Category Archives: housing

View from a Tower Block ‘village’ on the edge of London

Posted on September 5, 2017 by odeboyz

This photograph is taken from one of three council owned tower blocks built next to Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch. The photograph looks westward towards the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf Such a pretty little ‘village’, of just over two hundred flats, … Continue reading →

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British Social Care and Home Ownership

Posted on September 1, 2017 by odeboyz

The British family home has iconic status. Home ownership is longed-for and anyone not owning a house is silently thought of as, in some way, second class. Parents often give large amounts of cash to their adult children for deposits, … Continue reading →

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Our intolerant society: a rough sleeper in our tower block – London Borough of Havering 2017

Posted on August 11, 2017 by odeboyz

On our Council estate in north-east London we have a diverse group of people including some very obnoxious individuals. At the repulsive end of the spectrum our caretaker came across a woman sleeping rough in the basement of one of … Continue reading →

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Alzheimer’s

Posted on July 27, 2017 by odeboyz

Six years ago a nice elderly couple moved into our tower block opposite our flat. I was quite pleased as it meant we would probably have neighbours who wouldn’t cause any nuisance, with loud music or have weird young yobs … Continue reading →

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‘100,000 Roofs’: Germany’s Green Energy Policy

Posted on May 9, 2017 by odeboyz

“Germany’s….’100,000 roofs’ programme to encourage residential and industrial investment in the technology… kicked the solar PV industry into high gear, and Germany grew its solar PV capacity from just 62 MWs in 2000 to over 24,000 MWs by 2011. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, housing, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A lad who had to grow up fast

Posted on April 14, 2017 by odeboyz

Fred Rouse, was a typical Cockney lad. Stroppy at times, a lean, tall, gangling boy. He and my older brother became good friends when they both started senior school together, Queens Head Street School, Islington aged eleven. Over the next … Continue reading →

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The Flying Bottles: The Pompadours, Harold Hill Romford

Posted on March 2, 2017 by odeboyz

  The Flying Bottles is what most people on Harold Hill called the Pompadours pub. There were many managers that attempted to run the pub when I first lived in Harold Hill and there were many more after when I left in … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, housing | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Disappointed

Posted on February 28, 2017 by odeboyz

I could have screamed When, some years ago, An idiot tenant confessed, “Oh I’ve never voted, in any election”. Recently, that same Non-voter, had a water problem A leak, going into the flat below his Coming, from somewhere in his … Continue reading →

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Humbled

Posted on February 16, 2017 by odeboyz

I believe that I have been extremely silly at various times in my life, for no better reason than part devilment and showing off.  For example in around 1970, I was given a young labourer called Mark. Our first job was replacing the … Continue reading →

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How wonderful were my early days

Posted on November 24, 2016 by odeboyz

Mid 1940s to 1953 I lived at 59 Gibson Square in Islington. Each month the rent collector Mr Beetle (yes, really), would arrive on the doorstep to inspect the property and collect the rent. The rent not only Mum and Dad paid, … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Economics, housing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment