Origin and South Devon Rural: Our Shared Histories and United Futures

As we wrap up our celebration of Local and Community History Month John Greaves, our Chief Impact Officer, shares his thoughts on how our past shapes who we are today and how the legacy of our founders guides us in the work we do and positive change we aim to drive.
 
At Places for People, we are proud of our rich history and heritage. Our mission as established by our founder John Foulerton – to be a force for good – is as core to us now as it was in 1965 when the entity that was North British Housing first took shape. But what is now Places for People’s history didn’t begin in 1965, because we are today a product of all the people, and organisations and Communities who have come together to make us who we are- like Bristol Churches and Castle Rock Edinvar housing associations.

"And as we get to the end of Local and Community History Month, it’s wonderful that we are celebrating our mergers with Origin Housing and South Devon Rural. Both have long and rich histories that show why our organisations are so well-suited. We share the same mission, and the same passion for Community.    
 
"In 1924 Father Basil Jellicoe met with local social workers to set up St Pancras Home Improvement Society. This would become Origin Housing. 

"He was committed to not just providing housing but building a Community. In his plans for the Sidney Street Estate, the organisation’s flagship development, he insisted there be “excellent flats, with gardens, trees, ponds, swings for the children and other amenities”. He even took over running the local pub to ensure the Community had a place to socialise! 

"Father Jellicoe and fellow founders Irene Barclay and Father Nigel Scott were also pioneers in PR, using innovative methods to raise awareness of poverty. In 1925, they produced a film of the Somers Town slums, exposing the conditions to London’s elite including the Prince of Wales and Archbishop of Canterbury. In an incredibly unique PR stunt, at the opening of the Sideny Street Estate, they paraded papier mâché models of bed bugs and rats, before burning them on a bonfire. This marked the birth of a new era for the Community.  

"At first glance, South Devon Rural (SDR) tells a different story to that of Origin. Founders Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst were wealthy socialites, yet they used their wealth and privilege for the good of the wider Community. SDR formed in 1958 out of the Dartington Hall Trust, a charitable association providing accommodation for retired staff from the estate. Something that particularly struck me was South Devon Rural’s conversion of an old Victorian workhouse as it shows just how far social housing has come from those dark days.

"Over sixty years later, their legacy lives on, like in Elmhirst House, a housing complex for Customers with mobility issues and learning difficulties, named in their honour. 

"When Father Jellicoe set up Origin in 1924, he said “housing is not enough”. Not satisfied with simply housing the poor of London, he knew they deserved more: access to gardens, nature, beauty, leisure, health and sanitation. 

"This shows how vital it is to know our history. It inspires everything we do in the future. At Places for People, we share in that same mission, providing much more than just housing, helping Communities thrive.”