Lord Bill returns to his roots

Apr 3 2007 By Poppy Brady, Birmingham Mail

FORMER union boss Bill Morris was bowled over when he returned to the Handsworth street he used to live in.

Now Lord Morris of Handsworth, the former Transport and General Workers' Union general secretary made a nostalgic return to his city roots to open a £4 million housing scheme which has transformed his old street.

He could barely contain his delight at being back in Handsworth's Westminster Road where he first lived as a 16-year-old boy from Jamaica.

He recalled the dismal November day 53 years ago when he first arrived at No 27 Westminster Road to begin a journey that took him to become one of Britain's top trade union leaders.

"I'm incredibly proud to return to my community and my roots," he said.

"My family has lived in this road for many years. I have an aunt who only left here a few weeks ago.

"I got married from here before living in nearby Putney and Grosvenor roads and my two children went to local schools.

"Some of my misspent youth was spent at Handsworth Tech and the snooker hall in Soho Road."

And he recalled how Saturday was bath day when he would visit the public baths in Oxhill Road. He joked: "There should be a blue plaque there saying Lord Morris bathed here."

He unveiled a plaque of a different kind to launch the opening of the £3.8 million Urban Heart housing scheme which has created 29 affordable family homes for sale and rent in a cul-de-sac off Westminster Road.

He added: "Key worker accommodation is what social housing is all about."

And as a parting gift, cricket mad Lord Morris was presented with a cricket bat from Richard Clark, chief executive of the Midland Heart group.

Urban Heart worked in partnership with principal contractor William Davis Ltd to train and employ as many Handsworth people as possible on the building work.

Funding was provided by the Government-backed Housing Corporation and cash raised by Urban Heart.