On June 4 1919, Christopher Addison cut the first sod on Bristol City Council’s new Sea Mills Estate. The city’s lady mayoress planted an oak tree which today bears his name. At the time, Addison was still President of the Local Government Board. His flagship Housing and Planning Act received the Royal Assent on July 31st and he then became the first Minister of Health and Housing. One hundred years later to the day, I was proud to be part of a community event celebrating Addison and the estate he inaugurated.
The Addison Oak is, so far as I know, the only tree named after him but, across England, Scotland and Wales, there are streets of council housing which mark Addison’s formative role in arguably the most important housing legislation of the last century.
Christopher Addison (1869-1951) was a doctor and surgeon and a Liberal MP for Shoreditch in London, one of the most overcrowded districts of the capital. He brought that expertise and experience to his vision and drive for housing as the first Minister of Health and Housing.
When he spoke in Bristol that evening of June 4th, he told his audience:
They did not want houses built in dismal streets. Until they had houses with air about them, so long would they have to spend enormous sums annually on sickness…They wanted big production and they were prepared to pay big prices.
In the event, those ‘big prices’ were a problem and his housing programme fell victim to the austerity of the day when public spending was cut in July 1921 with only 176,000 of the promised 500,000 ‘homes for heroes’ completed that prime minister Lloyd George had promised. Addison resigned and went on to a distinguished career in Labour ranks, serving as Leader of the House of Lords where he helped secure the legislation of another reforming Minister of Health and Housing, Nye Bevan, in Attlee’s post-war Labour government.
But his own 1919 Housing and Town Planning Act had set a vital precedent. Firstly, by providing generous grant regime (not in any meaningful sense a subsidy – as Addison knew council housing pays for itself); secondly, by its requirement that councils not only survey local housing needs but prepare schemes to actively meet them – the first time local authorities were compelled to build council homes; and, thirdly, by its commitment to quality. The wartime Tudor Walters Report which provided the template for interwar design had recommended ‘cottage homes’, no more than 12 to the acre, with front and back gardens, many with parlours.
It is, then, entirely fitting that we not only celebrate Addison and the centenary of his 1919 Housing Act this year but the roads and streets across the country that continue to provide the concrete legacy of his housing revolution.
The map below identifies all those streets named to commemorate Addison’s role. They are formed, without exception, of council homes. I have made the assumption that these streets are named after Christopher Addison and that other streets named Addison are very likely so named for other reasons. Please let me know of any mistakes or omissions you find.
At the moment, just a few of the entries have photographs attached – just Derby, Swindon, Enfield and Cardiff (marked in red on the map). It would be wonderful to crowd-source photographs of each and every one to provide a lasting record of the rich and diverse legacy of council housing that Addison did so much to create.
Note
I could not have created this map without the data and cartographic skills of Jerry Clough. You can follow Jerry on Twitter @SK53onOSM and his blog, Maps Matter, at https://sk53-osm.blogspot.com/.
John Astley said:
Good to see the anniversary of Addison’s Act celebrated. What should be added here was the importance of his close relationship with Raymond Unwin, the architect and planner. Unwin is the key mover behind the inter-war developments, and with his colleague Barry Parker, they set about creating an institutional research climate for good quality environmentally planned council housing. Anyone interested in the background and contexts to the three Housing Acts; Addison 1919, Chamberlain (Conservative) 1923 and John Wheatley in the first Labour Government, 1924; could see my book ‘Access to Eden: An essay on Arts & Crafts values, Garden City ideals, and the “Wheatley” Housing Act of 1924’ (ISBN 978-0-9556638-6-4) This book emphasises the role of Unwin and others in the development of the Garden Suburb, setting the benchmark for Bevan and others.
Municipal Dreams said:
Thanks, John. I’ve certainly recorded Unwin’s contribution in various other writings but I’ll be interested to learn more of his relationship with Addison. I’ve just ordered your book! John
John Astley said:
Dear John, I hope you managed to get a copy of my book, and hopefully the revised edition which is much extended. Interesting to see George Clark’s C4 prog. and campaign! best wishes John
Tim Morton said:
Lovely article John, thank you and I love the searchable map, and as its based on google maps you can then use google street view to see the streets today. While wandering around I came across this website which claims to have every social housing property listed https://uksocialhousing.com/about
Municipal Dreams said:
Thanks, Tim. Yes, I’ve come across that site and make use of it. I think Jerry will have used it in compiling the data for the map. Unfortunately, they stopped updating it a while back, I believe. John
Mary Milton said:
Lovely article. I am on a personal “mission” to make known the “Lady Mayoress” who planted the Addison Oak as she is not named in any source written at the time. After some research I found her to be Emily Twiggs, wife of Henry Twiggs who was then Lord Mayor. One day I’ll find out more and maybe even a photograph of her.
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Alexa said:
The Addison Road in Northampton isn’t shown on the map but must surely be another. It’s council housing built in 1926.
Municipal Dreams said:
Yes, I think you’re right. I’ve added it now. Thanks for the heads-up.
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