It’s the 90th anniversary of Gidea Park’s second Modern Homes Exhibition. But what was this all about?
Romford Garden Suburb (otherwise known as the Gidea Park Exhibition Estate), is a late-Edwardian housing development in Gidea Park. The object of the new suburb, which was built on land belonging to Gidea Hall, then occupied by the Liberal politician Herbert Raphael, was, according to his parliamentary colleague John Burns, to “provide families with a well-built, modern home regardless of class or status” and “to bring the towns into the country and the country into the towns”.
One hundred architects and urban planners took part in the Gidea Park development, including William Curtis Green, Philip Tilden, Raymond Unwin, Richard Barry Parker, George Val Myer, Geoffry Lucas and Baillie Scott. The exhibition opened in the spring of 1911 and with it came the establishment of several roads, including Balgores Lane, Squirrels Heath Avenue and Crossways to the south of Hare Street (now Main Road) and Heath Drive, Meadway, Reed Pond Walk, Heaton Grange Road, Risebridge Road and Parkway to the north.
In 1934, using land left over from the first competition, a second exhibition was held, this time hosted by Raphael’s nephew, Major Ralph Raphael MC.
The later exhibition looked to showcase the modern style emerging from Europe and the US. 35 houses were built, chosen from nearly 500 entries, with 5 competition categories arranged by price.
Winner of the 1st prize in Category E was the uncompromising modernist 64 Heath Drive by Francis Skinner of the Tecton partnership. Skinner was only 26 when he produced the design,having joined Tecton in 1932 and work with Lubetkin until retirement.
The house is constructed of reinforced concrete and set in a L-Plan with a roof terrace and courtyard garden. The original intention was for this design to be part of a terrace, producing the effect of a long white wall.
Next door is No.62, designed by John Leech in the Class E category, takes a more art deco approach, with its white walls, ornate window frames and stepped door entrance. Inside, the house was fitted with pine flooring.
Facing the roaring traffic of Eastern Avenue is Nos. 320 & 322, a semi-detached pair by Holford, Stevenson & FRS Yorke. The pair are (or at least were) a rigorous modernist design, with concrete construction, flat roof and minimal windows, now rather ravaged by time.
Elsewhere were a number of other interesting contemporary designs, mixing art deco, modernism and more traditional styles, now hidden beneath extensions and pitched roofs. This Class C design by LW Thornton White is now painted cream.
Just a little walk away from the exhibition estate on Balgores Crescent, is a row of lovely speculative “Suntrap” design houses, built around the same time, a more popular style of modernist house than the exhibition would provide.
If you’re interested in reading more, you can get a copy of Modernism Beyond Metroland here and check out the Modernism in Metroland blog too.
