around 1980-1983...
In Stevenage we had the same tribal stuff between shopping centre/areas, and the usual Mod, Greaser, Punk, Skinhead stuff (I am not far of your age). Sadly, although our town was modern at the time, it was never as beautiful as WGC.
I hope the centenary goes well too...thanks again for the reply.
I was in the Cherry the night it got raised. My band played there a few times.
Any one remember John Parker
It looks like Pleasantville.
Hmm...the notion of Pleasantville is a sort of thought stopping cliche in this context. Actually, WGC is really a nice place to live.
@@maxustaxus I'm sorry. I thought it looked ideal in your video which is why I compared it to the surface of Pleasantville. I'll try to avoid cliches in future.
@@lewisner Please, no, I am sorry. I am a bit too sensitive for my own good. I get what you mean now. BTW, the notion of the "Thought Stopping Cliche" is intesting in its own right. And a search on Lifton (a Psychologist) might be useful...it is the idea that certain points, which we are very used to, can stop us from thinking further. I took Pleasantville in that way...but I know now you were quite reasonably saying it just looked like Pleasantville...which it does!
I had 2 anal warts lanced at the old QE2....So bad memories....God it stung.....
Are anal warts lanced? An anal boil is lanced, perhaps an excrescent leaking fissure may need such attention. But a wart? If in surgical terms a "lance" means to cut open a festering spot, then that is not a wart. But then you know this already....I suspect an adult of about 60 years, arrested at the age of 15, still haunted by jokes no longer funny.
Welwyn Garden City at this time was a drug town with a small Shredded Wheat problem.
The drug town stuff came a bit later...but WGC was by no means unique in this respect. We can muddy the water until we have no more to drink. But WGC was a wonderful place in the 1960s/70s. Surely a better place than most in the world at this time...with or without shredded wheat?
@@maxustaxus I was being a little facetious - I had been coming to WGC socially since 1970/1 and finally moved here from Welham Green in the mid 70's and I've always liked it. I think at that time, in common with a lot of places (it was the times, of course) there were always soft drugs around, and it wasn't uncommon to get stopped and searched if you had long hair, but unlike some other places WGC never felt particularly threatening or like a war zone. I'm still here 50 years later and I still love it.
@@bobgreen8142 Sorry, yes I see the joke now! And I know about the getting stopped thing, it was just the same in Stevenage when I was young and had long hair in the early 1980s. You never forget these encounters, and the sort of people involved.
I think all towns have an element of that now. I live in Welwyn having moved from Hatfield several years ago and it's much nicer in Welwyn IMO. Though I'm in a fairly nice area of Welwyn. I was surprised just how similar the town looks back then to now.
Thank god it's still got a drug problem....well not problem....its easy to score from weed to H....bonus.... No chang in those days but nice fluffy red n blonde leb