• Home
• Meet Your Council
  • The Clerk
  • Council Members
  • Staff
• Meetings
  • Annual Assembly
  • Full Council
  • Committees
  • Finance
  • Leisure Committee
  • Planning
  • Policies & Procedures
• Powers & Duties
• Facilities
  • Allotments
• Local Interest
• Publications
• Information
• Welwyn Parish Plan
• Maps

Adobe PDF reader is required for sections of this site, click on icon above to download PDF reader.

Short History of the Welwyn Parish Council

Welwyn Parish Council was formed in 1894 and the first meeting was held in St. Mary's Hall, Welwyn, on New Year's Eve 1894.

Mr. Samuel Wallace was appointed first Chairman.  Mr. G. A. Deards was appointed as first Clerk - a post held until 1904.  Mr. Thomas Hassard followed him until 1947 that, in turn, was followed by Mr. Philip Maidment until 1974.  Mr. Bill Bonner was Clerk from 1974 until 1988.

This Council comprised of twelve Councillors and the Parish was divided into four wards.  Council met on the last Thursday of each month, and the meetings took place at the Welwyn Rural District Council offices.

Council was also responsible for street lighting and in 1896 levied a 2d. in the £1 rate, this produced £30 for gas street lighting.  The Parish Council was also the fire fighting authority and was responsible for building the fire station in 1936.  A local architect, Mr. H. G. Cherry, who also designed the QVM Hospital, designed this building. The first fire engine purchased by the Council was painted green.

The Council was responsible for the provision of playing fields in the Parish, and in due time acquired seventeen acres of land now known as the Welwyn Playing Fields.   Even in those days, there were two Football pitches, a Hockey pitch, Cricket Square, two hard Tennis Courts, Basket Ball pitch and a fully equipped children's play area.   In 1964 the Council provided a Bowling green and Pavilion in this area.   Similar facilities were also provided at Woolmer Green, which included a Sports Pavilion, Cricket Square, Football pitch and a children's corner.

Council is also a burial authority for all denominations. In I960 the sum of £5.3s.6d. enabled a parishioner to purchase a family grave.  Council is responsible for the upkeep of St. Mary's Churchyard, which is a Closed Churchyard, which means that no further burials may take place, these responsibilities are continuing, to date.  In addition, it also maintains the Welwyn War Memorial.

Vandalism had always been a problem in the area and in 1966 was costing the Council in excess of £5 per week.  Street lighting, the War Memorial and flower baskets were the main targets of the vandals.

Today the Parish Council still provides sports grounds, children's play areas, allotments, car park and public toilets, a Pavilion and recreational centre (Whitehill Centre) at the Welwyn Playing Fields, and still owns and maintains the Welwyn Cemetery. The Parish Council leases out the buildings of the Tennis Courts, Bowling Club and Sports and Social Club at Ottway Walk.

Thanks must go to Audrey Maidment in providing some of the historical facts from the records that were kept by her late husband, Philip.