Film Gene Limbrick
Words Holly Nicholas

For the next instalment of Unlocked, Phineas Harper visits 56 Ferry Street, an idiosyncratic self-build on the Isle of Dogs. Built in 1979 as physician Michael and documentary maker Jenny’s family home, the house’s arresting angular façade is one of the most striking views on the north side of the river. Largely built from salvaged materials, including timber from a nearby jetty, it achieved Grade II-listed status in 2021, and is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of self-built modernist architecture in the country. In the episode, Jenny tells its remarkable story, including how it inspired one of largest self-build housing schemes in the UK.

In the 1970s, the Isle of Dogs was a poor neighbourhood largely made up of ex-dockers’ houses. Jenny and Michael’s house stands on the site of a former marine paint factory, and was built in collaboration with architects Stout and Litchfield, though Michael did much of the building work himself. Salvaged materials were used where possible, including magnificent Canadian pine beams rescued from a nearby jetty demolition, and slate roof tiles salvaged from a site in Wales. Even the trees that surround the building were rehomed from Epping Forest, where they were cut down to make room for the motorway. The house offered the Barracloughs the space for a garden, and for their children to play; Jenny recalls their joy at having their own ‘wild and unkempt … adventure playground” to explore, since their house was the only one on the street.

The house was designed to maximise views of the river, stretching across to the Old Royal Naval College on the other side. Jenny explains how an exterior wall is slanted to allow the rear rooms to enjoy the view, while a triple-height living space is filled with natural light. Sepia-toned photographs and ornaments peppered throughout the house are mementos of the couple’s life and travels. Formerly Head of Documentaries at the BBC, Jenny explains how a life behind a desk was not for her, and soon occasioned a return to hands-on documentary making.

Ferry Street was an inspiration for the out-of-work dockers who lived nearby, and Michael encouraged them to build their own homes too. He was instrumental in establishing the Great Eastern Self-Build Housing Association in 1985, which was responsible for the development of Maconochie’s Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. One of the largest self-build housing schemes in the UK, it enabled local people to work with architects Stout and Litchfield to build their own homes for just £46,000. Reflecting on the legacy of Ferry Street, Jenny hopes it will inspire future self-builds. She says, “You don’t need to be rich to make a beautiful house. Anyone, if they’re determined, should be able to succeed.”

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