Harlow

Harlow is a predominantly new town and local government district in the west of Essex, England. Situated on the border with Hertfordshire, it occupies a large area of land on the left bank of the upper Stort Valley, which has been made navigable through other towns and features a canal section near its watermill. Old Harlow is a village-sized suburb founded by the early medieval age and most of its high street buildings are early Victorian and residential. In Old Harlow is a field named Harlowbury, a de-settled monastic area which has the remains of a chapel, a scheduled ancient monument.

The M11 motorway passes through the east of the Borough, entirely to the east of the town. Harlow has its own commercial and leisure economy. It is also an outer part of the London commuter belt and employment centre of the M11 corridor which includes Cambridge and London Stansted to the north. At the time of the 2011 Census, Harlow's population was recorded at 81,944 and its borough had the third-highest proportion of social housing in England, 26.9%, a legacy of the 1947 commitment to re-house blitzed London families after World War II and provide a percentage of homes for other needy families who cannot afford market rents.

Harlow (Magna film)

Harlow is a fictionalized drama based on the life of film star Jean Harlow, released in 1965 with Carol Lynley in the title role.

It was released shortly before Paramount Pictures' own film on the same subject. This was Ginger Rogers' last film appearance.

Plot

Noticing a beautiful girl in the background of a Laurel and Hardy film, actor Marc Peters tips off studio mogul Jonathan Martin, who arranges a screen test. Jean Harlow is an overnight success.

Harlow isn't a trained thespian and is mocked by experienced actor William Mansfield, but she is sexy and she's got something audiences respond to that makes her a Hollywood star. Unfortunately for her, she's also got a mother, Mama Jean, who quickly capitalizes on her daughter's money and fame.

Family and studio demands unnerve Harlow, as does her impulsive wedding to Paul Bern, who turns out to be impotent and suicidal. Harlow has many unhappy affairs and becomes depressed. But the veteran actress Marie Dressler persuades her to take her profession more seriously, so Harlow goes back East to study her craft.

Harlow (UK Parliament constituency)

Harlow is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Robert Halfon, a Conservative.

Boundaries

1974-1983: The Urban District of Harlow, and in the Rural District of Epping and Ongar the civil parishes of Magdalen Laver, Matching, Nazeing, North Weald Bassett, Roydon, and Sheering.

1983-1997: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Nazeing, North Weald Bassett, Roydon, and Sheering.

1997-2010: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Nazeing, Roydon, and Sheering.

2010-present: The District of Harlow, and the District of Epping Forest wards of Hastingwood, Matching and Sheering Village, Lower Nazeing, Lower Sheering, and Roydon.

History

This seat was created in 1974 from the former seat of Epping and until changes introduced in time for the 2010 election included part of the electoral ward of Broadley Common, Epping Upland and Nazeing.

Constituency profile

The seat has been a bellwether since the result in 1983. Included are above county-average levels of social housing, underemployment and unemployment as at the 2001 census and the associated 2000 Index of Multiple Deprivation however the new town has brought growth sustained in part by more commuting with an increasingly-used and separate Mill station in the London Commuter Belt and has seen a 9.2% increase in the number of apartments to 2011 which brings the proportion of the housing market made up by flats and apartments to 23.8%.