Building housing estates in the 1930s

In this instance we can thank GA Neal and Sons for their provision of a wide range of interesting information when they started to develop the area now known as the Newtown Estate in North Bersted.

The estate comprised Central Avenue, South Way, Central Drive, Newton Avenue and Greencourt Drive. If you are not sure of the area, perhaps the sight of the Fish Bar at North Bersted will jog some memories. The sign 'Royal Parade 1932', the original estate office, is quite prominent and will help you pinpoint it as the road bears to the right at North Bersted.

The developer very kindly produced a booklet for potential customers, as he quoted, 'for a new property in a very desirable area'.

We should first try to envisage the area, not as we know it today, but as an undeveloped open area of Bognor Regis, whose population was then 13,500.

The foreword reports that 'a township has sprung up consisting of houses of which the most fastidious might well be proud, a town which has its own shopping centre'. It continues: "The Newtown Estate is within the boundary of Bognor Regis. That name alone speaks volumes, as it tells of happy days spent lounging in the sunshine or bathing in the clean sparkling surf."

Again we should compare the buildings of today, where planners fit a large number of homes into what seems to be a small piece of land.

However, Mr Neal decided an average of ten homes to the acre would be constructed, each house with a gate into the back garden which was to 'enable tradesmen and others to reach the back door, without having to go through the front gate'.

The 1930s advertisements stated main drainage was completed and homes were connected to the Bognor Regis main sewers free of cost. The new homeowners were also advised they would be able to partake of gas and main water supplies, in addition to electric lights. These services were also to be supplied free of charge.

It would appear the layout of the site was being considered very much with the new residents in mind.

Homes contained a range of special features including large bay windows which added 'attractiveness and providing more light' and would be 'a house into which your furniture seems to fit easily'.

As a last incentive, the brochure explained that 'everything possible was done to make the estate the best in the district and nothing was to be spared to satisfy the needs of each and every purchaser'.

Can you imagine the excitement of housewives in the 1930s as they bought homes with new kitchens filled with modern conveniences such as 'a sink fitted in the corner, leaving room for a draining board', plus 'a larder large in size and well ventilated. The whole of the kitchen is tiled half way up the wall with a black and white capping'.

Another incentive was the provision of a sunken bath, very novel in 1936.

Once the euphoria of the home had sunk in, there was the question of price.

for more local history, see here Again, I would remind you we are talking about the 1930s when buying a house was not the priority it is today, and earnings were not sufficient to allow everyone to buy a home.

Here, Mr Neal is helpful in providing the information needed to decide on what manner of payment could be used. Many of the quoted prices were reasonable, ranging from 540 to the quite expensive 675 house.

Can you believe some of the deposits were 25 and repayments were 15s 6d per week (about 75p)? If you were in a position to pay cash for the house, then at the signing of the formal contract a ten per cent deposit was required and the balance paid on completion of the property.

For those unable to pay cash, the booklet provided useful information, including a note that rates worked out at about 4s 0d per week. In addition, buyers would incur the cost of gas at 4s 6d per 1,000 feet, and electricity at just over 1d per unit.

The booklet also advised that both the Southdown Motor Services Co Ltd, and the Aldershot and District Traction Co Ltd, passed the estate regularly at 15-minute intervals.

The railway service was also stated to be the most convenient and tickets cost 8s 5d single to London, with a return ticket at 16s.10d.

As I mentioned before, the developer took into account all facets of life of the new owners, including the social side with the provision of the Newtown Social Club.

The original club comprised an area for tea and coffee and a '˜registered bar'.

There was a billiards room, with three full-sized tables, a large ballroom with a fine Canadian maple floor, and a room '˜specially set apart for the ladies'.

This area was closed and eventually became a furniture store for Lewis and Company.

This building has long since been demolished and replaced in 1987 by Olivia Court.

Other facilities included two hard tennis courts and a putting green.

To complete the package, GA Neal produced a postcard, which proclaimed alongside the view of the beach, '˜Bognor Regis for Health'.

Within the card was a small flap which, when lifted, displayed 12 small pull-out pictures showing the inside and outside views of this estate '“ quite a novel way to advertise a housing estate.

Recently I obtained more information on a house on the estate. The house was situated in a '˜new road known as Bedford Avenue', which included a statement from September 1932 which showed the house had cost 470 and in addition two gas points had cost 15/- (75p) each with an outside WC 5, garage 13, greenhouse 12, the verandah 12.

Two other facts have also come to light. When I asked why Central Avenue was so wide, it appeared it had been originally planned as the main road to Chichester, however this did not occur.

I was also told that when the houses were available for rent, they cost 15/- per week. However the local rate was 12/6d and, as a result, many of these houses were empty when the second world war arrived. The government took over many of the houses and used them to billet troops.

We should be collecting memorabilia '“ for articles, information, sales particulars and taking pictures so that in the future someone can write about the new estate at North Bersted, developed from 2008.