Bracknell is celebrating 75 years since being designated a new town on 17th June 1949 under the New Towns Act 1946.
The town was originally designed to be innovative and exciting, easy to navigate by driving, cycling and walking and a town for 25,000 people (as in 1949).
New towns were seen as utopian towns that could provide everything a resident needed.
To celebrate, Bracknell Library is hosting a display and various events to celebrate the 75th anniversary. The display tells the story of the people and businesses who built the new town and the legacy left behind once the Bracknell Development Corporation came to an end in 1982.
On Tuesday 4th June you can learn about the extraordinary career of Sheila Haywood (1911 to 1995) who was hired by Bracknell Development Corporation as Consultant Landscape Architect 1950 to 1974. The talk is from 6pm to 7pm at Bracknell library.
A former assistant to Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, Sheila was a Fellow of the Institute of Landscape Architects and carried out much pioneering work in the field of landscape design.
Her primary work was in industrial landscapes, but other projects included the landscaping of Churchill College, University of Cambridge and Oaklands in Hamilton Road, Reading.
Paula Laycock, By-Fellow of Churchill College, will talk about Sheila’s work which made sure that residents could enjoy Bracknell’s natural landscape and green spaces.
Join Bracknell Library for a special story and rhyme time followed by a craft ‘muffin the mule’ activity on Friday 14th June from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Parents, carers and young children are invited to join in the fun along with older residents who might have memories of Muffin the Mule!
Muffin the Mule was a popular animal puppet character in children’s TV programmes from 1946 to 1955. Annette Mills played the piano and was joined by Muffin the Mule and other animal puppets.
On Saturday 15th June discover the history and planning of Bracknell new town in a talk by archivist Evangeline Mills. This event is at Bracknell library from 11am to 12 noon.
Evangeline was project archivist for the Royal Berkshire Archives and involved in cataloguing and conserving records of the Bracknell Development Corporation (BDC) 1949 to 1982.
And on Thursday 27th June, join a local history walk to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the designation of Bracknell new town.
Starting at Bracknell Library at 10am, the walk will be led by Mark Lyford, who regularly organises ‘Walks for Wellbeing’.
