Kelvin Flats

[Sweetcheeks]

I worked in the Estate Office, next door to the Halfpenny, from 1972 to 1976.

To be fair, there was not the level of violence and criminality that existed later on. As in all life, there were some "rough" families, but at that time I always felt safe and quite at home there. We had no security officers or cameras then and only 3 or sometimes 4 of us would work in the office. We did have a few suicides while I was there, one of which jumped and fell on the roof of the Halfpenny.

[Gunner]

Spot on plain talker.. KF in many ways used to police itself, As with many flats complex, But it takes a special person to adapt to life on flats. I myslef would dread living in a tower block, But there are those that enjoy it. Life is what we make it. Yes we have idiots that make life very uncomfortable for a lot of us. I tend to ignore them, They just go away... Well ! Sort of.

[only_me]

My dad lived at the back of the flats (near the benafits advise place) he told me a woman jumped and commited suicide right in front of him. Another time while he was away from his flat a lad who came over from Ireland actually hung himself from my dads living room door. I know these are sad stories but my dad actually enjoyed living on kelvin, he only moved to sherde road through ill health. I had some good nights out with him especially in the eversley house.

[Gunner]

I worked in the Estate Office, next door to the Halfpenny, from 1972 to 1976.

To be fair, there was not the level of violence and criminality that existed later on. As in all life, there were some "rough" families, but at that time I always felt safe and quite at home there. We had no security officers or cameras then and only 3 or sometimes 4 of us would work in the office. We did have a few suicides while I was there, one of which jumped and fell on the roof of the Halfpenny.

Quite right Sweetcheeks,

It makes me sad to think of all the people that worked hard to improve Kelvin, Then at the end of the day we were conned into giving up our homes and voted for the demolition of kelvin Flats. This was " Hobsons Choice ". I also feel for many of the Housing Staff 9 I still see Mohammed, Many of the Porters now ). They agree with me that the staff themselves were also conned. I saw the first steps to privatization coming. Some threads ago, A subsciber asked what papers I had seen in the Town Hall. Papers that were plans to reduce the Housing Staff by any means, Plans to stop anyone that rocked the boat. Memo's of meetings where it was stated in one memo " Give then a meeting if they want it, But be careful that you do not tell them too much about the grants, Make them think it is their choice ". There were many questions needed to be asked. Many people now regret that they did not ask them. Those of us that rocked the boat by asking too many questions were targetted and dealt with in many awaful ways. This was the same with housing staff. Many were given promises that were never kept. We were dealing with corruption on a wide scale. far troo many people up that ladder were made pretty wealthy. There were investigations into contractors that worked upon this futile regeneration. I can see the same repeating itself over the whole of Sheffield now. We have Forums, Tenants Associations. All of them being led by the nose. Then when we start to complain. We will be told that " You Made the decisions, You voted for what we did ". I fully agree with Martyn Brighton about the scale of corruption that exists. He says that this goes right to the top. A certain Sheffield M.P. Cannot be named for legal reasons has a lot to answer for. The replacement of windows, The alarms fitted to houses, Work done to the Parks and outside walls etc. I could go on, Many of the contractors I have spoken to are disgusted with what is happening. We have a circle of corruption that exists with the Council heirarchy, MP's, Even involving the Police. Anyone that rocks the boat will suffer ...

[pete_fcs]

not sure if i've added this already to this thread, but i have a website dedicated to the memories of kelvin flats, as well as park hill and hyde park, where i lived for 10 years in total:

 

http://www.freewebs.com/streetsinthesky/

 

[deelightful3]

ive just seen a name on your guestbook which i recognise,so ive e=mailed him to see if he has the same memories about kelvin flats as i do,thanks for the memories pete

[pete_fcs]

ive just seen a name on your guestbook which i recognise,so ive e=mailed him to see if he has the same memories about kelvin flats as i do,thanks for the memories pete

 

you are welcome deelightful3

 

if enough of us ex-tenants get back together then they might just rebuild the place for us!

 

[deelightful3]

i didnt actually live on kelvin but my dear old nan did,and i would go and stay with her in the school holidays, i was around 10 yrs old when she went to live there,and i loved visiting her because i had so much more freedom to roam about round there with my friends,there was always someone to play with and if there wasnt i could ride my bike around,something i couldnt do at home because mom wasnt keen on the idea because of the traffic,can remember playing kick can with some brilliant places to run and hide,not so good if you were the one seeking though,lol,oh i loved my childhood on there.

[depoix]

in reply to gunner.

i agree with most of what you say, the security did have a hard job, but the job was to repell undesirables and secure the area, and you expect that they would do that, after all that was there job, and that is what they was getting paid for, if proven insufficiant for the job, then they should have had reinforcements to help improve security. the council should have employed a security firm that was capable of such a task. i was there when gunner was stabbed and i witnessed the lack of security and cooperation with the victim. the sececurity on there should be thankfull that the victim did not try for a law suit against the security firm. i would have!! they would have found it very difficult to talk there way out of it as there was no way in or out without that security officer pressing that button. QUOTE]sorry to dissagree,but it was possible to go up from the gatefield end of kelvin,then climb round the outside balcony thus skirting the locked doors ,it was very easy to access the secured section,i did it several times

[happyhippy]

If my memory serves me correctly, I think it was The Halfpenny. I worked next door in the Rent Office from 1972 to 1978 and Kelvin was a nice place at that time with some "characters" but most Tenants were fine. Happy Memories.

 

That's right, the Halfpenny. Awful place that got shut down way before the flats came down.