Anthony Earl-Williams says life on the Dunboyne Road Estate has become unbearable due to a faulty boiler system

A TORY “Bishop of St Pancras” is being driven round the bend by clanking pipes on a historic estate.

Anthony Earl-Williams said life on the Dunboyne Road Estate, Gospel Oak, is unbearable due to a malfunctioning boiler system.

Mr Earl-Williams – who said he holds regular old Latin masses for neighbours in a fully decked out chapel he has set up in his home – is the chairman of the Gospel Oak Conservatives, with a current membership of five.

Mr Earl-Williams said: “Bang, bang, bang, bang. I haven’t slept for 72 hours. There is one boiler house for three blocks. In my view, it is not sufficient. You might think it is warm in here right now, but it might not be tomorrow. One never knows. This pipe-banging goes on and on and on. The banging will start all over again.

“I am 74. I’m comfortably off, I’m not wondering where the next shilling is coming from. But I am not comfortable in wondering what will happen to the heating next.”

Anthony Earl-Williams liked ‘prowling’ – his word – on Hampstead Heath

Mr Earl-Williams, who worked as a teacher for most of his life, said he had moved into the legendary architect Neave Brown-designed block 20 years ago, after leaving a home in Parliament Hill, next to Hampstead Heath.

The Dunboyne estate – split 50/50 between leaseholders and council tenants – has been plagued with problems for years.

Recent figures show there have been more than 700 complaints about hot water and heating on the estate over a three-year period.

Mr Earl-Williams was born in Ebbw Vale, Wales, and was chairman of the Young Conservatives in the former constituency of one-time Labour leader Michael Foot.

Mr Earl-Williams said: “I am now chairman of the Gospel Oak Conservatives. There were six of us, but we are down to five now after Mrs Duffy died last week. She was 94 god rest her. We only meet occasionally. I like to keep the Tory flag going.”

He said: “I am actually a Roman Catholic bishop – the Bishop of St Pancras, believe it or not? It’s all to do with the route that traditional Catholics took. Because a lot of traditional Catholics were brought up with the old Latin mass, we weren’t prepared to let it go. The present Pope doesn’t like it, he said all our vestments are stupid. But I think vestments the modern priests wear are equally camp.

“If I say mass at home I might just put a stole on, if people come then I dress.

“People do come here for mass, on Sundays. They tend to be elderly Irish ladies who want the old Latin. They want to come here as well because I give them a nice lunch.”

Mr Earl-Williams told a story about how he was almost thrown out of a Catholic college as a young man after the principal discovered he was gay.

“I’ve got a lot of unexpected stories in my life,” said Mr Earl-Williams.

“I came here to London from Wales because I am gay and decided I had to come here. I was lucky because I first lived with an old German countess in Kensington, and when she died I got her money.

“I wanted to go and live in Hampstead, then I can go prowling on Hampstead Heath. You can write that if you want, I couldn’t care less. I’m too old now.

“It was not really prowling, it was wandering. The police knew, they couldn’t care less. Some of them would come in mufti, and join in. The bit behind Jack Straw’s Castle, it was very safe and fun. In the daytime, I used Hampstead Heath for ordinary purposes too. They were the best years of my life.

“Now I like to read a lot of Czech poetry and novels. I like Hazel Holt, she was a crime writer.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We apologise to residents at the Dunboyne estate who have been experiencing issues with their heating and hot water. Last week, we upgraded pipework to improve circulation in affected homes.

“Our team has been busy working on a long-term solution, which includes a complete redesign with new mains pipework to enhance heating and hot water for every home.

“We thank our residents for their patience with this and remain on hand if anyone similarly experiences issues in the future.”