Cyril’s 93 years renting same home
A PENSIONER who moved into one of the nation’s first council houses as a baby is about to celebrate his 93rd birthday there – having never left.
Cyril Hall still pays rent after refusing to buy the semi on principle and says when he will only leave “in a box”.
His family were the first to get a home on the new estate in 1926.
The retired miner and wife Molly, 85, went on to raise their seven children in the three-bed house. tenancy following his father’s death. The former Grimethorpe Colliery worker, who has 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, is “as happy a pig in muck” in the house.
It was one of 500,000 built after the Government pledged to create “homes fit for heroes” following World War One.
Councils received subsidies to put up decent rental homes for low-paid workers when slums were rife.
Cyril believes the concept must be revived to solve the housing crisis.
He and Molly have paid enough rent to buy the house many times over but never wanted to.
The OAP said: “I don’t think you should buy council houses.
“It’s our house.That’s how we think of it. Councils have to sell off their land to big-money people. They’ve done it all wrong.
“It’s been a blessing to ever get a house like this. Whoever gets this after us will be lucky.”