The Society has been formed, at urgent local request, to acquire land in the Datchet district, and
build cottages thereon to accommodate a large group of Allotment holders.
The Society is registered as a
Societies Act, 1893. Its rules provide that interest on capital shall not exceed 5 per cent.,
by which restriction it is entitled, as a Society of Public Utility under the Housing and Town
Planning Act, 1909, to secure from the Public Works Loan Board two-thirds of the capital required
society of limited liability under the Industrial and Provident
on loan for a period of thirty or forty years at 33 per cent. or 32 per cent. respectively. Before the
Government loan can be obtained, the first third (83,000) of the total capital
required (E9,000) has to be raised through investment by the tenant-members
themselves and by others who are interested in the provision of cottages with
land, on lines which give the tenants an interest in the property they occupy
and cultivate, and at the same time provide a reasonable interest and first-
rate security for the outside investor.
Applications for cottages have been received from 28 heads of families, and it is the object of the
Board of Management to purchase 30 acres of suitable land near Ditton Park, option of which
has been given to the Society by the Rural Co-partnership Housing Trust, Limited. The Trust
has advanced the amount of the cost, subject to repayment at an early date.
includes the old Datchet Allotments, which, owing to the late owner's sale of the freehold would have
been lost to the tenants but for the formation of the Society.
The cottages will be in three grades. The lowest rented will have at least three bedrooms, a
parlour and living room, together with bath and washhouse accommodation.
A spacious children's playground will be provided.
The land is of excellent quality, and the cottages will be well and economically built and of
an aspect that will keep the rural amenities of the neighbourhood unspoiled.
The security for the Shares and Loan Stock will be the land and cottages, and the total
amount of Shares and Loan Stock will be equivalent to the total cost of the property.
The Co-partnership system on which the Society is formed is that which has proved so
successful in societies like those of Ealing Tenants, Ltd., Hampstead Tenants, Ltd., and others
affiliated to the Co-partnership Tenants' Housing Council. The Rural Association, to which the
Datchet Society will be affiliated, was established in 1911 to take over and develop the rural
programme of the said Housing Council. It is a separate body, under the presidency of Mrs. V.
Branford (Sybella Gurney) and the chairmanship of Lord Henry Bentinck, M.P., and has made the
necesary modifications to adapt the urban practice to conditions under which an allotment or small
holding will form part of every tenancy.
The Co-partnership plan, additionally to giving tenant-members occupancy of healthy cottages
and good land on conditions which will encourage them to co-operation, will, under reasonable safe-
guards, assure each member undisturbed tenancy on the one hand, and on the other freedom of
withdrawal should change of work or other reason necessitate his leaving the district.
practically provides for a tenant-member the security of a house bought outright or obtained through
a Building Society, without requiring any corresponding capital outlay on his part, or burdening him
with property which would probably be difficult to sell without loss if necessity arose.
reserves to itself, on behalf of its members, sufficient power through its rules to deal with any case of
defaulting tenancy or bad neighbourship.
This land
This
The Society
application.
A copy of the Rules (post free 1/-) can be had on
ERNEST BETHAM,
Secretary.
