"Reel History Of Britain"


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A bit late to be posting re this series that has been on BBC2 at 6.30pm because far as I can see only 2 days left but maybe past editions available on BBC player or whatever? tuesday's edition was about 1950/60's flats schemes inc colour footage of Hyson Green and it's demolition, wednesdays was about Beechings cuts, old branch lines, steam trains and DMU's shown but not local this time, great to see though, I didn't even know they were on, wife had recorded those 2 and saw them last night

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I was sat watching it (They were in Sheffield IMMSC) and then all of a sudden my ears pricked up at the mention of Hyson Green Flats!! Much too late to give a heads up , but as Rob has put , it's still available on the BBC i player

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Unfortunately the BBC player will not allow us to view these programs in the U.S. Grrrr!!! Shakes lugs in disgust. :-)

The Nottingham part was quite small. A mixed race woman who fled Kenya with her mother after independence found the then new Hyson Green flats to be wonderful. However, towards the end of their existence the flats became a no-go area for police (1980 riots) and were taken over by undesirable elements. Finally, they were almost pulled down by the tenants because of their poor state of repair. There was a short piece of film showing the demolition of the Hyson Green flats.

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It could be argued that "councils don't build slums" in so much as early tenants of any estate thought the place great? how many times have you heard "how wonderful" estates, redevelopments etc were when first built? Also ever noticed that those being intervewed were always the "first to move into that block, street" etc! lol (my own wife always says such re Basford flats!)

I guess to some coming to such places after a life with an outside bog, no bathroom and only one fireplace they did seem thus? but who in their right mind thought "streets in the sky" were the way forward? Hindsight is a wonderful thing but after 6 months living on "Alice Walk" managed to get a swop for a "slum" (had a bath, but outside bog and one fireplace) Wife thought it was a backward step, actually cried when first saw state of the place! but we lived there over 30 years.

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