So fashionable did it become that Bedford Park came in for some gentle ribbing in the "St James's Gazette" in the "Ballad of Bedford Park". As the 20th century drew on, the place became less a centre of fashion; the houses were multi-occupied and bus conductors called out "Poverty Park" when they stopped on the Bath Road. The demolition by Acton Council of The Bramptons and its replacement by a five-storey old people's home led directly to the foundation in 1963 of the Bedford Park Society. Through the activities of the society, in 1967 the government listed the greater part of the estate, a total of 356 houses. A few years later both Ealing and Hounslow councils designated Bedford Park a conservation area. Since that time the area has gradually improved. Houses have returned to family use and many have been renovated. The society, a registered charity, was formed in 1963 by two local residents, Harry Taylor – president of the South Acton Conservatives – and architect Tom Greeves who lived in Newton Grove and was a founder member of the Victorian Society. Their concerns about the future of Bedford Park were united by the demolition of The Bramptons in Bedford Park to make way for an old people's home. Taylor became chairman, Greeves the secretary and John Betjeman the first patron. In the first year the society grew to 200 members who were exhorted not to make unsuitable improvements to their homes. However, Greeves was aware that the only real protection for the whole estate lay in getting the buildings statutorily listed. The breakthrough came in 1967 with the staging of a local exhibition "Artists and Architecture of Bedford Park 1875–1900" which was visited by Arthur Grogan, a government inspector from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Through Grogan, 356 of Bedford Park's houses were Grade II listed and the London Borough of Ealing (in 1969) and the London Borough of Hounslow (in 1970) declared conservation areas for their half of the suburb. Tom Greeves, who as secretary was de facto leader of the society for many years, died in 1997. The society has successfully resisted demolition plans and has protected the general architectural quality of the estate and its surrounding area. The society's Log Book, which is issued to every listed house, helps owners learn about the history of their dwelling and how it should be maintained. The society reviews all planning applications and gives its views to the local authorities. The society's main role is to protect the amenity of the first garden suburb.