Crossing the road

- October 02, 2021

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 noted, my parents had 'itchy feet' and were constantly talking about moving home. The house described previously was put up for sale more times than I can remember, but eventually after just less than 3 years a move finally happened. We moved less than 50 yards! For reasons best left alone, we were to stay barely 6 months at 16 Fir Grove. But, that move does give me reason to dig into my collection. In the builder's catalogue we moved from a Type 27 to a Type 32. This bungalow was three years old by this time, so no coins in the actual foundations here, though I had watched it at every stage of construction! Here is the info:

The shared design and construction elements are easily identified, and were the trademark of this particular builder. Thousands of house across northern England and southern Scotland shared the same style and size of windows, and can still be identified many years on. Terms like 'new look' and 'break away from formal design' cannot hide that this was mass market private housing built on a vast scale, with incredible economies of scale, which transformed many communities and led many into new home ownership for the first time.

By the time of this move my collecting was in full swing and I also have the 'particulars' prepared by the estate agents, both for the sale of our house and the bungalow across the road. They are stand as a piece of history. They wouldn't pass muster on Zoopla or Rightmove.

When we lived in Ellington, the development of 'Highthorn Estate' had only just begun, building carried on for many years after, with hundreds of homes now stretching to the edge of the seaside village of Cresswell. Other than the building of a new primary school, not much was done to serve the growing population. We shopped at Bank Top Stores, a very traditionally run village shop where everything was served from behind the counter and the cost was was totted up on little bits of paper. I guess there was a till of some sort, but I can't recall it. It still serves the area, but with a few of the trimmings of modern commerce. In the intervening years a few small shops were built near the school, but they look run down now. They currently comprise a take away food outlet, a children's nursery, a partyware shop and a vacant unit. Finally a new Co-op store is being built on another new development emerging on the former colliery site a few hundred yards down the road.

Ellington was, and probably is still a good place to live in many ways, a village atmosphere but close to larger towns, and of course only a short walk from amazing beaches. How it functions as a community is less obvious. Here's how it all looks - 48 years from development starting.