The Changing Face Of Hathershaw

[poliphilo]

We received notice today that someone has placed an application to build 4 "mews houses" on the waste ground on Meldrum Street that overlooks our ginnel and  from which urchins throw stones at the backs of our houses. We are just out of the direct line of fire, but Rene-next-door has had her bathroom window broken many times. Good. We've been expecting this development for ages.

Before it became a launching pad for missiles the patch supported a row of lock-up garages. The concrete footings are still there.  The garages fell down one by the one- the last of them- which was also the nearest to our property- succumbing to an arson attack. It was immensely exciting- leaping flames and roiling smoke- with the heat so fierce I was afraid it would crack the window behind which I was enjoying the show. 

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I had to look up "ginnel" and I see it's classified as "northern dialect". I got the idea when you said "mews houses" but it was a word I had never seen or heard.

That's a little scary about the last garage going up in flames.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

At the time I was quite pleased. It was a terrible eyesore.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Farewell ginnels and snickelways and hello gentrification.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It'll take a lot of mews houses to gentrify this area- but I think you're right- the process is underway.