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.



  • Home

  • About

  • News

  • History

  • Houses

  • Committee

  • Guestbook

  • Contact