Factory and Community

In 1962 Leicester became only the second city in England to appoint a full time city planning officer. His name was Konrad Smigielski and his period in office, from 1962 to 1972, saw some of the most radical changes to the built environment in Leicester's history. To this day many people in Leicester recall Smigielski as the man who destroyed old Leicester. This short film explores whether this assessment is fair and asks how the planning decisions made in the 1960s impact on the city of today.

Alice Baum and Annie Hickling describe aspects of living in the West End community of Leicester as teenagers and young adults, including youth clubs, table manners, recollections of football hooliganism, bicycle transport, and aspects of their home living conditions.

Professor Simon Gunn describes the notion of the community that would form around a factory, along with supporting businesses and institutions such as shops and clubs which depended on factory workers and their families for their liveliehood. The West End of Leicester provides a model of such a community, until the 'slum clearance' which occurred in the 1970s.

Sharon North discusses the origins and development of buildings and transportation in the area just west of the River Soar in Leicester. Photos of the area illustrate this essay.

Resident in the West End-Walnut Street area of Leicester describes the community spirit as well as how and where children played in the area at the time.

Colin Hyde, resident in the West End of Leicester, describes living on Aylestone Road from 1934 to 1936 and the shops on that road.

Grace Fox, a healthcare worker in the Walnut Street area of Leicester, discusses what utilities were likely to be in use in homes in the 1960s, what housing in general was like in that neighbourhood, and environmental concerns related to the factories in the area.

Colin Hyde, resident in the West End, describes relocating to Leicester as a young girl in the 1930s, and living in the area of Aylestone Road.

Johnny Wesson, a Corah employee, describes aspects of the neighbourhood, streets, factory sounds, and other businesses in the Leicester area.

Grace Fox, a healthcare worker in the Walnut Street area of Leicester, speaks of health issues of the people she served, and of health care provision in the area.

Will Lenton describes the various areas of Leicester, UK, as they were in his youth, including details of work, school, church, and leisure. Will's childhood was before the first World War.