Wakley Dvd 'Who's Living In A Slum?

[Rockers rule 673]

I've just come across the  DVD  'Who's Living in a Slum?

 

Its about the house clearences in the 1960's and 70's of the lower Walkley area.

Excellent documentary with personal interviews from people who actually lived in the area at the time.

Excellent photos of then and now.

Bit of an eye opener to those of you out there who can't remember out side toilets and the joy of bringing 'tin bath in from't top of the yard.

There was pride in the area but there was also run down properties where modernising wouldn't have been cost efficient.

My sister gave me the DVD and other than that I can't tell you much more.

I've looked on the Internet, ebay and youtube with no joy so far.

Made in 2015 by the Walkley Historians, Walkley Community Centre and funded by the National Lottery.

Well worth it if you can get hold of a copy.

 

Happy daze

Whit walks.

Playing in derelict houses,

Babys being washed in't Belfast sink.

trying not to flood the kitchen out when emptying 'tin bath once every body had used it,

waiting for't Ascot boiler to blow up once again.

Wash days.

Proper nappies on't line.

Waiting for't telly's Valves to warm up before the picture came on.

 

Was it that bad - was it hell as like it was character building . 

 

Whit walks make me laugh especially when you see kids walking around now-a-days in £100+ trainers.

 

 

 

Keep safe

Edited August 28, 2020 by Rockers rule
additional info

[carosio 186]

I knew the area well, I lived there. The Kelvin flats were built to house ("decant" in housing parlance) many of the residents who were turfed out, although they could name 3 preferred areas in Sheffield in which a council house would be offered, subject to availability. As far as I can remember (although I stand to be corrected) no financial assistance was offered to help pay for the removal.

[Rockers rule 673]

1 minute ago, carosio said:

I knew the area well, I lived there. The Kelvin flats were built to house ("decant" in housing parlance) many of the residents who were turfed out, although they could name 3 preferred areas in Sheffield in which a council house would be offered, subject to availability. As far as I can remember (although I stand to be corrected) no financial assistance was offered to help pay for the removal.

Hello Carosio

The Kelvin is in fact mentioned in the DVD with those who loved their new modern house and those who wouldn't entertain living in the sky.

Fully recommended if you can find a copy.

 

Keep safe

[AKAMD 0]

Happy days indeed!  However, we are slowly drifting back  in many ways: we don't need to wait for the telly to warm up but if it's bad weather you lose it altogether on some channels (satellite);  new electric trip boxes are so sensitive that any old appliance you may have will trip the circuit out; and maybe, just maybe, the pandemic might have revitalized the old community spirit that disappeared in the Thatcher years!

 

I lived in a 200 year-old cottage on Bradfield Road as a kid and remember too well the outside loo, being bathed in the sink until I graduated to the tin bath, Ascot boiler, single tub washer with a mangle and the Whit walks with the Sally Army band.  Mum paid into Pagett's savings club and I got my Whit clothing bought with a Pagett's cheque!  Proper designer clothes from t'Kelvin (was it Blanchard's?).  I'd love to see the DVD, memories indeed!

Wonder if Walkley Library have a copy?

[carosio 186]

Rockers rule- thanks, I will seek until I find!

 

A friend (lived on Creswick Street) had just bought a new Norton Commando motorcycle, and he had to move onto the new Kelvin with his family. He didn't fancy the prospect of leaving his new bike overnight in the open car park far below his flat so he took it up the service lift each night and parked it in the flat's entrance hall.

[Rockers rule 673]

45 minutes ago, carosio said:

Rockers rule- thanks, I will seek until I find!

 

A friend (lived on Creswick Street) had just bought a new Norton Commando motorcycle, and he had to move onto the new Kelvin with his family. He didn't fancy the prospect of leaving his new bike overnight in the open car park far below his flat so he took it up the service lift each night and parked it in the flat's entrance hall.

In the DVD there are some nice shots of various roads with just the odd cars on them, names from the past many of which i've owned myself.

Happy Daze messin with Reliant 3 wheelers & once passing my car test crusin around in big Zephyrs.

Blake St was easier in't Zephyr than't old Regal - LOL

 

Keep safe.

Edited August 28, 2020 by Rockers rule
additional info

[Organgrinder 1,946]

A pity the DVD is not available for public viewing because most of what you mention applies to most of Sheffield,
including Heeley where I was born & raised and which leaves me with so many precious memories.
There was a lot of poverty but, on the whole people were happier in many ways and there was a strong community spirit with neighbours helping out in all sorts of ways.
Things were tough during and after, the war, but I would prefer going back to living in the 40's and 50's rather than today's selfish and greedy world where big cars and foreign holidays

are the only things which matter and big companies have to make Billions of profits rather than  a few Million as used to be the case.

I also agree with AKAMD that we are drifting back in so many ways.
The welfare of the people now takes second place to that of Business and those at the top don't even care.

