The tree lined Avenue entrance to
Upton Park
Land had been bought to provide access
to the Park via a roadway linking
onto Wealstone Lane.
By the 1872 OS survey the Avenue
was already tree-lined.
The length of the avenue seen here as its winter 2001 skyline
looking south from the school playing fields.
By the 1920s the Avenue was mature with lopping and even some felling
being undertaken.
For many years the north side of the Avenue was lined with poplars.
On the night of 1st/2nd December 1966 an 80 foot poplar fell
on to the roof of 5 Gayton Close, Neston Drive and UPPA was charged
the £24 cost of immediately removing the tree.
As a result of this the UPPA committee had the trees inspected which
resulted in the decision that the Council should take responsibility
for all the poplars and they had them felled before establishing a new tree
planting program. UPPA did not accept responsibility for the felled tree.
In 1970 the Council then planted a line
of Cornish elm.
The major tragedy of the Avenue came in the Autumn of 1979 when six
of the Wych Elm trees were condemned with Dutch Elm disease and felled.
Six new trees were planted the following spring.
Records show that 8 tree stumps were removed Sat 9 April 1994 under
the direction of Ken Starkie. This cost £130 plus £35 for the infilling
and tidy-up.
see table of trees and dates
The 1940 accounts record Mr B Roberts being reimbursed £1 for laying
hedge in the avenue. The minutes frequently record thanks to residents
for tending to the Avenue such as to keen gardner Tommy Trelfa of Treehaven for
tending to the verge. For many years now the verge grass has been cut
by a contractor as a regular UPPA maintenance contract. A few years ago
the then chairman Pauline Rourke organised bulb planting workparties
and the Avenue now bursts into colour each spring.
The post-WW2 housing development alongside the Avenue was seen to pose
a threat to the whole environment of the Avenue. True Bond of London
were the developer and at one time it looked as if 'unsuitable' housing
was to be built. Personal intervention of UPPA Vice-Chairman Brigadier
Stewart meeting with True Bond resulted in a change of plan and the
properties alongside the Avenue are detached dorma bungalows.
Concerns related to the encrouching housing development are well
recorded in the minutes. The 1956 AGM records the first formal
consideration of installing an entrance gate to primarily restrict
the use of building contractors lorries. Discussions continued until
a formal proposal by Mr CWWilson at the 1960 AGM -
" for a gate to be fastened in an open position; opening inwards and
sited near
the Wealstone Lane entrance to be easily seen".
This was erected in 1961 much in the form as of today.
For the next decade the minutes record frequent discussion on locking
the gate and issuing keys. Locking the gate with residents holding
keys was a measure very much religiously supported by some of the elder
ladies of the Park; however on one occasion it is rumoured; a young
lady - daughter of a past Park Chairman -; finding the gate locked,
let herself through and then
hurled the lock over the hedge. Replacing the lock and issuing new keys
was an on-going saga amid pleas from some quarters for regular closed
and opened periods. By the early 1970s even automatic locking was
being considered but in 1971 a call for increased periods of locking
was defeated. The locking gradually faded away - the gate has remained
locked open now for some 30 years.
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