A couple of weeks ago my monochrome oddshot was of this housing Estate being demolished and how a once familiar site not being there the next day to me was odd. This was the last house to be demolished. I shot it through the metal fence, which is the dark blurred lines you see. As it's a real shot, not tampered with, no need to clone or remove the lines. What you see is what you get. If you enlarge the photo you will see a very poignant message on what would have been a bedroom wall," I WAS HERE."The Pondi contained an Estate of houses known as "Commissioners houses. "To UK readers you may be more familiar with the term "Council Houses." I am not sure what the equivalent would be in other parts of the world, or even if this type of housing exists in this form elsewhere. Council Housing is a form of accommodation that is owned by the local Council authority and rented out to tenants on long term lets(lifetime in some people's cases) at a low rental. They are not Private sector rentals. The idea was to abolish the slum landlords and overcrowding and provide the working class or lower income families with affordable habitable accommodation. This enabled people to pay a lower rent with a view to purchasing their own home in subsequent years, then relinquishing the property to new tenants and continuing the cycle to provide a step on the mortgage ladder for all. With the boom and bust nature of the world at the moment, we need more of these, yet none are being built. All I will say before I go into a rant.
I have now discovered a change to the above paragraph. Council housing is now referred to as Social Housing. Thanks to Gerald, HYDE, DP for enlightening me on this fact. Since moving from the UK to the Isle of Man several changes have taken place, like this renaming.
So, who was here then? I wonder just who it was who wrote the very poignant message. Whoever you are, thank you for creating another oddhsot opportunity. I wonder if you captured the image for yourself?
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48 comments:
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I wasn't here.
Great photo, perfect for Odd shot & monochrome.
All these new housing estates include less than a dozen affordable housing, the equivilant of Social/Council housing, but owned by private firms. At some point the government are going to have to bite the bullet and start a large scale public housing building program, like in the 1950's. Ooops, I forgot, they can't afford it. They've spent all of our money on a war and bailing out the banks. Oh well, people will have to fend for themselves!
I had a rant on your behalf :)
I've no idea what the equivalent term for Social Housing is here in the States, unless it's "The Projects". I'm sure that's not the official name for it, but that's its common name.
I'd love to know the story behind the message on the wall. Or even just the intent.
Thanks for the update on what's almost gone. I automatically think negatively about what's coming...but maybe it will look good? I know you'll show us.
LB,
You got to find the writer. Maybe a feature on them? The projects could be. Photo of the new housing would be
good?
Great shot!, sad when they start tearing stuff down
That is a very poignant message and shot. We have some subsidized housing in the U.S., often referred to as Housing projects but it's not enough. There are too many that are homeless. That upsets me.
Hey Marley. Can I phone in a rant and let you deliver? Cool!
B. Poignant photo and text. Somber and very moving. Who has the answers???
V
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I like that the fence obscures the photo a little. It lends to the over all daunting feeling of the story.
I really hate to see things torn down. I know sometimes it has its place, but it gets me a little sad.
Great story with you photo.
Suz
PS had to look up Isle of Man. *) I'm all set now.
Very well done. Nice shot friend.
I like that place and i want to stay there the whole day. It seems that u can think whatever well or if u need a space, you can stay there
the gloom comes through
"Social Housing" exists in France too...
Your photo in B&W is very marvelous...
But who was here ?
This is perfect in monochrome. Wow, would I love to go on a black and white photo hunting day with you Babooshka! I love the things you see in the world and the way you capture them. This is splendid.
Could shot that conveys a desolate mood.
'Social Housing' - how stirring.
So PC to call it Social housing, they're Council estates and always will be.
I didn't know it was called social housing either!
Council estates sometimes have a bad reputation but they are a community-based way of life, which is good.
Wonderful photo.
Yes, I confirm. It exists in France too. Government try to develop their building. There's a rate of HLM (Social Housing) in each city to respect. Unfortunately, mayors of some high-class citizen fellow's cities doesn't respect this rate, not to take in charge poor inhabitants and their problems! And Poors are more and more, and there are less and less houses.
Poignant message indeed, Babooshka. Thanks to be there for sharing with us.
In the manner with which you have taken and treated the photo, it appears that the house had received a bombing.
Such a sad, desolate shot.
brett
not on the Isle of Man they're not and the IOM is not the UK - so perhaps you'd like to do a little more research next time before you let off more gas.
I witnessed the demolition of my childhood homes, communities destroyed at the drop of a hammer.
You know, I have seen demolished houses like that here, and in Romania this past weekend I photographed another. I always wonder about the people who had lived there; you can often see traces of their wallpaper, paint, sometimes even posters on their walls...those spaces meant so much to them.
Brett, re your comment:
I lived in a council house. Social Housing has less stigma attached to it. Not PC, a clean slate.
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Great capture of a moment in time no longer accesible. Yes I wonder who wrote the comment as well. Maybe you could put up a notice on one of the notice boards around town. The Pondi a much maligned area here in Ramsey and wrongly so. I have lived in much worse sreas in my time. It's a shame that they have to be knocked down as they were only built in the seventies but thete were threw up at the time with not a great thought with poor materials. At least what is being put back in their place has been well planned and well built. They look great. But as you say more is needed.
Nice shot. Another fantastic historical post.
It has been Social Housing since I moved to the UK. I hear Council Estate all the time though. The island will always have a different name for everything, because it is a country apart from the UK, that is correct.Another great factual post and sad photo.
I find it odd to see things like this happen as well. Life can be so fleeting.
Great post for today.
nice B&W... the non focused cable on first plan gives it an interesting atmosphere...
Very poignant indeed.
A very good shot and I am glad you firstly, took it and preserved it, and secondly, told me to enlarge it!
Great post. Love the strong emotions it is bringing out in people as well.
Probably Kilroy...
I'm not wondering who wrote these words but why there is so often the sentense like that:"I was here". I have seen it in many languages in many countries and in many places. Is it like an existencial mark, a little bit more than three crosses instead of signature...?
wow. i enjoyed reading this blog.
Yes, we could all rant about the "wisdom" of destroying old buildings to put up new, I'm afraid. Very sad.
Hi!
Awesome shot! Very sad to tear down housing when it is so needed. Thanks for stopping by my place. Take Care!!
Sherrie
Oh, fun! There was a period of time in my youth when we thought writing I was here on just about anything was the IN thing to do, lol...
This photo is amazing! I forgot you are in the UK for one second and it was if a story came to me of a building condemned or lost and in remembrance someone took a pic of their longtime home. I love your work!
Love it, Baboosh! Like your reasons for this Odd Shot.
Rune says it was Kilroy, I say it was Elvis.
Oh so moody .. lovely
And I am LOL at the pigeon photo below .. here in NYC we think of them as flying rats
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Fascinating post, Babooshka. It's intriguing to see "I was here" graffiti is universal.
I would love to hear what that wall has to say. Great shot. BJ
Very nicely done.
Great shot. Interesting info.
Great pic and a very similair theme to something I'm working on in my blog ie Britains lack of social housing.
To me it seems the person who wrote that used to live there, and wanted to make sure it was known that they had a place to belong, or that they, too, were once there and struggling like so many others. Just one last statement before the building was gone and forgotten by the vast majority. A beautiful catch.
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