This road along its whole length was to have been Park-like, to be used by carriages, cabs, and persons on horseback, would have added to the beauty of the West of London, and if the Government had thought it desirable, might have been made to repay its cost by the surplus land between Primrose Hill and Hampstead that might have been sold for villas.
Such a road was much wanted, and private enterprise has already made two-thirds of it, and placed houses on both sides. Nevertheless it is altogether different from what the State would have done. It is neither broad nor straight. It does not add to, but takes from the beauty of the neighbourhood. In the meantime Hampstead Heath has become public property, and the opportunity to make a direct approach thereto from Regent Street in a way, which foreign visitors to London would have greatly admired, is permanently lost.
Mr. Smee mentions this, as it may still be worthy of consideration, whether Regent’s Park might not be opened at Portland Place, and whether anything can now be accomplished in the unmade portion of the road between Primrose Hill and Hampstead Heath.
To the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., &c., &c.,
On the 6th May the letter of the 26th April was acknowledged:—
Mr. Gladstone desires me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, on a matter which seems to belong to the province of the Metropolitan Board of Works.
I believe with this letter, I have done all that a gentleman in a private station can with propriety do to urge upon the Government the purchase of two plots of land, one of six acres and the other of twelve, adjoining Primrose Hill, to be used by boys and youths for foot-ball and cricket. In a very short time buildings will be commenced upon the smaller plot, and the opportunity will be lost.
How much this ground is now wanted was apparent in the numbers playing cricket this afternoon in the Regent’s Park. In the portion allotted to boys the wickets were placed in many cases only eight yards apart; perhaps there were 1000 boys playing, and only those clubs were allowed that previously had obtained permission.
The same applies to the ground for youths and men. There were, perhaps, 800 playing; one set of wickets was close to another on all sides, and it was marvellous the game could go on without serious accidents. A sergeant of police that happened to be passing told me it looked most dangerous, and nothing would induce him to join; but a youth, who was playing, said the accidents were very few,—although at first he was much frightened, yet the danger was not so great as it appeared.