8 Granville Gardens, about late 1960s

This photograph shows the exterior of the house in its original condition. Added features include a garage at the rear, side fencing, front gates and a mature but well-kept hedge. Note how the front porch, as yet, had not been enclosed. The paving flagstones are not only neat and tidy but also level and uncracked. As with other properties, this house would eventually have new windows installed.

The owner of this house was Mr George Airey who, with his wife Joy, had lived there since 1952 when it was built. Like others on the estate, he garaged his car at the rear of his property to protect it from the ravages of the elements and for security. Driving between house and fence was a tight squeeze with only inches to spare on each side; reversing out in the morning was even more difficult especially on dark winter days and bearing in mind that wing mirrors were fixed in those days. Nevertheless, George successfully negotiated these manoeuvres until after his 90th birthday without as much as a scratch or scrape either on his car or on the drain pipes or fence posts. As for his garage, there was room aplenty – all tools, garden implements, ladders etc were meticulously hung up and out of the way.