Hengelo Gardens plaque clip from Merton Memories photo reference Mit_Streets_D_LEW_35-1

This plaque was unveiled when the road was opened.

HENGELO
GARDENS

30th August 1952

This plaque was unveiled by the Burgomaster of Hengelo as a token of the friendship between the people of Mitcham and Hengelo in The Netherlands

The road was named after the town of Hengelo, in the Netherlands. In 1945 an Anglo-Netherlands Sports Scheme was started between Mitcham and Hengelo, see news article below.

2019 Open Street Map of Hengelo Gardens

In 1955, a square in Hengelo had been renamed Mitchamplein. It is now a car park.

It is not known when the plaque was removed.

News Articles about Hengelo and Mitcham

Norwood News – Friday 29 June 1945

Mitcham Adopts Hengelo

Anglo-Netherlands Sports Scheme

A representative body of Mitcham sportsmen held an inaugural meeting last week in the staff canteen of Messrs. Stewart and Gray, Paisley Works, Mitcham, in connection with the Anglo – Netherlands Sports Scheme. The Mayor of Mitcham (Ald. A H. Bailey), who presided, spoke of his great friendship for the Dutch people, and how pleased he felt with the idea of the Anglo-Netherlands Sports Scheme, and it gave him much pleasure to accept the presidency of the Mitcham section.

After an address by Mr. Yapp, who convened the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that Mitcham should adopt the scheme and link up with Hengelo, in Holland, Hengelo being on a par with Mitcham in size, population and industries. Everyone at the meeting felt that Mitcham was about to enter into an era of great sporting events, and that the happy associations made between the people and their brave Dutch Allies during the war would be continued and improved through the activities of this sports scheme.

The following officers and committee were unanimously elected: President, the Mayor of Mitcham ; chairman, Mr. A. R. Hillen; general hon. secretary, Mr. J. W. Yapp ; treasurer, Mr. J. Beverige ; Finance Committee, the chairman. general hon. secretary and treasurer, with Messrs. J. Forsyth and J. Simper ; General Purposes Committee, Messrs. S. Mackinnon, R. Murphy, W. Wilder, P. W. Collard, Thos. Sibley. A. Lacey, E. Willard. C. Smith, Thos. Bicknell, E. Chambers, C. Runcieman, W. Wilson, Flying Officer Judd, and the hon. secretary. The committee agreed to co-opt other local sportsmen. Anyone interested should write to the general secretary, Mr. J. W. Yapp, 60 Streatham-road, Mitcham, Surrey. Sportswomen are particularly invited.

West Sussex Gazette – Thursday 23 August 1945

The link-up of Mitcham with Hengelo, Holland, for sport and social purposes has been completed by the Netherlanders’ hearty acceptance and reciprocation of the scheme. For the present, transport is the difficulty, but it is hoped to send two Mitcham football teams over before the end of the year. At Hengelo there are plenty of football-minded enthusiasts, and two teams awaiting International contests between the goal-posts The local papers there are co-operating in forewarding this happy way of fraternisation

West Sussex Gazette – Thursday 30 September 1948

VISITORS FROM HOLLAND

Glorious week-end weather greatly enhanced the cheerfulness of the Mayor of Mitcham’s informal welcome to the Burgomaster of Hengelo, Holland, and his party of 60 sports players to spend a week in Mitcham.

It is the return visit of the Mitcham pilgrimage to Hengelo in 1946. On Saturday morning the sights of London were toured. including the Houses of Parliament. In the afternoon the visitors saw the first of Mitcham’s football and the last cricket match of the season on the elm-bordered Green now tinged wIth russet tints of autumn. The evening was filled with a gala at Mitcham Baths attended by several ex-Olympic competitors. Sunday brought another London tour and korfball.

The formal civic welcome to the guests (put up in Mitcham homes) was at the Town Hall on Monday evening. Thereafter a full programme till the young Netherlanders return next Saturday.

West Sussex Gazette – Thursday 09 December 1948

As others see us. A journalist who came to Mitcham with the friendship pilgrims from Hengelo, Holland, afterwards wrote in his home paper that Mitcham was “a simple factory town without many attractions”! The other Dutch reporter visitor discovered that our ” pubs ” close early, and that cafes, known in the Netherlands, do not exist here. Moreover, at our public-houses, “strangely enough,” he wrote, you have to stand, and the beer is bad; and, what is more, very expensive”!