Hi Pat, so far as I know there is no direct connection between Ealing Village and Chiswick Village although they have several features in common. Ealing Village was built in about 1934 - 1936 and the flats came with the use of a clubhouse and games room, swimming pool ("The Lido") and tennis court, bowling green and croquet lawn. As at Chiswick Village, the flats at Ealing Village were built for rent with the freehold remaining in the hands of a landlord. In more recent years the residents of each village got together to buy out the freeholds.
I believe that when Ealing Village was built it was modelled on similar estates in Hollywood and it was hoped that it would attract film stars from Ealing Studios. In recent times, Ealing Village has been home to international models, television presenters and a cabinet minister (I don't know which one). In the 1960s Ealing Village had a reputation for all sorts of saucy goings-on but, like a lot of things in the 1960s, I missed out on any of that.
Another vaguely similar, but earlier, development was that at Brentham Garden Suburb, about a mile north of Ealing Village. This was the first garden suburb to be built on the principles of co-partnership, so that residents could buy shares in their homes. The Labour, Co-operative, Arts and Crafts, and Garden City movements were all important in the development of Brentham. It was built in stages between 1901 and 1936. |