The squatters who managed to live for free in £1 million London house for more than 31 years

[andysays]

Well, actually, I looked at Wikipedia, and I am wrong and you are right.

"For strategic planning, since 2011 there has been a Central London sub-region comprising the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Westminster and the City of London"

All of the City of London is Central London, but I definitely wouldn't consider all parts of those six boroughs to be Central London

 

[campanula]

Daughter squatted a Peabody Trust house in Westbourne grove (before squatting in Shakespeare Road), back in the early 2000's. It had changed a whole lot from my squatting days in Crouch End, Hornsey, Tufnel Park, back in the 70s (when SCH short lets were still a thing under the GLC). I had friends who had been living in Yerbury Road (Archway) for almost 12 years, while a couple of my squats had been going for years, including 4+ years in Cambridge (the Kite). Used to be a valuable resource but even back in the 70s, it was the practise of some HAs such as Metropolitan, to gut empty properties. I arrived home from work to find my entire belongings, tossed into the front garden, whilst the plumbing was systematically smashed/dismantled. Also did a (very short) stint in Elgin Avenue, next door to bloody Piers Corbyn (a megalomaniac nutter even then).

 

[planetgeli]

Daughter squatted a Peabody Trust house in Westbourne grove (before squatting in Shakespeare Road), back in the early 2000's. It had changed a whole lot from my squatting days in Crouch End, Hornsey, Tufnel Park, back in the 70s (when SCH short lets were still a thing under the GLC). I had friends who had been living in Yerbury Road (Archway) for almost 12 years, while a couple of my squats had been going for years, including 4+ years in Cambridge (the Kite). Used to be a valuable resource but even back in the 70s, it was the practise of some HAs such as Metropolitan, to gut empty properties. I arrived home from work to find my entire belongings, tossed into the front garden, whilst the plumbing was systematically smashed/dismantled. Also did a (very short) stint in Elgin Avenue, next door to bloody Piers Corbyn (a megalomaniac nutter even then).

I used to live in Crouch End, not a squat though. Which road?

I squatted in Bonnington Square, Vauxhall, for 4 years.

Edit. Liza knew Corbyn from squatting too.

 

[kenny g]

Only met Mr PC relatively recently (at an Imperial College open panel discussion / lecture on climate change led by a UK representative on the International Climate Group body (can't remember exact name)). Their lecture was good and seemed remarkably defensive, attempting to rebut deniers. And then Piers stood up - 100th percent in his element. The Oracle of truth. Amazing to see how he has progressed.

 

[InArduisFouette]

Interesting story. The idea of real people living in Central London does seem like a historical oddity in a lot of ways to be honest. I know there are pockets of council estates here and there still but I've only met someone who lives in one once. It's a shame IMO - a lot of other large cities feel much more alive in the centre as they still have that feel of being genuine places where people live.

there are variopus places where you only need to go back from the famous places a street or two and you'll find social housing , e.g. Covent Garden, the South banks ...

 

[oryx]

Daughter squatted a Peabody Trust house in Westbourne grove (before squatting in Shakespeare Road), back in the early 2000's. It had changed a whole lot from my squatting days in Crouch End, Hornsey, Tufnel Park, back in the 70s (when SCH short lets were still a thing under the GLC). I had friends who had been living in Yerbury Road (Archway) for almost 12 years, while a couple of my squats had been going for years, including 4+ years in Cambridge (the Kite). Used to be a valuable resource but even back in the 70s, it was the practise of some HAs such as Metropolitan, to gut empty properties. I arrived home from work to find my entire belongings, tossed into the front garden, whilst the plumbing was systematically smashed/dismantled. Also did a (very short) stint in Elgin Avenue, next door to bloody Piers Corbyn (a megalomaniac nutter even then).

I knew someone who squatted in The Kite back in the early 80s, before all the demolition, when it was an area with a lot of character. Went to see her a few times - I think it was above a radical bookshop??

