The Mackworth Estate in Derby is a good example of the more ambitious of the new suburban council estates built after World War Two. Its story – from founding vision to flawed fulfilment – tells us much about the evolution of social housing in the last seventy years.
Henley Green
Derby, an industrial town with a proud railway and engineering heritage, had a strong tradition of council house construction. The Borough Council had announced plans for 1000 council homes in 1919 – the first 16 completed were in Victory Road, more followed in Stenson Road. In the 1930s, new housing estates were developed beyond the city centre in Chaddesden, Sinfin and Old Normanton. By 1940, the Council had built over 7000 homes. (1)
Derby’s earliest council housing on Victory Road
Labour won control of the council in 1928 and regained power in 1934. It would retain control until boundary changes in 1968. …
Some of the wonderful planting at Queen’s Lower School for girls, Chester
Old School Garden 