At that time there was a curious atmospheric mix of fish smells and brick dust.
The former was to be expected from the quays and processing sheds of a longstanding although much declined deep sea trawler industry. The latter was a consequence of the large scale demolition and clearance of the old inner city Victorian terraced housing. The Council had decided that the mainly two-up, two-down dwellings had reached a stage of economic obsolescence although the locals often quipped that officialdom was just completing the thwarted efforts of the Luftwaffe who had started the decline by extensive bombing throughout much of the war years . The bombing death toll of 1200 citizens and a 95% damage rate to the housing stock ranked Hull as second only to London for devastation.
Many of the residents in the districts scheduled for destruction were not in agreement with the clearance policy.
For all of the drawbacks of a draughty, damp, expensive to heat and maintain home there was a strong community identity and spirit which would not and did not survive the enforced migration to the new estate layout social housing areas on the then very periphery of Hull.
There is a wonderful dramatisation in the Play for Today series called "Land of Green Ginger" available on You Tube showing this transition for a large part of the city in the 1970's.
There was not much that could be done in protest by the already hard pressed population apart from the very unique stand by Barry Nuttall.
I came across him in the early years of my employment in Hull or rather the regular convoys of second world war vehicles on manouvre through the city streets that characterised his self styled role as commander in chief of the Northern Allied Axis Society.
His local cult hero status had been firmly established in 1983 with his army forming an encampment amid the rubble of what had been his house before the bulldozers had flattened it along with the rest of Wyndham Street and the surrounding area.
The protest on that site would last for three years.
It was a great undertaking for Major General Nuttall, a married father of seven children but not a surprising one given his hard work ethic in timber yards, on the river, maintaining motor vehicles and even as a bouncer and DJ.
The urban demolition had relied upon offers of compensation to the owner occupiers and resettlement for tenants initially on a voluntary basis but restricted to a bricks and mortar valuation with additional payments for disturbance and towards relocation.
There was no quantum for the emotional value of a hearth and home, non-monetary personal investment in a property or for that familiar allusion to a man's castle. Barry Nuttall on this basis considered the Council's offer to be inadequate.
Together with his troops there was a showdown with bailiffs and the police in the streets just to the west of Hull City Centre and with a final resort to a Compulsory Purchase Order.
The Wyndham Street stand-off was in a makeshift fortress under canvas. There were no service connections and those venturing out of the camp would run a risk of being prevented from returning by a constant police presence.
Nuttall was only absent from the battlements for two events, one being the presentation of a petition to the House of Commons and the other, his wedding.
The massed ranks of American GI's that accompanied Barry Nuttall were quite incongruous for a north east Port Town but typified the depth of loyalty to be found in the old densely packed housing arranged with forecourt frontages or in off road courts.
To the residents it had been a great place to live although as early as 1979 the area had been put on notice of the intended clearance.
The houses were capable of being renovated and part of my early workload was involved in reporting to Building Societies on schemes to create new kitchen and bathroom extensions which were a major improvement from sculleries and outdoor loos.
The appetite of the Council was not however there for a cash injection for upgrading and the areas were condemned.
Barry Nuttall eventually withdrew in October 1986 after his sterling display of people power.
I am surprised that a statue has not been erected in the city to his memory, he died in 2011, aged 62, but then again he was pitted against the Council who would never allow for such a commemoration.
After all they had been the enemy and, arguably as victors, they would write the history.
No comments:
Post a Comment