a penny in the foundations

My recent visit to houses in which I lived as a teenager left me with a sense of disquiet. Having noted in a previous post that a number of basic architectural elements were shared across thousands of houses built by William Leech through the 60s, 70s and 80s, I was uncomfortable with the ways in which they had been adapted over the years. A quick comparison between the sales literature and the current facades reveal changes to window styles and shape, a little extension here and there, a paved front garden... Of course it would be ridiculous to expect everything to be the same - just as it was the day the builders left the site. I remember we even led the way with replacing the standard two panel glass front door, with a hardwood variety with lots of 'bullion' panes. But somehow I feel that my precious memories have been tainted. So I was intrigued to read an article recently about an exhibition focussing on a vast Local Authority development in Essex, which is about to cele...

The title 'A penny in the foundations' came from a childhood memory, as described in my previous post. It is beginning to speak to me of more than just a particular action on a specific summer evening nearly 50 years ago, helping me to delve into personal and societal influences which have shaped me. The one physical penny in the foundations is a reminder of the many tiny influences which have built up over time. As I continue to make preparations for my sabbatical next summer, aims for that period are beginning to crystalize. This blog will be in some parts, autobiographical, in some a description of domestic architecture and style in the 1970s and 80s, and in others a reflection on how communities form and change. All this will be stirred by memories, the pennies, unearthed along the way. These things are very much in mind at the moment following a short visit to Northumberland, staying very close to where this story began, and stirring lots of memories. As I have already not...