As she prepares to leave Accent after almost two decades with the Housing Association, Angela Clayton, Pensions Manager, has been reflecting on her family’s connection to Ripleyville – a Bradford community that once represented hope, modern living, and togetherness.
In the late 1970s, Angela’s Nanna (Annie Raynor) moved into a new flat in Thirkhill Court. After living in a house without a bedroom, the move felt transformative.
“She thought it was like utopia,” Angela remembers. “There was a kitchen, bathroom, heating, rubbish chutes, ample parking and so much space inside and outside. It was open plan and felt so modern.”
Soon after, Angela’s aunt (Vera Gormley) moved into the flat below, and her cousin and her partner (Maureen Gormley and Martin Morris) had a flat nearby within the Ripleyville complex. The family was close, and Angela spent much of her childhood there during the 1980s, enjoying the open space and a strong community spirit.
Originally built on the site of a Victorian model village, Ripleyville had a proud history of innovation and community. Angela’s Nanna volunteered with the Salvation Army across the road, and when she became ill, the band played outside her window in the snow, a moment Angela has never forgotten.
Although Ripleyville later faced challenges with anti-social behaviour and was eventually demolished and rebuilt, Angela’s memories remain filled with warmth.
“It was a real community, people cared about each other,” she says.
Angela joined Accent Housing almost 20 years ago, starting as an Executive Assistant before moving into governance and pensions. She leaves in December 2025, taking with her the same values of compassion, service, and community that shaped Ripleyville all those years ago.
Angela's family photos from Ripleyville and her site tour of the new development.
