The history of play streets
You couldn't really call us royalists here at London Play - but we have to acknowledge that royal events have played a part in the history of street play. We would even go as far to say that the recent double whammy of the Queen's Jubilee and the Royal Wedding have directly contributed to the current resurgence in their popularity. Here we chart the rise and fall - and rise again - of the play street in London.
1908 Model T Ford goes into production
1922-1933 Over 12,000 children in England and Wales killed in accidents involving motor vehicles
1926 Nancy Astor tells the House of Commons:
"There is no more pitiable sight in life than a child which has been arrested for playing in the street... Though these children may be fined, we stand convicted."
1937 King George IV coronation
Partying, eating and playing in the street was the order of the day
1938 First official play street legislation is enacted
1946 1.4m cars in Britain
1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
Millions took to the streets to celebrate the coronation of the 25 year old queen
1950s The zenith of play streets - 700 across England and Wales
50s-60s boom in car ownership [mid 60s 1.5m cars in London]
1971 19m cars in the UK
1977 Silver jubilee
1980s Play streets have almost completely died out
1986 M25 completed
1994 25m cars
1999 2m cars in London
2008-11 London Play’s Street Play programme
More than 100 street party events held across London
2009 31m cars
2011 Royal Wedding
400 streets in London closed for celebrations
2012 34.5m cars
2012 Diamond Jubilee
2,000 streets in London closed for celebrations
Hackney becomes London’s first borough to reintroduce official play streets
2013 Government recognises the health benefits of play streets
London Play is part of a consortium funded by the Department of Health to support the development of Play Streets across London and England. DoH puts £1.1m behind the project in the hope that it will be a cost-effective way of helping tackle childhood obesity.
Resources
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Play streets timeline 2016
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