The Ballad of the Crocodile and the Underpass

Collecting and Sharing Stories of Washington New Town

The episodes tell the stories of

1. The Town of Roundabouts: how the new town was delineated by new roads, roundabouts, concrete crocodiles, and the ever-so-controversial district numbering system.
2. Underpass Overpass – These features aren’t unique to new towns but they are very prevalent. We explore the ideal that no child would ever need to cross a road to attend school and the modern day realities of these ‘betwixt and between’ spaces.
3. H’way Jimmy – Memories of the 1977 visit of US President Jimmy Carter to Washington Village, the ancestral home of George Washington.
4. Ghost and Witches – Just because you’re in a new town doesn’t mean that you’re free of legends, superstition and the ghosts of earlier settlements. We hear personal stories of the supernatural, as well as the sad tales of women accused of witchcraft.
5. Curly Wurly Bridge – Did you know that Fatfield is home to a concrete icon? This episode looks at the so-called Curly Wurly Bridge, the design that took Fatfield from pit village to modern development, and busts a myth or two about Mediterranean influences.
6. Nature – In this episode we explore the ways in which the new town development worked alongside the natural world with, for example, tree planting and daffodil days built into the planning. We hear about the value of nature reserves and parks such as James Steel Park and the Wetlands Centre as well as the ongoing appeal of allotments and ‘council gardens’.
7. Mining and Industry – Washington was heavily involved in the coal industry – men working in the dirty and dangerous pits and women supporting them in many ways above the ground. The new town development coincided with the gradual closing of the mines.
8. Art and Music – In this episode we look at some examples of how music and arts developed in the new town. Since 1972, Arts Centre Washington has been the place where many music, theatre and arts activities and performances have taken place, including radio ballad pioneer Peggy Seeger’s concert at the Davey Lamp Folk Club. Washington has also been the birthplace of many well-known artists and performers: musicians Brian Ferry and Alan Price and the painter Paul Stangroom.
9. A Fresh Start… women’s education and training – In the 60’s and 70’s many people moved to Washington New Town with few friends or family to support them when they started a family. Adult education programmes provided by organizations such as the Workers Educational Association -the WEA – and more recently celebrated by Never Stop Learning were very important in the lives of local residents and many benefited from the childcare that these courses provided.
10. Shopping and Leisure : Step into Another World. The Galleries Shopping Centre opened in 1974 and many Washington New Town residents have memories of shopping and working there. People were able to shop indoors once the roof was built and they stepped into another world of supermarkets such as the SavaCentre store for the first time.

Also as part of the project a series of photomontage artworks have been created by artist Tommy Anderson to celebrate the urban landscapes, culture and social heritage of Washington.

Using images from the library archive, the set of four artworks explore themes of industry, construction, housing and community. The larger artwork combines archive images and new photography portraying a snapshot of life in Washington over the past 60 years.