| Description | In this letter Rathbone, having returned to London, thanks George and Elizabeth Cadbury for their hospitality during his visit to Bournville. He writes that his visit had been 'full of interest and suggestiveness', noting that he had been 'deeply moved by the noble spirit of altruism and social service' which he had felt there. Deciding against 'the commonplaces of compliment', Rathbone writes simply 'I am glad to have had an insight into the life of Bournville'.
Rathbone's letter suggests that George and Elizabeth Cadbury had visited Hampstead Garden Suburb before 1911, reflecting the exchange and development of ideas amongst groups enthusiastic for housing reform during the early twentieth century. He concludes his letter expressing his wish that the Cadburys would soon re-vist Hampstead Garden Suburb. |
| AdminHistory | Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries concerns about the impact of rapid industrialisation on the physical environment and public health encouraged philanthropic social reformers to develop initiatives to reform industrial working and living conditions. The Bournville estate was an early and influential example of housing reform which encouraged the development of similar planned responses to urbanisation into the early twentieth century and beyond.
In 1903 the social reformer Henrietta Barnett (1851-1936), wife of Canon Samuel Augustus Barnett (1844-1913), created the Hampstead Garden Suburb, building improved housing for a mixed community with architects Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker who had both been involved with the development of Ebenezer Howard's Garden City at Letchworth. Significantly, Henrietta Barnett described the Hampstead project as 'the grandchild of Bournville'. The Suburb reflected development at Bournville to, featuring 'shared religious, social, educational and recreational spaces'. Hampstead Garden Suburb also had an institute similar to Ruskin Hall in Bournville which encouraged the cultural and educational life of the community. Reflecting the implementation of the Bournville Village Trust in Bournville, the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust was established and J. S. Rathbone appointed as the Trust's Organising Secretary.
Rathbone visited Bournville in 1911, reflecting the village's formative influence on town planning initiatives during the early twentieth century. |