Glastonbury House and my part in it.

I first came to Glastonbury House in 1971 to meet my future mother in law, Winifred Saul. Then the block was looked after by a warden whom you never seen and, as far as I can remember, his only duties were to be there in case of any problems pertaining to the block for the Middlesbrough Council's housing department. He had little contact with the residents and little did he have any incentive to to do so. The block, in effect, was dead and meeting your neighbours was near on impossible unless you met them on the lift briefly but then you went on your own merry way promptly forgetting whom you'd just met.

Back then this block was not restricted to older people and there were many young couples living here. There was only only one proviso in the tenancy agreement though, any wife that got pregnant then that couple had to move out (alternative accommodation was provided, of course) as there was a 'no children' policy in Glastonbury House back then.

Life took me and Mrs Saul's daughter, Beryl, here there and everywhere until we eventually, in 1978, moved in here to help take care of my ailing mother in law who, Sadly, in 1981, the year that princess Diana and Prince Charles got married, passed away.

A dilemma then ensued when we had to decide whether to take on the tenancy here in the block...thankfully, after many weeks of deliberation we decided to stay.

In the mid nineteen eighties tenants were asked if they would like to go warden controlled, which was a radical change from the old warden system.  This new system would put 'pull cords' in each flat which linked to a central office. Any tenant who got into difficulties could pull the cord and get instant assistance.  From that day this block changed for the better, and how!

To be continued...