My rented bungalow's been home sweet home for 70 years (From Bournemouth Echo)

My rented bungalow's been home sweet home for 70 years

1:10pm Wednesday 28th July 2010 in

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THE landlords of a Poole bungalow have honoured their long-serving tenant after an astonishing 70 years in the same property.

Olive Fry moved into her brand new home in 1940 and is still paying rent there seven decades later.

Olive, who moved in as a newlywed with hubby Arthur – who has since passed away – paid just 20 shillings a month back in 1940.

However, she remained tight-lipped about what she pays today.

Olive said: “We never went in for buying.

“I had mentioned it, but my husband didn’t seem to mind.”

Of the Oakdale bungalow, which has seen its fair share of paint and wallpaper over the years, she said: “I think it is in a wonderful position.

“I am in the perfect place to get buses into Poole and Bournemouth.

“I’ve grown up here and I have loved it.

“It is a really nice place to live.”

Olive, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, has a son and two grandsons as well as a great grandson.

She said: “They often come to visit and help me in the garden.

“And the landlords never interfere with me and I don’t interfere with them.”

Recalling the day they moved in, Olive said: “Basically, we got married and we didn’t have a honeymoon in those days, as the war was on, so we went out for a show and moved straight in.

“It was a brand new bungalow and we were the first people in.”

Arthur worked at Hamworthy Engineering during the war and Olive worked in an aircraft factory.

Adrian Lickiss, from Anglo-town Property Manage-ment Trust, honoured Olive with a special cake and some flowers.

Adrian said: “It is unusual for someone to stay at the same house for that long.

“We would like to thank her for being such a great tenant for all those years.”