Hull council tenants are being urged to share their memories of living in council housing to mark 100 years since the first council homes.
Hull City Council is organising a series of events to mark the centenary, including age exchange reminiscences and a film.
And the local authority is asking residents to help them by sending their memories of council housing in Hull.
It asks:
- If they grew up in a council house
- If previous generations lived in council housing
- If they moved to council housing from another part of the city
- If they have any anecdotes about their estate
- If they were involved in building any of Hull’s council estates
- If they have recently been relocated to a new council home
- If they have any photos they can share
- To share their earliest memory of their home
The authority is also hoping to find the city’s oldest tenant and people who have the longest continuous tenancies.
To help, record a memory on the Hull Council Housing Memories answer phone at 01482 613251, email [email protected] or on Facebook.
In July 1919, the Government passed the Addison Act – a bold commitment to build 500,000 new homes to replace the often insanitary slums in which working class people lived. The next 50 years saw a recession in house-building and the Government decided councils, rather than private companies, would be required to build homes.
Hull had already built its first council homes almost 30 years previously, in 1890, in Great Passage Street.
But as a result of the Act and funding that came with it, Hull Corporation built a further 518 Homes. Over the decades, Hull has formed a strong social housing sector, with 54,000 people now living in council homes and others renting from housing associations.
Councillor John Black, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “I’m excited about the opportunity to mark the centenary of the Addison Act because it has played a significant role in shaping the city as we know it today.
“I hope tenants and former Hull tenants will get involved with this project because capturing people’s memories will make a fascinating and very special contribution to recording our city’s history.”
The Housing and Planning Act 1919, also known as the Addison Act after the minister who steered it through Parliament, is one of the most important pieces of social legislation in modern history.
For the first time, housing was recognised as a national duty and local authorities were delegated to develop new homes.
Hull saw a housing shortage in excess of 9,000 due to lack of building due to the First World War and the need to replace slum and substandard homes.
The Act gave the green light to large scale housing developments in the city starting in North Hull, Gipsyville and Preston Road.