A couple of views I have:

• the centre of London has pushed outwards in the last thirty or so years, so, for example, the South Bank and even the Elephant feel quite central now. I used to live in Vauxhall (squatted in Bonnington Square) in the 80s and it did feel central-ish even then, but was so, so much quieter and a bit dodgy . I moved to the Clapham end of Battersea in the mid-80s and Clapham felt like somewhere fairly quiet, right down the Northern Line. I wouldn't say it feels like central London now, but it feels as if it's on the edge IYSWIM. Tooting and Balham used to feel like deepest south London.
• people, especially younger people, no longer have the options we had back then. Squatting in residential properties has been criminalised, short-life housing has been sold off (or reinvented, negatively, as 'property guardians'), private rented is insecure and proportionately more expensive, hard-to-let council flats are no longer hard to let.

 

[campanula]

I knew someone who squatted in The Kite back in the early 80s, before all the demolition, when it was an area with a lot of character. Went to see her a few times - I think it was above a radical bookshop??

A couple of views I have:

• the centre of London has pushed outwards in the last thirty or so years, so, for example, the South Bank and even the Elephant feel quite central now. I used to live in Vauxhall (squatted in Bonnington Square) in the 80s and it did feel central-ish even then, but was so, so much quieter and a bit dodgy . I moved to the Clapham end of Battersea in the mid-80s and Clapham felt like somewhere fairly quiet, right down the Northern Line. I wouldn't say it feels like central London now, but it feels as if it's on the edge IYSWIM. Tooting and Balham used to feel like deepest south London.
• people, especially younger people, no longer have the options we had back then. Squatting in residential properties has been criminalised, short-life housing has been sold off (or reinvented, negatively, as 'property guardians'), private rented is insecure and proportionately more expensive, hard-to-let council flats are no longer hard to let.

Yep, The Anarchist Bookshop on Fitzroy Street - fella name of Max was living there - we made a film about the Kite. I was living there from 1975 until James Street was demolished in 1980

 

[campanula]

I used to live in Crouch End, not a squat though. Which road?

I squatted in Bonnington Square, Vauxhall, for 4 years.

Edit. Liza knew Corbyn from squatting too.

Haringey Road, opposite a little library, then later, in one of the enormous houses on
Mountview Road (backed onto the old railway line). I vaguely recall Bonnington Square too - very keen on community planting

 

[planetgeli]

Haringey Road, opposite a little library, then later, in one of the enormous houses on
Mountview Road (backed onto the old railway line). I vaguely recall Bonnington Square too - very keen on community planting

I lived at the bottom of the hill, Rathcoole Gardens. But yeah, big houses up there.

Bonnington Square had a nice communal garden and play area. And cafe, now gone, I believe. I loved living there. We had a roof garden ffs.

 

[campanula]

I lived at the bottom of the hill, Rathcoole Gardens. But yeah, big houses up there.

Bonnington Square had a nice communal garden and play area. And cafe, now gone, I believe. I loved living there. We had a roof garden ffs.

, Yes, a real DIY collective spirit going on, especially if a whole street or block or various large venues was involved. Daughter lived in the Balham Bowls Club for a while. Safety in numbers, I loved it too, (mostly).

 

[pbsmooth]

I knew someone who squatted in The Kite back in the early 80s, before all the demolition, when it was an area with a lot of character. Went to see her a few times - I think it was above a radical bookshop??

A couple of views I have:

• the centre of London has pushed outwards in the last thirty or so years, so, for example, the South Bank and even the Elephant feel quite central now. I used to live in Vauxhall (squatted in Bonnington Square) in the 80s and it did feel central-ish even then, but was so, so much quieter and a bit dodgy . I moved to the Clapham end of Battersea in the mid-80s and Clapham felt like somewhere fairly quiet, right down the Northern Line. I wouldn't say it feels like central London now, but it feels as if it's on the edge IYSWIM. Tooting and Balham used to feel like deepest south London.
• people, especially younger people, no longer have the options we had back then. Squatting in residential properties has been criminalised, short-life housing has been sold off (or reinvented, negatively, as 'property guardians'), private rented is insecure and proportionately more expensive, hard-to-let council flats are no longer hard to let.

when I lived off Lavender Hill 20 years ago people used to be shocked and not understand why. 'it doesn't even have the tube... how do you get to Clapham Junction?!' now as you say, it's almost like living central to live in Clapham and obviously ridiculously expensive so I'd imagine young people can only live there in large house shares. and probably even those are for wealthier kids.

 

[oryx]

when I lived off Lavender Hill 20 years ago people used to be shocked and not understand why. 'it doesn't even have the tube... how do you get to Clapham Junction?!' now as you say, it's almost like living central to live in Clapham and obviously ridiculously expensive so I'd imagine young people can only live there in large house shares. and probably even those are for wealthier kids.

I got used to relying on buses and the overland train really quickly, as we had to. It came in useful when I moved to SE London!

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a fair few younger people in SW London from rich families whose parents have bought them a flat or house. It's been that sort of area for quite a while now.

 

[Elpenor]

A few years living in and around Clapham is the post uni pathway for many of that sort. Night out at Infernos etc

 

[oryx]

A few years living in and around Clapham is the post uni pathway for many of that sort. Night out at Infernos etc

Big on watching rugby in the pubs too, IIRC!

 

[Dogsauce]

There are council estates in Central London - I know of a few blocks in Covent Garden/Tottenham Court Rd , and some large estates in Holborn.

There’s famously the Barbican, but quite a few others around that area, around Angel, over towards King’s Cross. Loads of stuff around Caledonian Road but that’s getting further out. I lived in the gf’s shared ownership flat in EC1, City Basin, inside Zone 1. The adjoining block was social rent.

 

[marty21]

There’s famously the Barbican, but quite a few others around that area, around Angel, over towards King’s Cross. Loads of stuff around Caledonian Road but that’s getting further out. I lived in the gf’s shared ownership flat in EC1, City Basin, inside Zone 1. The adjoining block was social rent.

I'm not sure that the Barbican is council housing, the Golden Lane Estate next to it is Council owned.

 

[GarveyLives]

There really needs to be a mass takeover of a lot of property which is just being sat on at the moment.

Keith Best appears to have had the same idea some years ago:

Squatting builder wins £400,000 three-bedroom house for FREE thanks to law from Roman times

Squatter who claimed ownership of pensioner's home for free sells property for £540,000

Squatter who moved into pensioner's home and sold it insists he didn't 'steal' property

(Source: as stated in image)​

The Late Colin Curtis, who lived in the property in Church Road, Newbury Park, after his mother's death in the late 1980s until 1996, when he moved out and left it empty without selling it, because his parents had bought it in 1942.

 

[InArduisFouette]

There are council estates in Central London - I know of a few blocks in Covent Garden/Tottenham Court Rd , and some large estates in Holborn.

indeed ands the while not council the previously mention ? Peabody? HA home by Brown Hart gardens ( near Selfridges for the shopaholics and near Danceworks for the Dancers)

 

[InArduisFouette]

I'm not sure that the Barbican is council housing, the Golden Lane Estate next to it is Council owned.

The Barbican flats were built by the City of London corporation for rental , although not necessarily as Social housing in the strictest sense of the word , iirc however it came under Thatcher's right to buy policy so the City corporation were legally obliged to sell leases to residents who wished to purchase

 

[ElizabethofYork]

I'm not sure that the Barbican is council housing, the Golden Lane Estate next to it is Council owned.

I used to live on King's Square Estate, EC1, in the 1960s. It was definitely council housing at that time, as was the Finsbury Estate, just down the road, where some of my school friends lived.

Some of the flats have been sold, but I'm pretty sure that some, at least, are still social housing.

 

[kenny g]

Keith Best appears to have had the same idea some years ago:

Squatting builder wins £400,000 three-bedroom house for FREE thanks to law from Roman times

Squatter who claimed ownership of pensioner's home for free sells property for £540,000

Squatter who moved into pensioner's home and sold it insists he didn't 'steal' property

(Source: as stated in image)​

The Late Colin Curtis, who lived in the property in Church Road, Newbury Park, after his mother's death in the late 1980s until 1996, when he moved out and left it empty without selling it, because his parents had bought it in 1942.

Good to see adverse possession is still alive.
BTW - amazed how ad heavy the mirror site is nowadays.

 

[Serge Forward]

Good to see adverse possession is still alive.
BTW - amazed how ad heavy the mirror site is nowadays.

Unreadable without an ad blocker.

 

[equationgirl]

There are council estates in Central London - I know of a few blocks in Covent Garden/Tottenham Court Rd , and some large estates in Holborn.

Some very nice blocks around covent garden, I'd much rather one of those than some of the private flats I've seen advertised. Bet the waiting list is decades long though...