Wash Common, its history and development Options

[Simon Kirby]

I've only lived in Wash Common 16 years and it's not changed much in that time, but it interests me to know more about its development and history, and I wondered if anyone had some photos or recollections they might post.

I bought this copy of an ariel photograph taken, I think, in 1936. It's not very good resolution I'm afraid but I was interested to see that the recreation ground was overgrown with what a neighbour had told me was gorse, and I'd really like to know how it got in that state or whether it had just never been reclaimed from the heath since it was enclosed. It's a funny thing but I've spoken to two different people who both remember lighting fires on the rec or in the allotments in their youth - was this what kids did before Playstation?

Please don't copy the image - I have permission from the copyright holder to post it, but not to distribute it.