History of Harlow

Harlow was officially designated a new town on 25th March 1947, making this year the 70th birthday of Harlow Town.  Harlow was originally built to ease congestion and overcrowding in London, it was originally an area of villages and hamlets. Sir Fredrick Gibberd drew up a plan of his idea of what Harlow should look like which finally got approved by the government in 1949. The population started at 80,000 which gradually raised to 90,000 by 1966.

When Harlow started being built, it was a slow process due to the shortage of materials and labour which was caused by the effects of WWII. Engineering began in 1948 followed by construction in 1949. In 1961 Harlow Town station was built from the remain of the older Burnt Mill Station as the railway was electrified between London and Cambridge. The old Harlow station was then renamed Harlow Mill.

Employment increased during the construction of Harlow to help with the build. Engineering firms employed 15% of the workforce in 1973. Franking machines also employed 1500 worker in 1979. The first factory opened in Pinnacles in 1956.

As part of the economic growth of the town, commercial development was planned to be a part of it, however it was delayed until the late 1950’s due to the building of large office blocks. Adams, Terminus, Rothwell, and Westgate Houses and the Rows were completed by 1975 they are all multi-storey office blocks. Harvey House, a nine-storeyed block which is part of the final building phase of the town centre, which was expected to employ around 300 office workers by 1981.

The development corporation handled and provided housing up until 1978 when it was then managed by the D.C. In the 1950’s a few houses went up for sale in the quieter parts of Harlow. Between 1971 and 1974 the corporation  3,500 dwellings were sold to sitting tenants. In 1979 21,000 of the dwellings were owned by the D.C. In 1974 the Harlow constituency was formed. Up to 1979 all elections returned to a Labour member.

In 1951 Tany’s dell primary school was opened at mark Hall, then moved buildings in 1952. Up until 1960, Mark hall was an annexe, however it changed once classrooms were added to Tany’s Dell. In 1954 Broadfields and freshwaters primary schools were opened, however, they were enlarged in 1955 and 1959. In 1969 an English language school was opened for West Sussex immigrant children. In 1954 Spinney and Cook’s Spinney were opened, however they were enlarged in 1955. In 1954 Potter Street primary school, Carter’s Mead were opened, they were built to replace Common Church school in their junior department. In 1958 an infant school was then opened next door once the Church school closed. In the 1960’s a Masonic hall was built and used as an annexe to replace the old school. 

In 1969 Tany’s dell and Burnt Mill secondary school opened a unit in their schools for children with partial hearing.  In 1969 Spinney infant school also then opened a unit for children who were physically handicapped. In 1968 other schools, such as Broadfields infant school and for a short time at Waterhouse Moor infant school in 1971 built a unit for children with disabilities and temporarily at Waterhouse Moor infant school in 1971. Between 1957 and 1968 Harlow technical college, the High (previously known as West Sussex college of further education) were built.

South West Essex technical college, Walthamstow had advanced work done in 1961 as children found it difficult to travel to the schools in time. The college then became an area technical college and in 1962 it was renamed. Neighbouring church and club premises were used to reduce overcrowding in the area in the 1960’s and 70’s. An annexe was then established in 1977 which was the former infant school at Waterhouse Moor. Burnt Mill opened in 1963 and Latton Bush opened in 1962, they were both used an evening institutes. Just before 1957, schools were initially planned to be bilateral schools, however they then became comprehensive schools by 1957. 

The schools were then officially named in 1964. In 1954 Mark Hall school was opened, it was used as a modern/technical school, which was then extended by 1973. In 1957 Brays Grove school was opened and then it was extend in 1967. In 1959 Latton Bush school was opened, which was also extend in 1972.and Passmores school, Tendring Road, opened In 1959 Passmores secondary school was opened, which was built to be part of Latton Bush school, however they ended up separating to different buildings in 1961, they both then got extended in 1969. 

Burnt Mill school, First Avenue, opened In 1962 Burnt mill secondary school was opened, which became part of Passmores school, however they also separated and moved to different buildings later in the same year and they both were also extended in 1969. In 1963 Stewards school was opened, then in 1969 building plans went through to make it bigger. St. Mark’s Roman Catholic school, Tripton Road, opened In 1965 St. Marks Catholic school was opened which was part of the Holy Cross primary school, they also moved buildings in 1966, the catholic school was then extended twice, once in 1967 and again in 1975 moved to new buildings in 1966. In 1974 Katherine’s primary school was built and opened. Then in 1977 Sumners primary school was opened, however it was only up posed to be temporary to replace Westfield school whilst it moved buildings in 1978.  In 1978 Halowbury primary school in Old Harlow was opened. Then in 1972 St. James’s Chruch of England school was opened. A year later, in 1973, Maunds Wood school, Parnall Road, and Milwards school, Parringdon Road, were opened.

The Tom Parkin charity was founded by deed of trust In 1977 a charity was founded by deed of trust by Harlow Rotary club which was named The Tom Parkin Charity. It managed to raise £523 for education in Harlow, Sheering, Matching, and High and Little Laver. The original investment was provided with three yearly grants to students of £20 each in 1977 and £50 each in 1978 and 1979.

Buddhist Society, founded In 1968 the Buddhist Society was founded and built at the Dana Centre in Staple Tye. A Baha’i Faith group, formed Then in 1975 A Baha’i Faith group formed and is built and opened in some private houses around Harlow.

There are many famous faces that started of in Harlow. Rupert Grint, Victoria Beckham, Alex Gasgarth and comedian and writer Rik Mayall were all born in Harlow hospital. Other famous people were educated in Harlow College such as Piers Morgan and Jeremy Clarkson, they both studied journalism.

Nowadays Harlow Town is a popular town for shopping, education and a lovely place to live. Most residents who grew up here have not left to move elsewhere. There are many activities for people of all ages to partake in which is why the town centre is usually really busy during the daytime as well as the exciting nightlife.