Hemel Hempstead (1961)

• Report rights infringement
• published: 13 Apr 2014
• views: 14200

M/S and L/S of the old part of the town of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire; the street scenes show rows of shops and people walking about on a sunny day. High angle L/S of the high street in the new part of Hemel Hempstead. Commentator talks of the "many Londoners who, since 1947, have come here to begin a different life away from the congested capital". Various shots of the new town area: L/S of the bus station; a woman pushing a pram walks with a toddler beside a man-made lake; high angle M/S of another woman with a child in a push chair who walks along a concrete walkway over an artificial lake; we pan right to show a small fountain in the water. M/Ss panning across the large man-made lake to show modern buildings beside it; people walking beside the artificial river. M/S of sign reading 'Bank Court / Parking Prohibited Except on Bank Business'; L/S of banks grouped together in the new town beside the river; M/S of a fountain in front of the banks. More shots of the modern part of town; a row of shops below a small block of flats; the new free car park, which has a modern mural on the front. C/U of the mural shows small caricatures illustrating different towns and areas around Hemel; commentator says the map was designed by Rowland Emett, "renowned inventor of crazy contraptions" (see CP 112 and 292). M/Ss of people walking about the busy streets; modern carved panels on a building. Several shots of the market showing crockery and flower stalls. M/S of cars travelling along the main street. Note: on file is correspondence from the Hemel Hempstead Development Corporation about the 'Water Gardens' seen here (the man-made lake) and some B/W photos of the construction of them. Cuts exist - see separate record. 90,000 historic films, all SEARCHABLE on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/britishpathe Join us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/britishpathe Tweet us @britishpathe FILM ID:155.17