at the start of the 20th century the town was growing fast. new roads were laid out in callowland, north watford, and in west watford on farmland. many continued to live in the cramped and unsanitary houses in the yards and alley-ways opening off the high street. some of these people were among those who rioted in 1902 when the celebration for king edward vii's coronation was postponed. the council had a programme of slum clearance which stopped with the outbreak of world war i in 1914. building council houses resumed after the war and in the 1920s the harebreaks estate was developed.