A photographic print of Housing, Post War, Rents - Decontrol Act 1957, Evictions - Homeless - Searching for Homes, Waiting Lists

FIVE mothers and their 13 children were forcibly evicted on to a rain-swept street by bailiffs yesterday. The bailiffs, watched by police officers, broke windows and kicked open locked doors to get them out. Housewives stood jeering as the landlord's agent, Mr. Donald [...]erns followed the bailiffs in and fitted new locks to the doors. In three hours the seige of Winsham-grove, Battersea was all over. And the families were walking the streets looking for new homes. Although the mothers had locked the doors they all walked orderly from the houses once the bailiffs had forced their way in. DISPUTE The bailiffs were enforcing a county court order. Planlake Development Company, the landlords, sought the order after the owner of the land accused them of breaking the lease by letting the houses as flats. The balliffs called first at No. 54, where Scots-born Mrs. Mary Walsh had locked herself in a ground-floor back room. After they had forced open the doors Mrs. Walsh walked weeping into the rain, clutching a tin of dried milk for her five-month old baby, Michael. Mrs. Walsh told me: "I have always paid my rent and all I ask is to be left alone. The only reason I am being thrown out is because of a legal dispute. It is a pity the law does not have a heart." Behind her the balliffs were locking up the front door and preparing to move to No. 52. There they evicted Irish-born Margaret O'Sullivan and her four children. Further along the road, 27-year-old Mrs. Lois Maddox, who had locked herself in her two-roomed flat, was in a dazed condition when the balliffs broke down the door. A neighbour said she had collapsed through "nervous exhaustion." The bailiffs spent 15 minutes in the flat before they helped Mrs. Maddox and her four-year-old son Adrian to a neighbour's home, where she recovered. Mrs. Mary Rhodes, of No. 2, was leaning from a window shouting defiance when the bailiffs arrived. But soon she joined the others in the street. Last to be evicted was Mrs. Doreen Woodman at No. 47. The bailiffs had to kick down the door before they could get in. The mothers went to Battersea Town Hall to seek help. They were told to go to London Council Council reception centre, which are already over-crowded. But they all refused. Instead, they spent tonight at friends homes. Evicted families walk sadly from their home. CHRIS. SMITH. LONDON. D.H. 30.11.1961. FAMILIES BEING EVICTED FROM HOMES IN WINSHAM GROVE BATTERSEA. O.P.S. Evicted Families walk away from their homes - without a place to go. HOUSING - EVICTIONS - SEARCHING FOR HOMES