South Oxhey
Encyclopedia
South Oxhey is a suburb of Watford
in the Watford Rural
parish of the Three Rivers
district of Hertfordshire
, England
. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire
and close to the boundary with Greater London
.
dates from 1612 and is still standing to the south of the parish church of All Saints. The church was opened in 1957 to serve the new estate built after the Second World War by the London County Council
. The church was demolished and rebuilt in 2000.
South Oxhey is a large estate almost exclusively made up of council built properties. This is in stark contrast to the neighbouring estate of Carpenders Park
, whose dwellings were predominantly built privately.
Since the introduction of the nationwide Right to buy
policy in 1980, many South Oxhey residents have bought their homes from the local council, meaning that by 2007, some 70% of houses on the estate are privately owned. The estate was built after the Second World War to help alleviate the housing pressures thrust upon London during the Blitz
as well as general inadequate housing. South Oxhey was originally built and managed by the London County Council
and later the Greater London Council
. In 1980 the ownership and management of the estate was transferred from the GLC to Three Rivers District Council
. South Oxhey is served by local Arriva Shires & Essex bus services, the number 2 and number 8. The 2 runs a circular Watford Town Centre - South Oxhey and return service, and the 8 runs from Mount Vernon Hospital to Abbots Langley.
as part of the BBC television series The Choir: Unsung Town
.
As part of the TV series, the choirs performed at venues including the Watford Colosseum, St Albans Abbey, and headlining at Sox Fest '09 in May 2009. In April 2009, the Community Choir made their debut recording at Abbey Road Studios
.
Episode one of The Choir: Unsung Town was first broadcast on BBC Two
on 1 September 2009.
Gareth Malone continued as choirmaster for two years following the conclusion of the TV recording and now maintains his support as patron . The current musical director is Simon Wookey and both the Community and Youth choirs continue to make regular performances about 3 to 4 times per year at events around Hertfordshire and the South East of England.
South Oxhey Army Cadets Detachment, 3 Coy, Gosforth Lane
Little Furze School (Recently Closed in about 2004/05)
A Report (dated September 2004) on the Proposal to close the school and the reasons why can be found here:
http://www.hertsdirect.org/statweb/compaperarchive/archive/older_meetings/Reports/103/636/0.pdf
', both schools eventually combined to form Sir James Altham Comprehensive (upper and lower schools) and eventually closed as a result of the continual selling of public amenities to developers by Three Rivers Council.
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
in the Watford Rural
Watford Rural
Watford Rural is a civil parish in the Three Rivers district of, Hertfordshire, England. The parish covers the areas known as South Oxhey and Carpenders Park, which although part of the Watford urban area, do not form part of the borough of Watford...
parish of the Three Rivers
Three Rivers (district)
Three Rivers is a local government district in Hertfordshire in the East of England. Its council is based in Rickmansworth.It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Rickmansworth Urban District and Chorleywood Urban District with part of Watford Rural District...
district of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and close to the boundary with Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
.
History
South Oxhey is a large estate built on land that was formerly part of the Oxhey Hall Estate. There was a manor house here, Oxhey Place, and a chapel. The manor house was owned by the Blackwell family of Crosse and Blackwell fame. It burnt down in 1955. Oxhey ChapelOxhey Chapel
Oxhey Chapel is a redundant Anglican chapel in Oxhey, a suburb of Watford, Hertfordshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
dates from 1612 and is still standing to the south of the parish church of All Saints. The church was opened in 1957 to serve the new estate built after the Second World War by the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
. The church was demolished and rebuilt in 2000.
South Oxhey is a large estate almost exclusively made up of council built properties. This is in stark contrast to the neighbouring estate of Carpenders Park
Carpenders Park
Carpenders Park is a suburb of Watford in the Watford Rural parish of the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire and close to the boundary with Greater London...
, whose dwellings were predominantly built privately.
