Category Archives: Autobiography

The Generations

Posted on February 7, 2015 by odeboyz

When I was little I thought my Dad knew absolutely everything about everything. He thought nothing of stripping down the starter motor on our old car to replace the carbon brushes – to mending our shoes. He even replaced broken … Continue reading →

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Millfields Road Cleaning Depot.

Posted on January 22, 2015 by odeboyz

It is a large complex set of buildings on Millfields Road Clapton Park in Hackney, (London) the site was tucked between the power station on the bend of the river and Clapton Dog track. I first went there in 1963 to investigate an … Continue reading →

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The £50 Adventure: Chapter 4

Posted on January 9, 2015 by odeboyz

We finally ‘went live’ in April 2003, but we were still negotiating the MMA (Modular Management Agreement) and it would be a further 2 years later before this was finally signed off. I thought we were continuing to cope with … Continue reading →

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The £50 Adventure: Chapter 3

Posted on December 19, 2014 by odeboyz

Training was going on apace and the committee were beginning to understand their roles and how to work together as a team. We knew it wouldn’t be long before we were ready to start appointing staff. We looked at where … Continue reading →

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£50 Adventure: part 2

Posted on December 5, 2014 by odeboyz

The following year, despite receiving £25,171 in grants from the Government as well as £9,698 from the council, our section 16 agent fleeced us of £20,433 in administration fees. Our newly formed committee of 15 residents thought this was daylight robbery. The … Continue reading →

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The £50.00 Adventure.

Posted on November 22, 2014 by odeboyz

Eleven years ago, Jan (my wife) and I, along with two other couples started a TMO (Tenant Management Organisation) we call PETRA (Parkhill Tenants and Resident Association). I wrote to the Council and explained that we intended to form a … Continue reading →

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A Soldiers Tale

Posted on November 6, 2014 by odeboyz

My lovely old Grand-dad was all the more lovely – when after a few Guinness’ he would get nostalgic and regale us with some of the lighter moments he spent in the army. He joined the army as a boy … Continue reading →

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Stanton and Staveley.

Posted on October 23, 2014 by odeboyz

Not a name that jumps out at you but in the sixties I was a snotty nosed plumbers apprentice sent to work on a building site at “The Barbican” in the centre of London. Apparently  Haden’s (the company I was … Continue reading →

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Technology I Hate

Posted on October 10, 2014 by odeboyz

Me, Irascible! I have disliked the bloody machine ever since it was squeezed into our kitchen. It sits malevolent in its innocent white drop down door. It was instant abhorrence since the day Jan took my empty plate (without letting … Continue reading →

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The Best Jam.

Posted on September 30, 2014 by odeboyz

It always rained in autumn Mum, holding her old “Trug” We trudged to New River Walk No one’s hedges were safe. Blackberries, Blueberries, Rosehips We gathered while she told us the names My turn to carry the burgeoning feast The … Continue reading →

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