This week 60 years ago: Tenants’ rent revolt against Islington Council
Islington Gazette: March 21, 1958 - Credit: Archant
Five hundred tenants were rallied after Islington Council proposed increased rents for people living in municipal buildings.
Islington’s Tenants’ Central Committee pressure group accused the Labour council of implementing “Tory financial policy”.
At a gathering ahead of a big town hall meeting, the group passed a resolution that warned Labour: “Change your financial policy – or get out.”
One tenant, Molly Baker, of Sickert Court in Essex Road, said: “We were allocated these flats because our need was greatest at the time.
“If we could have forseen that in about seven years, our rents would be almost doubled, would we have been so keen and happy, and thought ourselves so lucky?”
In other news, 30-year-old Gerald Reynolds was selected as Labour’s candidate in the Islington North by-election, following the car crash death of Wilfred Fienborough.
He would go on to win with a 7,461 majority.
