Welwyn Garden City

Apr 21, 2020

Today we continue our feature on Welwyn Garden City. With his concept established on paper, Louis de Soissons pushed forward with its implementation in bricks and mortar. Detailed plans were submitted for housing by November 1920 and the first home was constructed at 9 Handside Lane, closely followed by a pair of connected cottages at 16-17 Meadow Green. Not surprisingly, Louis bought one of the first houses built in Welwyn Garden City and moved into 62 Handside Lane in 1921. After his marriage, and now with a young son, he moved into 17 Guessens Road in 1925 and stayed there for 12 years. Guessens Road was clearly a prestigious address in these early days of Welwyn Garden City. Ebenezer Howard, Theodore Chambers and Frederic Osborn all of whom played major parts in the establishment of the garden City had houses there too. Louis’ designs included details that introduced variation to houses in the same road such as the distance from house to road being different from property to property.