King GeorgeRecreationGroundCelebrating 100 years

1912

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Bushey 1910 - 1912By 1912 Bushey’s population had grown to over 7,000 from wellunder 1,000 in 1812. King George V had succeeded to thethrone in May 1910 and there was a mood of optimism in the air.There was growing awareness of the importance of access tooutdoor exercise in clean, fresh air for the benefit of overallpublic health and well-being.

Bushey Urban District Council(BUDC), newly formed in 1906,made one of their first major projectsthe acquisition of land in Bushey foruse as a public recreation ground.Two fields at the bottom of thenorth-facing slope to the south-eastof Coldharbour Lane were chosen –Biggs Mead Field and the field next toit totalled about 13 acres. The fieldshad been used for hay production andrough grazing, but were always toowet in winter and too dry in summer.For many years, the tenant farmerhad allowed children to use the fieldsfor ball games.

The council negotiated a price of £2,000 with the ChurchCommissioners. Contractors then put in land drains andfootpaths, marked out football and cricket pitches, installed playequipment and built a refreshment hut, bandstand, changingrooms and acaretaker’s lodge atthe entrance to thesite in King GeorgeAvenue. The work wasbegun in the summerof 1911.

The principal celebrations of theCoronation of George V

in Bushey were a carnival andbonfire.

In 1912, King GeorgeRecreation Ground comprised the

two fields in the foreground ofthis 1990s photograph.

The two fields beyond were addedin the early 1920s.

Opening CeremonyAfter the scorching summer of 1911, the year 1912 was verydifferent and it was touch-and-go to get everything ready forthe opening ceremony on Saturday 5 May. Bushey Brass Band,along with the Boy Scouts and a group of local children, formedup outside the new Council Offices in Rudolph Road (now theMuseum). Followed by councillors, officials and other dignitaries,the band struck up and, watched by a large crowd, the

procession set offalong the High Streettowards MelbourneRoad and the newRecreation Ground. Bythe time they arrived,steady rain was fallingand the plannedchildren’s fete andsports had to bepostponed.

Bushey Brass Band was formed in 1911. Its instruments were paid for by the surplus fromthe collection made for the celebration of the Coronation of George V. The band practised at

London Road School three times a week and operated until 1924.

Catsey Lane proved very convenient whenthe Rec was laid out in 1912.

“Healthy boys or girls are not satisfied with spendingtheir leisure hours indoors; they must get out in theopen air and have something to do. If not, they areliable to get into mischief and who could blame them?”

Extract from Chairman’s speech

Glory Years 1912 - 1988In 1912 a bowling green was created for public use and is nowhome to the Bushey Bowling Club. Then, in August 1914 theunthinkable happened. England declared war on Germany. By1916, the sports pitches were turned over to allotments. Theywere cultivated by the older men and the women while theyoung men were by now being conscripted to fight in thebattlefields of France and Belgium.

In the early 1920s, two more fields were acquired, thus doublingthe Rec to 22 acres. Anopen-air swimming poolwas built, filled withchlorinated water, and inJuly 1925 opened amidmuch civic ceremony.Tennis courts and aputting green wereinstalled and extra playequipment was placedat the high end of theenlarged Rec.

Between the two World Wars, and for some years after, manysummer events were held in the Rec. Later, in the 1940s and50s, the annual show of the Bushey Horticultural Societyattracted large crowds. Every August, a travelling fair was aregular visitor and still comes every year. The central refreshmentpavilion plied visitors with teas, biscuits and confectionery. Sadly,due partly to vandalism, it was forced to close in the 1960s andremained so until refurbishment and enlargement in the 1990s.

By the 1950s a purification and filtration system was installed inthe pool. This resulted in much increased use, and by the hotsummer of 1959, time-limited sessions were needed to copewith the crowds. A popular event was the end-of-seasonswimming gala held each August.

The exceptionally hot summer of 1976 was the high point in thepopularity of the open-air pool. By the late 1970s the heatingand filtration system was creaking with age. The run of badsummers and ever-rising maintenance and running costseventually led to closure of the pool in 1989. It was demolishedand the site levelled and grassed over in 1993.

Swimmers enjoyed the cold water of the pool,late 1920s.

Decline and RebirthFrom the mid-1960s, lack of public money affected the ability ofBUDC and (from 1974) Hertsmere Borough Council, to maintainthe Rec. The play equipment, installed in 1911, had long sinceended its useful life. In winter many of the paths werewaterlogged due to blocked drains. Vandalism frequentlydisfigured the shuttered pavilion, and dog mess littered the pathsand grass.

But dramatic change for thebetter was around the corner! Inthe early 1990s, localauthorities were authorised touse part of the money from‘The Right to Buy’ scheme toimprove and renew localinfrastructure. Hertsmeredecided to allocate £526,000to improvement works forthe Rec. After a few years ofmuddy chaos, the result in1998 was a complete transformation of what had by nowbecome known as The Park.

The land drains were renewed and extended and the oldfootpaths were widened and relaid. From the main entrance up toand beyond the old pavilion, the avenue of lime, oak and beechtrees was extended up to the south-east entrance in SomersWay flanked by plane trees.

Two pairs of county-standard tennis courts replaced thedilapidated 1920s courts. The courts are now a centre of

excellence for tennis. An enclosed and much-enlargedchildren’s play area with excellent equipment wasinstalled. For toddlers and young children, thepaddling pool was rebuilt to the best modernstandards and a sandpit provided.

Secure public toilets were also installed and, for thefirst time, outdoor art was introduced into thepark. The old pavilion was rebuilt as a fully-equipped café and is now called La Dolce Vita.

The paddling pool before and after therefurbishment.

