Slum Clearance

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The Housing Act 1930, 20 & 21 George 5 c.39, otherwise known as the Greenwood Act, was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It encouraged mass slum clearance and councils to set to work to demolish poor quality housing and replace it with new build. The Act obliged local councils to clear all remaining slum housing, and provided further subsidies to re-house inhabitants. This single Act led to the clearance of more slums than at any time previously, and the building of 700,000 new homes.

The 1930's housing act was introduced by Ramsay MacDonald's Labour government with the aim of clearing slums and building new homes for their inhabitants. Ramsay MacDonald was the first Labour Prime Minister.

Kington Times - 13th August 1932 - Page 4

The report of the special Housing Committee was considered, which recommended that 12 houses of the non-parlour type should he erected on the allotments near Penybont Road. The clerk was directed to obtain the necessary plans and other particulars for the information of the Ministry, and ascertain what grant would be available.

By 1933 all authorities were required to concentrate efforts on slum clearance; each had to submit a programme of building and demolition aimed at eliminating slums from their districts.

Kington Times - 14th January 1933 - Page 5

The Sanitary Committee were asked to confer with the owner of some unsatisfactory houses in Child's Alley, in the hope of avoiding legal proceedings.

Kington Times - 15th July 1933 - Page 8

Knighton

The Council agreed that it was desirable to clear certain areas and erect new houses under the Slum Clearance Act.

Kington Times - 25th November 1933 - Page 8

URBAN COUNCIL

Mr. C. F. Pugh (vice-chairman) presided at a special meeting of Knighton Urban District Council on Wednesday evening, when the question of slum clearance was considered. After interviewing owners of houses in Child's Alley, which it is proposed to demolish, Dr. J. A. K. Griffiths proposed that the Council proceed with the slum clearance scheme. There would be a public enquiry at which owners could state their case. Mr. Morgan seconded, and the motion was carried.

Housing (Rural Workers) Act 1935 - The Housing Act 1935 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It required every local authority to submit a programme of building and demolition aimed at eliminating slums from their area.

Kington Times - 10th August 1935 - Page 5

A letter from the County Medical officer to the Council's Medical Officer called attention to the overcrowding in case of two premises, and suggested that it was desirable that the Council should erect additional houses under the Housing Act powers.

The Chairman said the Clerk had pointed out that ne legislation had just been passed which would affect the question, and it was decided to let the matter stand over, the Chairman remarking that there was likely to be a petition to the Council before long asking them to provide better housing facilities.

Kington Times - 14th September 1935 - Page 8

Knighton Urban Council.

The housing question occupied a considerable time and gave rise to a long and animated discussion. The clerk said he had applied for permission for 2,400 square yards of the allotments in Penybont Road, and 490 square Yards in Offa's Road to be used as building sites. He read a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. which stated that they agreed to allow the land to he used as building sites. They laid down certain conditions and said the Council must not disturb the crops. He also read a letter from Ministry of Health asking if the land was suitable for building sites. They also asked for the district valuer's report.

The clerk, referring to another site, said the district valuer had seen a field near Frydd Road, and he had asked if he might negotiate with the Welsh Church Commission for the land, and the clerk thought it would be the best thing, as it might save time and trouble. He wished, however, to know on which site the Council intended to build.

Mr. A. M. Pugh proposed they build on the allotments and Mr. Chadd seconded. He said they had discussed slum clearance for the past two years and had spent the time in passing and rescinding resolutions, and it was time they got on with it.

Mr. Lancaster said that according to the Church Constitution the purchase of the field had to be sanctioned by the Diocesan Body which did not meet till February. The clerk was instructed to proceed with the matter.

Kington Times - 11th July 1936 - Page 8

KNIGHTON URBAN COUNCIL.

The Clerk reported a meeting of the Housing Committee. Under the Slum Clearance Act it was thought the new houses would be ready for occupation by January 31st. He had issued invitations for tenders, which would be in at the beginning of August., and he thought the work would probably be begun about the beginning of September.

With response to the 1935 Act, the committee recommended the erection of six four-bed roomed and six three-bed roomed houses, and the Clerk was directed to write to the vendor of the Frydd Lane sites and ask them to get the conveyance through as early as possible.

A letter was sent to the Ministry of Health outlining which houses in Child's alley were to be demolished.

HOUSING ACTS, 1925 TO 1935.

Order confirming clearance order made under Part I of the Housing Act, 1930.

URBAN DISTRICT OF KNIGHTON.

(23rd July, 1936.)