[Rockers rule 673]

20 minutes ago, Organgrinder said:

A pity the DVD is not available for public viewing because most of what you mention applies to most of Sheffield,
including Heeley where I was born & raised and which leaves me with so many precious memories.
There was a lot of poverty but, on the whole people were happier in many ways and there was a strong community spirit with neighbours helping out in all sorts of ways.
Things were tough during and after, the war, but I would prefer going back to living in the 40's and 50's rather than today's selfish and greedy world where big cars and foreign holidays

are the only things which matter and big companies have to make Billions of profits rather than  a few Million as used to be the case.

I also agree with AKAMD that we are drifting back in so many ways.
The welfare of the people now takes second place to that of Business and those at the top don't even care.

There is something on Youtube from the Walkley Historians but not the same DVD. 

I have now contacted them regarding the availability of the DVD.

 

https://walkleyhistory.wordpress.com/

 

check out the site/ ask your own Questions on the link above.

I've had a quick look on the site and it has a world of information on there.

 

We lived on Randall St (London Rd) and our area suffered the same fate.

None of the houses were what I would have called Slums and can't remember any of the many streets from Hill St down as far as Woodhead Rd that were pulled down would have been called 'run down' or even derelict.

Many of the same type of houses were saved in the 1980s in the Highfields area with a Enveloping housing scheme that not only converted those houses without indoor bathrooms but also gave them new windows, doors and compleate Roofs (wood and slates) and unlike previous 'grants where you had to agree to pay the money back if you moved out in so many years the Enveloping Scheme had no restrictions.

 

 

Enjoy

Edited August 28, 2020 by Rockers rule
additional info

[Organgrinder 1,946]

Had a look at the Walkey History site and enjoyed the visit, especially Audrey Buxton's memoirs of the old days.

As I said, that kind of life was the same for us all, wherever we lived but we certainly rose to the occasion.

Will be going back there when I have more spare time.

[Rockers rule 673]

1 hour ago, Organgrinder said:

A pity the DVD is not available for public viewing because most of what you mention applies to most of Sheffield,
including Heeley where I was born & raised and which leaves me with so many precious memories.
There was a lot of poverty but, on the whole people were happier in many ways and there was a strong community spirit with neighbours helping out in all sorts of ways.
Things were tough during and after, the war, but I would prefer going back to living in the 40's and 50's rather than today's selfish and greedy world where big cars and foreign holidays

are the only things which matter and big companies have to make Billions of profits rather than  a few Million as used to be the case.

I also agree with AKAMD that we are drifting back in so many ways.
The welfare of the people now takes second place to that of Business and those at the top don't even care.

 

I've just recieved the following from the link in #8

 

 

 

Hi Rocker,  

 

Thanks for the enquiry. Yes we produced the DVD “ Who’s living in a slum” to go along with the book “Walkley ways, Walkley wars” which the history group wrote in 2015. Both are still available @ £3 each or the book and DVD together at £5.

Sheffield Scene on Surrey Street had copies for sale as did the shop at Kelham Island museum. However if they don’t have any left, we certainly still have some supplies left, I know I have some DVDs here at home after a history fair last year so let me know if you struggle to get hold of one.

You might be interested to know that we’ve just produced a new book on Victorian Walkley. It was due to be launched just as we all went into lockdown so not been advertised too much yet. However Beeches of Walkley have copies for sale @£10

 

Thanks again

 

Lynne Hinchliff

 

 

Well worth the £3 and £5 for the book and DVD sounds good to me.

[carosio 186]

3 hours ago, Rockers rule said:

In the DVD there are some nice shots of various roads with just the odd cars on them, names from the past many of which i've owned myself.

Happy Daze messin with Reliant 3 wheelers & once passing my car test crusin around in big Zephyrs.

Blake St was easier in't Zephyr than't old Regal - LOL

 

Keep safe.

A Regal was posh compared to the AC Petite (look that one up!) we bought from Highton St Motors. Mum Dad and myself (sat in the middle on the bench seat) would travel to Marnham Ferry on theTrent in it for some fishing.

 

I would have thought that most of the houses in Lower Walkley weren't really upgradeable (some were court houses) although there were several "modern" semis amongst them that were demolished at the same time.

 

The first area to be demolished was the Kelvin area, upon which the flats were built.

[Rockers rule 673]

1 hour ago, carosio said:

A Regal was posh compared to the AC Petite (look that one up!) we bought from Highton St Motors. Mum Dad and myself (sat in the middle on the bench seat) would travel to Marnham Ferry on theTrent in it for some fishing.

 

I would have thought that most of the houses in Lower Walkley weren't really upgradeable (some were court houses) although there were several "modern" semis amongst them that were demolished at the same time.

 

The first area to be demolished was the Kelvin area, upon which the flats were built.

No need for me to look up AC Petite Carosio I know exactly what they were (I think the the bubble car museum in lincolnshire still have one)

There isn't much i don't know about 3 wheelers & still have a few in my collection including a 1957 Mk3 Regal.

Check out 'the Davis' 3 wheeler for a proper 3 wheeler.

 

Yes even with a bathroom conversion a two bedroom house would effectively be turned into a one and a half bedroom house which  wouldn't have been much better to someone with a growing family. 

 

Have a trip out to the bubble car museum some time you won't find a Davis but they have a pretty good collection of other makes and a good collection of motorcycles.

and they do camping check our their web site.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Rockers rule
additional info