On 26th August 1922 Edward Backhouse set off with a young Swiss guide to climb a mountain near Zermatt. He was 46 and an experienced climber, but the route was taxing and he was advised to hire an additional guide. None was available but he carried on. After the two men failed to return a search was launched; eventually they were found dead, still roped together, at the foot of a 250 m drop. Edward was buried in the cemetery of St Peter’s in Zermatt, a Protestant Church built especially for the large number of Britons keen to climb the Matterhorn.
Edward was born in 1876 into a wealthy Quaker family. e took a degree at Balliol and then worked for Barclays Bank (which was a merger of several Quaker Banks including Backhouse & Co). He retired aged 40 to pursue nobler causes. During WW1 he was a conscientious objector, and worked as a baker’s roundsman in Camberwell. At the time of his death he was the Labour candidate for Bedford. He left £75,000, (£5.5m today).
Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City were founded by Ebenezer Howard as ideal cities, and they attracted idealists. Just before Howard unexpectedly bought the land for Welwyn in 1919 some Quakers with a connection to Letchworth had formed a Trust to back another New Town. It had money, and no land, while Howard had land but no money - a match made in heaven. In 1921 the Trust took a tenancy for 500 acres from Howard and set up an Agricultural Guild to feed the new arrivals. It also created an Educational Association to provide schools, and built Guessens Court, a cooperative of 40 flats.
Edward Backhouse was the first Chairman of the New Town Trust, and of the Agricultural Guild, and a Director of Welwyn Garden City Ltd. It was therefore a great shock when he was killed.
As Quakers moved into Welwyn Garden they needed somewhere to worship so supported the Educational Association in converting a 17th Century open fronted cart store, part of an old farm on Handside Lane near the crossroads with Applecroft Road. It was opened on March 23rd 1923, exactly 100 years ago, “to be used for comradeship and education”. Naturally it was named in honour of Edward. In 1980 it was Listed Grade II.
In 1925 the Friends built a Meeting House nearby on Handside Lane, designed by Quaker architect H Clapham Lander, who had also converted the Backhouse Room. The Room carried on serving community needs, and still does today. The Welwyn Garden City Quaker Meeting took over its management in 1962; if you are interested in renting it email backhousebooking@virginmedia.com.
There is a twist to this story. In the 1930s Quakers were active in resettling Jews fleeing Germany, which was not easy as anti-semitism was rife, including in this country. Jews set up Potters Bar Golf Club in 1923 because they were refused entry to local Clubs. Some rich aristocrats admired Hitler, for his opposition to Communism, including Roland, 2nd Lord Brocket, (grandfather of Charles, present Lord Brocket). He attended Hitler’s 50th Birthday party in 1939, entertained leading Nazis at Brocket Hall including Ribbentrop, and acted as a conduit between Chamberlain and Hitler.
At that time Jews could only gain entry to the UK if they were well off, or in transit, or servants. After Kristallnacht, November 9th 1938, Jewish and Quaker community leaders persuaded the Government to allow 10,000 unaccompanied Jewish children to come here (Kindertransport). The gathering of the children, paperwork, and travel plans were coordinated by Quakers in Vienna and Berlin. In 1947 Quakers from the USA and Britain were jointly awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for this and other humane acts. The British Quaker who travelled to Oslo to collect the Prize was Margaret Backhouse, one of Edward’s sisters. The Backhouse Room has a fine pedigree.
