In 2020, the Crouch Oak was shortlisted for the Woodland Trust, English Tree of the Year. Mr Ian Mawson, Chairman of the Addlestone Historical Society, was responsible for putting forward the nomination to the Woodland Trust.
The decision was made on 22nd October and a Hackney plane tree was crowned England’s Tree of the Year for 2020, after the public voted overwhelmingly in its favour.
But not all votes have gone the Happy Man Tree’s way. Last month, it was decided that the tree will be felled before the year is out to make way for redevelopment.
Now in its seventh year, the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year contest aims to showcase the UK’s favourite trees to help show their value and need for protection. It is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery which gives a £1,000 care award to the winning trees.
The Happy Man Tree is a street tree outside the now demolished Happy Man public house in Woodberry Grove, just off Seven Sisters Road. It was nominated for the contest by members of the public during Spring’s lockdown and shortlisted for the public vote.
Drawn on an ordnance survey map in 1870, the Happy Man Tree is over 150 years old.
This beautiful London plane tree grows on the public pavement on the North End of Lordship Road on Woodberry Grove, London N4.
It has survived a century and a half of building development, two world wars, road widening schemes with the arrival of the motor car and, so far, Berkeley Homes. But now, in this latest intervention, this majestic and much-loved tree has been condemned to be cut down by Berkeley Homes & Hackney Council.
As of 22nd December – The Happy Man Tree is still standing, but a High Court injunction came into force restricting access to the marked area of certain named persons and ‘Persons Unknown’.To be at the Happy Man Tree to protect it (within the marked area) now risks heavy penalties including imprisonment.
Berkeley Group and Hackney Council are all poised to fell the people’s choice for the Woodland Trust’s England Tree of the Year 2020.
Options to design around the Happy Man Tree were created by the Friends of the Happy Man Tree but were rejected out of hand.
Berkeley Group and Hackney Council are all poised to fell the people’s choice for the Woodland Trust’s England Tree of the Year 2020.
Options to design around the Happy Man Tree were created by the Friends of the Happy Man Tree but were rejected out of hand.
Unfortunately, the Happy Man Tree was felled on 5th January 2021, along with 51 other trees in the area making way for redevelopment.
This information was posted and reproduced from the Happy Man Tree Facebook page. A sad end to a 150 year old tree. You can pay your respects to their page at https://www.facebook.com/thehappymantree