The ‘Caterpillar Column’

The Park TodayAt the time of the refurbishment in the 1990s, a managementplan was seen as an integral part of the park and tenders wereinvited from landscape contractors for the care and maintenanceof the area in accordance with the plan. The council appointed aparks officer to supervise the contractor’s performance.

A key feature of the managementplan was the establishment of a‘Friends’ organisation’ to representresidents and users and to act asa conduit between them and thecouncil. An inaugural meeting washeld in 1997, a committeeelected, a constitution adoptedand the Friends of King GeorgeRecreation Ground was born.

The Friends have been successful in raising funds for severalprojects including a unique and beautiful wrought iron circularseat around an old oak tree, commissioned from Stephen Rook, alocal artist-blacksmith. The Friends regularly help with workdaysand events in the park.

King George Recreation Ground was one of the first parks inEngland to be granted a Green Flag Award in 1999 in recognitionof its high standards. In summer, visitors come from far and nearto visit a place of recreation, now among the very best inHertfordshire and the surrounding areas.

Recent additions to the park include fitness equipment, tabletennis and challenging equipment for teenagers. A wide eventsprogramme continues, including the annual dog show, marathon,teddy bears’ picnic and family fun days. Regular activities are heldwith charities and local community groups such as Mencap andHerts Inclusive Theatre.

The park received the prestigious GreenFlag Award in 1999/2000.

One of the popular children’s events held in the park each year.

ConservationThere is still evidence today of the park’s historical use asfarmland. The ancient field boundaries of hedgerow and mature250 year old oak trees can still be seen. Conservation of featureswithin the park is a key part of the management plan.

Concentric ringsThere is evidence of two or possibly three concentric ditches andbanks in the meadow area at the top end of the park near thecopse. These are approximately 40 metres in diameter andalthough clearly manmade, their date is unknown.

PitThe Hertfordshire Sites and Monuments Records show that thesite below the copse and meadow area is slightly undulating,possibly terraced or merely disturbed by some earlier activitysuch as clay digging. The nearby deep hollow in the copse areamay have been an old clay or gravel pit.

Farm useOnce the area was used for pasture meadow (hay making) andarable farming. The ridge and furrow marks in the second fieldclearly show that arable crops were grown here sometimebetween the 12th and 16th centuries. The lower fields are likelyto have changed from arable to meadow while the steep clayslopes of the top field and the strip of land along the stream wereused for grazing as the ground is not ideal for growing crops.

Wildflower meadowThe meadow was reintroduced in 1998 following a wildflowersurvey. It was designated a site of county importance in 2000and provides a valuable habitat for insects and small mammals. Itis managed in the traditional way by a cut once a year in late

summer. Moreinformationabout themeadow can beseen on aninterpretationpanel nearby.

General informationOpen timesThe park is open 24 hours but some of the facilities are onlyopen at certain times of year. Please see the map on the insidepages for further details.

How to find the parkThere are five pedestrian entrances into King George RecreationGround, including King George Avenue and Chiltern Avenue.

By car: King George Recreation Ground is situated 10 minutesfrom junction 5 of the M1 and 20 minutes from the M25 andA1(M). Please contact us if you would like detailed directions.

Parking: The main car park is located in King George Avenuewith an additional car park in Chiltern Avenue. Please can we askthat you respect our neighbours and not park in the surroundingareas.

By train and bus: The nearest station is Bushey main line station(operates in and out of London Euston). The park isapproximately 1.5km/1 mile from the station. The 142 and 258buses stop at the station and in Bushey High Street andMelbourne Road. The500, 550 and 551buses stop in ChilternAvenue.

Cycling: Bike racksare provided near thecafé and multi sportscourt for cyclists tosecure their bikes.

Contact usFor further information about the park or the Friends pleasecontact us as follows:Phone: 0800 731 1810 (office hours)020 8207 2277 (24 hours)Email: parks@hertsmere.gov.ukWebsite: www.hertsmere.gov.uk

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King George Recreation GroundCelebrating 100 years

1912-2012

Main car parkOctober to March - 8am to 4pm

April to May - 8am to 7pm

June to September - 8am to 9pm

Car park - Chiltern AvenueOctober to March - 8am to 4pm

April to May - 8am to 7pm

June to September - 8am to 9pm

Bushey Bowling ClubTel: 01923 228048 or 01923 237812

Visit: www.busheybowlingclub.x10.mx

PicnicArea

PlayArea

Meadow

Outdoor Gym

ToiletsWinter - 8am to 3.30pm

Summer - 8am to 6.30pm

Tennis courtsOctober to March - 8am to 4pm

April to May - 8am to 7pm

June to September - 8am to 9pm

Block bookings for the tennis courts can be made inadvance for a fee, otherwise the courts are free for useon a first come first served basis. In busy times we askthat people respect other users and restrict their gamesto one hour only. Please contact Parks & Amenities forblock bookings on Freephone 0800 731 1810.Tennis coaching takes place on a regular basis.

Multi sports courtsOctober to March - 8am to 4pm

April to May - 8am to 7pm

June to September - 8am to 9pm

CaféA warm welcome awaits you at La Dolce Vita.The menu includes tempting hot and colddishes, drinks and a variety of ice-creams.Outside catering for all occasions. The café isavailable to hire for small parties. Opening hoursvary. For further details on the café pleasecontact Oriana and Paolo on 07963 952340.

Paddling pool andsand pitThe pool and sand pit are openfrom late May until September(depending on weather)

ChilternAvenue

AshfieldAvenue

KingGeorgeAvenu

e

Opening hours are subject to change.

For updates please visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk or call 0800 731 1810

For up to date events in the park please visit www.hertsmereleisure.co.ukand click on ‘park events’ or call 020 8236 3100

TableTennis

Park events