With its new Warden, Mr Harold Hallett, the Community Centre has become a hive of activity with a great increase in membership. The Indian community are making good use of it. Unfortunately, already unemployment among the Indian community is on the increase.
A bus strike which lasted nearly a fortnight came in the middle of May. Traffic lights were installed at the junction of South Road and Beaconsfield Road and Park Avenue. The five old shops between the George and Dragon and the school passage demolished to make way for Abbess House.
Over 3,000 had a good time at the AEC Sports Day, and Norwood Green Show Day and the Annual Park Show were both a great success. Miss Patricia Dalwood was Southall Carnival Queen.
On July 11th at the Albert Hall, St Johns Church Lads Brigade Handball Team won the CLB Handball Final. The Kings Hall celebrated its 42nd birthday, and the Nursing Division SJAB its 34th birthday with presentations to Mrs E. Wilmot and Dr Seccombe.
School News
A proposal to move the Secondary Technical School to Featherstone Road was rejected. Headmaster North Road School for 20 years retired and Mr J. Manders retired from Headmaster of Southall Technical College after 10 years.
Mr Percy Jones appointed new Head Postmaster from 25th August.
At about 8 o’clock on the morning of September 2nd a crippled Viking airliner crashed on houses in Kelvin Gardens on the Waxlow Estate, killing the three crew and four others, including a baby. Eight others were injured. It ploughed through one house and three more had to be pulled down. Wreckage was scattered over a large area. Great praise was given for the wonderful way everyone gave help, and a fund, opened by the Mayor for immediate help for the victims, raised over £1,000 in less than a week. At the inquest it was revealed that the plane was carrying spare aeroplane engines and had been on its way to Blackbush Airport.
On Sunday, 21st December, the BBC recorded Gardeners Question Time from the Community Centre.
During 1959 the town did not produce anything of much importance. The Council had to put the rates up again by 1/6d (7½p), making 17/2d (86p) in the pound. They opened Old Peoples’ Homes in Langdon Place.
All through the year the Education Committee gave a great deal of time to the vexed question of Grammar or Comprehensive Schools. They alsosanctioned an extension to the Technical School.
On Easter Monday, Alderman J. Lowe died at the age of 79. He was Mayor 1952-53. Results of the Borough Elections were: Dormers Wells, F. C. Errington (Con.); Glebe, Mrs I. Cavell (Lab.); Norwood Green, F. R. Rockhill (Con.); Northcote, E. Ward (Lab.); Hambrough, C. J. Pollard (Lab.); Waxlow Manor, J. A. Woodruff (Lab.); Councillor T. Steele elected Mayor for 1959-60. Southall MP George Pargiter, elected Chairman of the Middlesex County Council.