Sunday 25 January 2009

Welwyn Garden City...

I'd have loved to show my Dad this aerial pic of the nine houses that his Dad built in the twenties.

He didn't know about computers, although the Daughts taught him to play 'Harrier Attack' on our Amstrad 464...

His marks, his skills, his small signatures, and his Dad's, are all over this place and I just want to go there again and soak.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&as_qdr=all&q=welwyn+garden+city+the+quadrangle&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=uk&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It must be great to know that his fingerprints are there given form in the buildings.

Old BE said...

Not many people can say they have left their mark - but builders really can!

lilith said...

Wow, Scrobs! Grandpa Scrobs would be fascinated by Google I am sure. Is there a pic of your hotel/s up yet? Hoping all well for you.

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

There's a great detail which I uncovered on each house Lils, Fleeters and Blues. On each wall, a brick was left out, and replaced with small pieces of tile in a random pattern, all different.

I've got a pic somewhere and will try to show it...

Daisy said...

how lovely...i still visit the homes my father built in this area...just seeing them i remember helping him load bricks...etc...brings me closer somehow...

Philipa said...

I Google Earthed, I like the big tree in the middle, I wonder if it was there when your Dad was there?

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Pips, you have some ESP here!

The original name for the development was Oak Tree Quadrangle on account of the single tree which was in the middle of the site.

So they planted another in case it died, and meant an address change!

The square is now just known as The Quadrangle, but the original tree is still there.

I'm still trying to find the pics I took, and also a lovely drawing which was commissioned in 1921!

Keep you posted!

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Daisers, you're right - it does bring you very close without realising it!