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Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built

Scanned from glass negatives and prints

Introduced by Jean Gardner

The houses of the Art Deco era which covers the period between the two world wars fall into two schools. Those designed by architects who essentially reworked traditional styles and the pioneering Modernists who favoured plain functional designs. The houses built by Jarvis Brothers at West Common were mainly in traditional styles but interspersed with a few Modernist homes. The architects incorporated details ranging from massive beams and leaded windows to decorative brickwork and jettied upper storeys. We believe that many were designed by the same architect*, which is why they are similar.

These houses were built to attract buyers to country living by reflecting Tudor times when Britain was great and huge wooden ships dominated the seas. A close look reveals that the leaded windows are much larger than 16th century ones would have been and many of the timbers are not load bearing but tacked on. The modernist homes had plain smooth walls with large windows to allow plenty of light in. Some had corner windows to catch the last vestiges of the sun and flat roofs for sunbathing.

Most of the houses have been extended. Some are up to three times the original size but the original building can still be discerned especially with the aid of this series of photographs taken in the late Thirties.

* We hope that records of dates of building and architects have survived in the records of Jarvis Homes.


 

Jean walked miles around Harpenden, seeking to identify as many as possible of the houses photographed by Jim Jarvis in the 1930s. Glass negatives of these photos were passed to the Society's archives following Jim's death, and were photographed and converted into positive images.

Houses at other locations are shown in a separate gallery, along with houses as yet unidentified. We hope that visitors to this page will help locate these houses.


 

Note on first occupants of the photographed houses, as listed in Kelly's Directories - house names were mainly replaced by numbers in the 1938 directory. 

Some houses changed hands quickly, and may initially have been rented.

1932: West Common Way One Ash (no.2 ) - Niels A C Salveson; Ranworth (no.4) - George E Vaughan; Ravenswood (no.6) - Col. Alex. Hogg; Alrewas (no.8) - H Bellfield; Acaulis (no.9) - C H Sands; Copinshay (no. 7) - Harry Walthew.

1934: West Common Way One Ash (no.2) - Arnold Manns; no change at nos.4, 6 and 8; Shalford Lodge (no.10) - Frank Oldham; Chadwick (no.12) - Eustace Fuller; Yealm (no.1) - Roland Brock; no.5 - Edwin Collins; no change at nos.7 and 9. West Common Close: Rev Arthur A Sharp (no name or number); Greenloaming - Niels A C Salveson.

1935-36: West Common Way One Ash (no.2) - John F C Heather; no change at nos.4,6,8,10 or 12; Thurlstone (no.14) - Norman H Smith.  No change at nos.1,5,7 or 9; Holmesdale (no.11) - Frank T Porter; Strathearn (no.17) - Misses Cunningham; Haldon (no. 27) - Mrs B M Wren. West Common Close: no change. High Elms (not named or numbered - no.4) Miss D F Williams.

1938: West Common Way: no change at nos.2 and 6-14; Ranworth (no.4) - Pollock A Robertson; no.16 - George S Hussey; no.20 - Ronald G Streeton; no.26 - Charles V Midgley; no.28 - Ralph Phillips; no change at nos.1,5,7,9,11, 17 and 27; no.23 - Robert M Tufnell; no.29 - Duncan J Graham; no.31 - Cecil Campion; no.33 - Rev. Hugh Selwyn Fry. West Common Close: Greenloaming - G C Hough. High Elms - no change. Oakfield Road: Grey Garth (no.2 - Douglas H Jackson); Wingates (no.9) - Albert K Wilbersham; Westwood (no.10) - Miss Gertrude Stuart.

1941-2: Dellcroft: Denholm (no.4) Mrs C M Burnet. 

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:75 and 74 West Common - the first phase of the Harpenden Estate
Photo:House on West Common (1) - timber and tiles were from a large barn demolished in Hemel Hempstead
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:Entrance to West Common Way - 4 to 12, c. 1934
Photo:4 West Common Way, originally named Ranworth and first occupied by George E Vaughan until c.1936; in 1938 the home of Dr A Pollock Robertson, physician and surgeon. Later the home of E C Jarvis - and later of Jim Jarvis.
Photo:4 West Common Way, with rear of 75 West Common
Photo:6 West Common Way, first listed in 1932, occupied by Col. Alex Hogg until c.1936
Photo:10 West Common Way, first listed in 1934 as Shalford Lodge and occupied by Frank Oldham, then by Carl Fisher from 1936.
Photo:12 West Common Way - first listed in 1934 as Chadwick, occupied by Eustace Fuller.
Photo:12 to 4 West Common Way - built in 1934-35
Photo:16 West Common Way, first listed in 1938 as occupied by George S Hussey, M.C.
Photo:18 West Common Way. 1930s
Photo:20 West Common Way, first listed in 1938, occupied by Ronald George Streeton.
Photo:22 West Common Way
Photo:26 West Common Way (1), first listed in 1938 as occupied by Charles V Midgley.
Photo:26 West Common Way (2)
Photo:26 West Common Way (3)
Photo:Long Close, 28 West  Common Way - first listed in 1938 as occupied by Ralph Phillips. Now difficult to see through the surrounding trees.
Photo:19 West Common Way - a large two-storey extension now incorporates the garage
Photo:27 West Common Way - first listed as Haldon in 1936 and occupied by Mrs  B M Wren. There is now a large extension on the left-hand side
Photo:29 West Common Way, first listed in 1938, occuied by Duncan J Graham.  A large two-storey extension includes a wing encompassing the garage
Photo:The White House, 31 West Common Way, first listed in 1938 occupied by Cecil Campion. Onetime home of Judge Maurice Drake
Photo:33 West Common Way, first listed in 1938 occupied by the Rev. Hugh Selwyn Fry. There is now a large extension on the left-hand side.
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:Greenloaming, West Common Close
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:3 Dellcroft Way, from the rear garden
Photo:4 Dellcroft Way (Dehholm), first listed in 1941-42 and occupied by Mrs C M Burnet . A large extension has been added on the right-hand side, where the garage stood.   Note the 'For Sale' sign, through EC & JH Jarvis.
Photo:4 Dellcroft way, viewed from the north.
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:2 Oakfield Road - first listed in 1938, occupied by Mr Jackson. Undergoing major renovations in 2015-16.  A huge extension has been added where the garage stood.
Photo:2 Oakfield Road - rear view
Photo:2 Oakfield Road - see notes above
Photo:9 Oakfield Road, first listed in 1938 as Wingates, occupied by Albert Kenneth Wilbersham. A two storey extension encompasses the garage. The chimney stack has been rebuilt in brick
Photo:10 Oakfield Road, first listed in 1938 as Westwood, occupied by Miss Gertrude Stuart.  Large extensions have been added at each side.
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Jarvis houses of the 1930s on the West Common Estate, photographed by Jim Jarvis as they were built' page
Photo:5 High Elms, first listed in 1935-36, not named or numbered, occupied by Miss D F Williams  There is now a large extension on the left
This gallery was added by Rosemary Ross on 06/09/2016.
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