Tag Archives: Hackney

The Dignified Mendicant

Posted on May 4, 2016 by odeboyz

Many years ago, I was on my regular seven week call out rota; and at about 4 pm I got a message from the Hackney call centre one Saturday, I’m guessing about, 1976 -some forty years ago. I was asked … Continue reading →

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The Governor

Posted on April 21, 2016 by odeboyz

Mr G, or the “Guv” as I called him some nearly fifty years ago was a formidable Hackney “project manager” but that was well before such a title came into popular use. I had of course heard the stories of … Continue reading →

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Old Times in Hoxton

Posted on December 18, 2015 by odeboyz

Some years ago I was working as a plumber out of the small Stamford Hill depot (area 3) for Hackney Council. It wasn’t a cheery place to work as the Area Foreman was a self-centred egotist who had originally worked … Continue reading →

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Housing in the mid 70s

Posted on July 30, 2015 by odeboyz

Raised in Islington until in my early 20s, as young man in those days, I met a girl, a very pretty girl, and fell madly in love. How fickle she turned out to be? When she told me I was … Continue reading →

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Learning to negotiate

Posted on July 17, 2015 by odeboyz

About fifty years ago, following my stint as the plumbers shop steward whilst working for Hackney Council. I was elected as the officers Convenor Steward under the auspices of the then huge union NALGO (National Association of Local Government Officers). To … Continue reading →

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Old Housing and Working Conditions

Posted on May 21, 2015 by odeboyz

1953 to 1963 Gibson Square Islington. Raised from 3 years old, in what was then a slum area – a large ten roomed Regency terraced house situated on one of Islington’s now prestigious squares, nearly each room let out to … 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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Hackney Saga 2

Posted on September 5, 2014 by odeboyz

Despite all the efforts I had put into making the WIS (Wenlock Barn Improvement Scheme) work, whilst I was in hospital that week my old area boss Joe Terry succeeded in scuppering the continuation of the scheme set up under … Continue reading →

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The Hackney Saga

Posted on August 22, 2014 by odeboyz

Bob Beavis, my senior carpenter, was a great asset to me in that within his apprenticeship he had been taught how to become more than just a carpenter but a skilled joiner he used to overcome any technical problems. For … Continue reading →

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A Hackney Estate Before Its Time.

Posted on August 8, 2014 by odeboyz

In 1975 I had already worked for Hackney Council for 12 years first as a plumber then as the foreman plumber. Based in the depths of Shoreditch down Bowling Green Walk off of Pitfield Street. One lunch time I got … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, housing, tenants rights | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment