DERELICTION - AT LAST!

We had a great service again today at Church, where we learned about an organisation called Safe Families, a Christian charity that does wonderful work to support vulnerable families here not only  in Swindon but with over 35 other local authorities around the UK.  Their strapline is:  “No one should feel alone. We exist to create relationship and connection because everyone deserves to belong.”  Of course, we do our bit at Gorse Hill Baptist Church, especially at the Community Fridge, where one of my privileges is to chat to some of the lonely folk in our community, who come each week and also by giving out Bags of Hope.  Helen Howarth, the lady who spoke, said that she wanted to honour that fact because we were definitely a "Church for the Community."

AngelsShare, who has been running the DS challenge for a few weeks, had challenged me to find some dereliction so when Mr. HCB told me about Oxford House, a dilapidated building, which I have blipped before, he said that if I wanted to get another shot of it, then we should go soon, because the owner of the property had been given notice to start work very soon and it may not be in this derelict state for too much longer - but we all know how slowly the wheels grind for places like this!

I found out this information, from Mr. Google:

"At the time of the 1881 census the Clarke family lived at 17 Wellington Street.  William worked as an Iron Turner in the Great Western Railway Works, but he was an ambitious, intelligent and determined young man.  Ten years later William had moved his family up the social ladder and up the hill to a house in Victoria Road where he worked as a solicitor’s clerk.

When William died on December 16, 1898, his obituary in the Swindon Advertiser recalled how for many years he had been employed as a mechanic in the GWR Works, but eventually resigned his post to act as an accountant and debt collector."

Apparently, his three daughters, Rosa, Mabel and Florence established their own financial business - as accountants and debt collectors - quite something in those days, particularly for women!

Today, despite numerous planning applications, Oxford House is still boarded up and derelict, with plenty of graffiti covering the window boards and doors.  It looks as if it could be a beautiful house if it was refurbished, but perhaps now the owner has been told to bring it up to a good standard, it may soon be restored to its former glory, although we won’t be holding our breath for too long because owners seem to have a way of getting out of doing work that might cost thousands of pounds!

Neighbours of this property have apparently been complaining to the local Council for many years and apparently, a Section 215 Notice has been served on the landlord after the property has deteriorated over a period of 20 years.  This legislation orders private landlords to clean up the house or potentially face a fine. The council can also clean up the house themselves and charge the owner for the cost.

It would seem that the only work the owner has done so far is to clear the front part of the property of weeds so it will be interesting to see how long it takes to bring the property back to a reasonable state.  The freehold was last sold in March 2006 for £200,000 and although in 2022 work began on the house when the roof was stripped and new windows installed, the refurbishment was never completed, the property is still dilapidated and a dreadful sight for those passing by.  

I will be watching this property carefully over the coming months to see if anything is done because it really is a disgrace and a blot on the landscape of our town.