WHEREAS the Council of the Urban District of Knighton (in this order referred to as "the council") being the local authority for the said urban district for the purposes of Part I of the Housing Act, 1930 on the 13th day of November 1935 passed a resolution declaring the area thereby specified to be a clearance area within the meaning of section 1 of the said Act ;

AND WHEREAS on the 11th day of March 1936 the council in pursuance of their powers under Part I of the Housing Act, 1930 as amended by the Housing Act, 1935 made an order (in this order referred to as "the clearance order") for the demolition of the buildings in the said area being the buildings specified in the schedule to the clearance order and have submitted the clearance order to the Minister of Health (in this order referred to as " the Minister ") for confirmation ;

AND WHEREAS objection having been made by a person upon whom notice of the clearance order was served by the council the Minister caused a local inquiry to be held in the matter and having duly considered the report made upon such inquiry the Minister has decided to confirm the clearance order subject to certain modifications :

NOW THEREFORE the Minister in pursuance of all powers enabling him in that behalf hereby orders that the lands and buildings numbered 6 and 13 and shown coloured green on the map shall be excluded from the clearance area and the Minister confirms the clearance order as modified and set out hereunder.

This order may be cited as the Knighton Urban (Childs Alley) Housing Confirmation Order 1936.

Order made by the council for the demolition of buildings in a clearance area under Part I of the Housing Act, 1930 as modified and confirmed by the Minister of Health.

1. The buildings specified in the schedule hereto being the buildings which are delineated and shown coloured pink on the map shall be demolished.

2. For the purposes of demolition each of the said buildings shall be vacated on or before the expiration of the period specified in the fourth column of the said schedule opposite to the number and description of such building.

3. In this order the expression "the map" means the map prepared in duplicate and sealed with the official seal of the Minister and marked "Map referred to in the Knighton Urban (Childs Alley) Housing Confirmation Order 1936." One duplicate of the map is deposited in the office of the Minister and the other in the offices of the council.

4. This order may be cited as the Knighton Urban Clearance Order, 1936. Given under the official seal of the Minister of Health this twenty-third day of July nineteen hundred and thirty-six.

E. D. MACGREGOR, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Health

Reference numbers

on map.

1.

--------------------

1

2

3

4

5

7

8

9

10

11

12

14

15

16

18

Owners or reputed

owners.

3.

---------------------------------

Mrs. Deborah Parkes

Charles Louis Stant

do.

Miss Baldwin

Charles Louis Stant

do.

Mrs. Deborah Parkes

Charles Louis Stant

do.

Period from the date when the

order becomes operative within

which the building is to be vacated

4

---------------------------------------------------

Four months.

Description and situation

of the buildings.

2.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dwellinghouse

do.

Dwellinghouse

and Yard

Dwellinghouse

do.

Ruins of Dwellinghouse

Yard and outbuilding belonging to

Reference Numbers 4, 5 and 7

Yard with outbuildings belonging to

Reference Numbers 9, 10, 11 and 12

Outbuildings common to Reference

Numbers 4, 5 and 7

No . 1

No . 2

No . 3

No . 4

No . 5

No . 7

No . 8

No . 9

No . 10

No . 11

No . 12

No. 14

do.

Location of Childs Alley prior to demolition.

(credit The National Library of Wales)

Kington Times - 1st August 1936 - Page 5

Slum clearance : The Council proposed to demolish the area known as Childs Alley, consisting of 12 houses. There was a definite shortage of houses in the town and in addition to the Council schemes for slum clearance and overcrowding it would be advisable to encourage local enterprise.

Kington Times - 13th March 1937 - Page 5

URBAN COUNCIL

At the monthly meeting on Wednesday a letter was read from the Ministry of Health sanctioning the building of 10 houses in Frydd Road.

Kington Times - 1st May 1937 - Page 4

KNIGHTON. URBAN COUNCIL.

At a special meeting of the Urban Council on Wednesday three tenders were read for the erection of twelve houses on Frydd Road, that of Mr. W. Cadwallader at £5,211 being accepted subject to the sanction of the Ministry Of Health. The Council proceeded to consider fences for surrounding the houses in Penybont Road, and the matter was deferred for further details.

The 12 houses built on Frydd Road became known as Frydd Terrace.

The new houses built on the 2,400 square yards of the allotments in Penybont Road became Garth Terrace.

Four of the families that lived in Childs Alley at the time of demolition, Neary, Neary, Charmer and Lloyd, were moved into Garth Terrace new builds. Numbers, 4, 3, 2 and 7 respectively.

Mr. W. Cadwallader was William Cadwallader a Building Contractor of 1 Panteg Offa's Road, Knighton. By 1939 William had retired. He died on 28th September 1946.