Since the introduction of the nationwide Right to buy
Right to buy scheme
The Right to buy scheme is a policy in the United Kingdom which gives tenants of council housing the right to buy the home they are living in. Currently, there is also a right to acquire for the tenants of housing associations...
policy in 1980, many South Oxhey residents have bought their homes from the local council, meaning that by 2007, some 70% of houses on the estate are privately owned. The estate was built after the Second World War to help alleviate the housing pressures thrust upon London during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
as well as general inadequate housing. South Oxhey was originally built and managed by the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
and later the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
. In 1980 the ownership and management of the estate was transferred from the GLC to Three Rivers District Council
Three Rivers (district)
Three Rivers is a local government district in Hertfordshire in the East of England. Its council is based in Rickmansworth.It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Rickmansworth Urban District and Chorleywood Urban District with part of Watford Rural District...
. South Oxhey is served by local Arriva Shires & Essex bus services, the number 2 and number 8. The 2 runs a circular Watford Town Centre - South Oxhey and return service, and the 8 runs from Mount Vernon Hospital to Abbots Langley.
South Oxhey Choirs
The South Oxhey Community Choir and the South Oxhey Youth Choir are two groups that were assembled by Gareth MaloneGareth Malone
Gareth Malone is a British choirmaster and broadcaster, self-described as an "animateur, presenter and populariser of choral singing"...
as part of the BBC television series The Choir: Unsung Town
The Choir (TV series)
The Choir is a BAFTA award winning TV series following Gareth Malone as he tackles the task of teaching choral singing to people who have never had the chance, or experience to sing before....
.
As part of the TV series, the choirs performed at venues including the Watford Colosseum, St Albans Abbey, and headlining at Sox Fest '09 in May 2009. In April 2009, the Community Choir made their debut recording at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
.
Episode one of The Choir: Unsung Town was first broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 1 September 2009.
Gareth Malone continued as choirmaster for two years following the conclusion of the TV recording and now maintains his support as patron . The current musical director is Simon Wookey and both the Community and Youth choirs continue to make regular performances about 3 to 4 times per year at events around Hertfordshire and the South East of England.
Local facilities
- Oxhey Library (Bridlington Road)
- The Centre (Gosforth Lane) - A community and leisure facility
- Sir James Altham Pool (Altham Way)
- Carpenders Park railway stationCarpenders Park railway stationCarpenders Park railway station is in between the Hertfordshire suburb of Carpenders Park and the South Oxhey housing estate. It is south of Watford Junction on the Watford DC Line....
South Oxhey Army Cadets Detachment, 3 Coy, Gosforth Lane
- All Saints Church (Church of England)
- ASCEND
- Oxhey JetsOxhey Jets F.C.Oxhey Jets F.C. are a football club based in the Watford suburb of South Oxhey, England. They were established in 1972 and joined the Herts County League Division One in 1981. In the 2005-06 season, they entered the FA Cup competition for the first time...
football club - South Oxhey Baptist Church
- 2384 Bushey and Oxhey squadron (Gosforth Lane) - Air Cadets
- South Oxhey Choirs
- South Oxhey Labour Party
Primary Schools
- Colnbrook (Special School)
- Greenfields
- Oxhey Woods
- St. Josephs
- Warren Dell Primary
- Woodhall Primary
Little Furze School (Recently Closed in about 2004/05)
- Closed due to being placed under 'Special Measures' by Ofsted in a report in November 2003, Also a decline in numbers and financial unviablility was cause for concern.
A Report (dated September 2004) on the Proposal to close the school and the reasons why can be found here:
http://www.hertsdirect.org/statweb/compaperarchive/archive/older_meetings/Reports/103/636/0.pdf
Secondary Schools
South Oxhey has no secondary schools. However, from the early 1950s, there were two Secondary modern schools – Clarendon, on Chilwell Gardens, and the smaller Hampden School, on Little Oxhey Lane. Built to cater for the post war 'baby boomBaby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
', both schools eventually combined to form Sir James Altham Comprehensive (upper and lower schools) and eventually closed as a result of the continual selling of public amenities to developers by Three Rivers Council.