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Paul Smith

@housingpaul.bsky.social
262 followers 203 following 84 posts

“Housing expert and social historian”

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Reposted by Paul Smith
Andrew Kelly @andrewkelly.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Latest newsletter is a second look back at our Homes for Heroes 2019 project on the past, present and future of council housing. Includes pieces by @housingpaul.bsky.social, Joan Smith and John Savage. Lots of lessons here for new housing and new towns.
festivalofideas.substack.com
Festival of Ideas Archive 5: Council Estate Memories (2)
Andrew Kelly
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Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
There's only one week to go til Housing Brighton 2026 ⏰️ 🎟️ Book your free-to-member place today ➡️ buff.ly/vWVAhqI Not a CIH member yet? A limited number of tickets are available for non-members. Check out prices here ➡️ buff.ly/hia3vib
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CIHCymru @cihcymru.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards flies on to the stage to close out #CIHTAI26
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Tristan Cork @tristancorkpost.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
The rope that pulled down the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol in 2020 has gone on public display for the first time ever - in....... Brussels. The full story is here: www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol...
bristolpost.co.uk
Rope used to topple Colston on display for the first time - in Belgium
It's part of exhibition in the official museum of European history
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brisradhis.bsky.social @brisradhis.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
BRHG book review: “Beyond the Darkness: Crimes from Another Era”, translated by Mike Jempson. Memoir of French resistance fighter & Armenian communist Mihran Mavian's confrontation with Nazi terror. Reviewer Sean Hosney warns the spectre of fascism looms closer again. www.brh.org.uk/site/book-re...
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
During the interview he was extremely ranty. In a podcast earlier in the year, he went off on one about Sadiq Khan, calling him a “pest” (no actual specific criticism just ranting about him) However, it’s also not his first brush with saying the wrong thing and getting in the nationals >>
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brisradhis.bsky.social @brisradhis.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Lecture & book signing: Dr Brenda Despontin will retell the remarkable story of John Frost, Chartist leader in ‘Some Hidden Thunder' at 10.30am, Sat 21 March, Holy Trinity Church, Horfield (where Frost is buried). www.horfieldparishchurch.org.uk/announcement...
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Is @ngoodrichhsg.bsky.social modelling for comedy Joe?
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Using published, unpublished, local and national sources the first draft of my book, Slums For Heroes is finished. It covers the inter war slum clearances, the mass building of council housing.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Another day in London. This time with Homes England contributing to a podcast promoting supported, specialist supported (and Gypsy, Roma, Traveller) housing as part of the new affordable homes programme. The sections which survive the edit will be broadcast in about a month’s time.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
The trends of and reasons for housing association mergers cratus.co.uk/why-do-housi...
cratus.co.uk
Why do Housing Associations merge? - Cratus Group
Me, several other geeks, and a large number of finance people are excited that the Regulator of Social Housing has published its global accounts. The big
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brisradhis.bsky.social @brisradhis.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
www.brh.org.uk/.../bristol-... SATURDAY 25 APRIL @ M SHED SUNDAY 26 APRIL @ THE CUBE MICROPLEX 8th annual Bristol Radical History Festival: talks, stalls, films, history walks & exhibitions. This year’s event's 4 main themes: Propaganda, Utopias & Dystopias, Welsh history & the 1926 General Strike.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
I’m 50,000 words into my book on inter-war housing policy and the mass building of council housing with a focus on the Knowle West estate in South Bristol. Scarily totting up sources so far, over 30 books, 650 newspaper articles and 150 council documents.
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
My second book, A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates, is a full colour hardback so not cheap but it's currently discounted and obviously worth every penny. It would make a wonderful Christmas present for someone special in your life. 😊 www.ribabooks.com/a-history-of...
ribabooks.com
A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates
Buy A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates by Boughton, John from the RIBA online Bookshop. ISBN 9781914124631
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Andrew Kelly @andrewkelly.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Coming up 22 November: I’m introducing @swsilents.bsky.social events on The Battle of the Somme and Paths of Glory. Here’s my latest piece on the anti-war cinema of the First World War. Details of events are in the article. Sign up for more essays there, too.
festivalofideas.substack.com
Festival of Ideas 2: Anti-War Cinema and the First World War
Andrew Kelly
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Born on this day, 1897, Nye Bevan, Minister of Health and Housing when Labour built 805,000 council homes between 1945-51. He believed high-quality council housing should reflect 'the living tapestry of a mixed community'.
Bevan visiting newly built council estate with local councillors
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Some background reading as my new book includes a section on the council estate pub ban (1922-1933) first over turned in Knowle West
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Some background reading as my new book includes a section on the council estate pub ban (1922-1933) first over turned in Knowle West
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Will abolishing private landlords solve the housing crisis cratus.co.uk/abolish-priv...
cratus.co.uk
“Abolish private landlords” - says the Greens
It seems that the big winner of the party conference season was housing. Among the big stories were Kemi Badenoch’s announcement that the Conservatives will remove stamp duty of primary residences…
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
Enjoying this story of the short lived Labour government of 1924. In particular the chapter on John Wheatley and his Housing Act
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
A couple of books to add to my collection
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
I’ve just read Dr Christopher Addisons resignation from the Government speech - absolutely brutal and incisive July 1921
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
Labours housing achievements - my view of the first year cratus.co.uk/assured-tena...
cratus.co.uk
Assured Tenancy
Not even the most enthusiastic Labour supporter could look back on the first year of Labour in government and declare it a dramatic success filled with relentless progress and public acclamation.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Still waiting for homes for Heroes
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 05/07/2025
This week's Substack post looks at Bath's earliest council housing built before the First World War and its last, a controversial inner-city scheme. Contrary to its genteel image, Bath had an exceptional council housing record. municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-first-...
Dolemeads before redevelopment in 1890sOfficial opening of houses 1901Dolemeads red brick terraced housingBallance Street flats 1970s
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
In other obvious news, “A recent study shows that encampment bans & other policies that criminalize homelessness don’t keep people from living on the street. The analysis did not find any reduction in homelessness in any cities studied as a result of such ordinances.” Homes and supports. Obviously.
nextcity.org
A New Study Proves Criminalizing Homelessness Doesn’t Reduce Homelessness
"The deterrence logic doesn’t hold": A recent analysis finds that encampments bans and other local ordinances aimed at unhoused populations don't actually lead to decreased homelessness.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
More historical research, these documents are the council inspection report of my grandparents house in 1935. Not long after they were moved to a new council estate and the properties were demolished.
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Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
The CIH Awarding Organisation is launching new top-up units to help housing professionals prepare for the Competence and Conduct Standard. Find out all the detail on our website ➡️ buff.ly/UglekY3
Card shows a photo of Gavin Smart, chief executive of CIH, and a quote that reads: “I’m delighted that the CIH Awarding Organisation is launching these new top-up units, which give experienced professionals the opportunity to build on their existing qualifications and prepare for the forthcoming mandatory qualification requirement.”
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Twisted
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Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
✨ Voting for our 2025 vice president election is open. This year, your candidates are: Evie Copland CIHCM Katrina Henshaw Hony Premlal MBA CIHCM MIoL 🔥🌟👑 MBA CIHCM Paul Smith Thomas Sutton (CIHCM) Further info can be found here ⤵️ www.linkedin.com/posts/charte...
linkedin.com
✨ Members, we have some exciting news! | Chartered Institute of Housing
✨ Members, we have some exciting news! ✨ On Monday we opened voting for our 2025 vice president election. This year, your candidates are: Evie Copland CIHCM Katrina Henshaw  Hony Premlal MBA CIHC...
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
I'm very sad to learn of the recent death of Nick Hedges (b 1943) - a superb documentary photographer of housing and much else and a generous man. His photographs for Shelter of appalling housing conditions in the UK in the late 60s and 70s did much to persuade public opinion of the need for change.
Manchester, 1960s. Four children and mother in bed in slum housing.Salford 1971. Mother and child in slum kitchen.Manchester, 1968. Mother and child in slum kitchen
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 08/06/2025
Phew
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The Housing Forum @housingforum.org.uk · 28/05/2025
Government has proposed a range of measures to help SME housebuilders. This will be warmly welcomed across the sector, including social landlords and councils who want to get building again. www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Government backs SME builders to get Britain building
Smaller housebuilders to benefit simpler rules with new reforms across land, regulation and finance.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Why housing needs to engage with Reform (like it or not) cratus.co.uk/making-plans...
cratus.co.uk
Making Plans for Nigel
Recently I was at meeting discussing speakers for a national housing event. Something which struck a number of us on the call was that proposed list was almost exclusively Labour figures from national...
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
🚨 New on Substack: The Lillington Gardens Estate, Westminster: ‘civilizing, elegant and exciting’ open.substack.com/pub/municipa...
View of estateView of estateView of estate
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Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
🏘️ In April, as we continued the search for our next vice president, we got together with our past presidents, current president, and vice president to reflect on the role, and what it means. ⏰ Time is running out to get your nomination as applications close at 5pm tomorrow➡️ buff.ly/t7uVZgD
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
My latest addition to my little Library. I used to Love the HMSO bookshop on Wine Street. It was full of treasures, wiped out by the internet.
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
It goes without saying
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
61 years of being adopted - I’ve not changed much but I do wear more clothes
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Working through this book by Dr Addison for my work on slum clearance and the building of knowle west. I am also chatting my own families move from the slums to the estate
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Astronomy 🔭 @astronomy.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
“A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.” ~ Carl Sagan
Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
🚨 New on Substack: Bristol’s Interwar Council Housing: John Betjeman described 'a surprising beauty showing off in the evening sunlight; and vistas of trees and fields and pleasant cottages' in the Sea Mills estate. municipaldreams.substack.com/p/bristols-i...
Early postcard view of roundabout and housing in Sea Mill estate
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Long live libraries
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
What did the Prince of Wales see when he visited Knowle West in 1934, how long was it and what did it weigh?
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Gerraint @gerraint.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
Spare a thought for these heroes Early photographs of the English Heritage team in Stonehenge repositioning the stones at the start of British Summertime ⏰ And one of them putting the clocks forward an hour tomorrow morning #BritishSummerTime
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Tristan Cork @tristancorkpost.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
South Bristol's own Paul Holbrook smashing it again. Read the full story here: www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol...
bristolpost.co.uk
South Bristol filmmaker scoops top Best Director award
And the film itself won a prestigious Golden Bee
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Near the toilets in the British Library
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Heading to that London for my first in person @cihhousing.bsky.social board meeting - fully decaffed up
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Paul Smith @housingpaul.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
Interesting talk tonight from Peter Malpass on who ran the council in the 1900s - the short answer is the Tories although it’s more complicated than that
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