Kington Times - 14th August 1937 - Page 4

KNIGHTON URBAN COUNCIL

At the meeting of the Knighton Urban District Council on Wednesday evening, Mr. C. Cadwallader asked if any steps had been taken towards complying with his father's request or otherwise. The request was for an allowance on account of the increase in the cost of material which had occurred between the time when the Council accepted his tender for the Frydd Road houses and the time when the Ministry of Health sanctioned the acceptance of the tender. It was impossible for his father to cover himself then, and it would be impossible for his father or anyone else to do so now. He hoped they understood he was not trying to make a profit, but was only asking them to cover an increase which was due to the Government delay.

The Chairman (Mr. D. C. Hammond) said prices were advancing at the time Mr. Cadwallader tendered and he thought it should have been allowed for in the tender. The reason the Council had done nothing in the matter was because their clerk was not present at the last meeting and they could not decide exactly what steps to take.

Mr. J. Chadd proposed that the matter should be submitted to the Ministry of Health for their decision.

Mr. A. T. Hamar seconded, and the Council agreed.

Mr. C. Cadwallader was Charles Cadwallader, he and his brothers John Thomas Cadwallader and George Henry Gilbert Cadwallader took over, and became partners in the building business after their father retired.

Kington Times - 21st August 1937 - Page 4

Medical Officer's Report

Eleven dwelling houses were found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation. Eleven dwellings, each containing one family, were found to be overcrowded, the total number of persons concerned being 99. There is a definite shortage of houses in the town, and in addition to the Council's schemes for slum clearance and overcrowding, it would be advisable to encourage local enterprise.

Kington Times - 11th September 1937 - Page 4

URBAN COUNCIL

At a meeting of the Urban Council on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health wrote sanctioning the raising of a loan of £5,448 for 25 years repayment on Frydd Road houses. They did not feel justified in granting Mr. Cadwallader the extra money he had applied for, to cover the extra cost of material, and they considered he should have made provisions for the increase when tendering. A resolution in favour of applying to the Building Works Loan Board for a loan was proposed by Mr. Chadd and seconded by Mr. Hamar, and carried.

Kington Times - 13th May 1939 Page 4

URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL

At the monthly meeting on Wednesday of the Urban District Council the Clerk stated that eighty houses had been built in the town since the war and twelve demolished. In accordance with suggestions from the County Surveyor the Council agreed to submit a scheme of improvements to Frydd Road to cost £480.

Kington Times - 26th August 1939 - Page 4

Mr. C. H. Fowler, sanitary inspector, made 1,861 visits of inspection, and served 82 informal notices. At the school sanitary conditions and water were satisfactory. 169 visits have been made to 219 dwelling houses. Three houses were found to be unfit for human habitation, and 34 were found to be not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation. 34 houses were rendered fit in consequence of informal notice. No legal proceedings against owners were taken during the year, and no Closing or Demolition Order was issued. Two dwelling houses were overcrowded at the end of the year. They contained two families comprising eight persons. Seven cases of overcrowding in which 41 persons were concerned, have been relieved, and there were no new cases of overcrowding. To relieve overcrowding, twelve houses had been erected on Frydd Road site and were now occupied.

Kington Times - 19th June 1943 - Page 2

URBAN COUNCIL

On June 9th, when Mr. W. E. Jordan presided, the housing committee in its report dealt with various circulars from the Welsh Board of Health dealing with post-war programme of building, and recommended a programme of twenty houses to be built, of which it was thought four or five might be built by private enterprise and the rest by the local authority. There was room for eight more houses on the Frydd Terrace site owned by the Council, and three more could be built on the allotments facing Offa's Road, and four or five more on the allotments facing Penybont Road. Other sites were also indicated for possible development.

Kington Times - 20th July 1946 - Page 2

Knighton branch of the British Legion wrote relative to the recent offer of the Urban Council to rent a site to them in Child's Alley for their huts at £8 per annum. This, they felt, was too high and the Council agreed that a rental of £4 per annum be charged.

The name Frydd Road has now been altered slightly to Ffrydd Road, I have not been able to ascertain when this occurred. All the old maps and papers of the time spelled it with a single 'F'. Ffrydd is a Welsh word and is pronounced Frith, although, locally it is pronounced Frid. Frydd Road was initially called Frydd Lane prior to its renaming in 1905.

Radnorshire Advertiser - 12th May 1905 - Page 5

Knighton Urban Council

The names of Church Lane and Frydd Lane were altered to Church Road and Frydd Road.

Even though the name was changed in 1905, in 1936 the Urban Council were still calling it Frydd Lane.