The last prefabs

[Feltwell]

More of interest socially than architecturally, but I do hope at least one is preserved, off-site if necessary. It's difficult to imagine how grateful the original residents must have been for the chance to move into one of these.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9361000/9361586.stm

Whilst I don't deny the chance to move into a more modern, warmer home will be of great appeal to many of the residents it would be a shame if all the history was destroyed.

 

[citizensmith]

My grandparents lived in a prefab in Melksham, Wilts from construction until the late 60's. Nan always talked with great fondness about them and the social community that came with them. They were absolute luxury compared to living in small, rented, poor quality housing in Islington & Shoreditch until the War. Can you imagine it now? Islington slums?

 

[Jill]

There is still quite a decent sized prefab estate in Scunthorpe, North Lincs. Duxford Imperial war museum in Cambridgeshire already has one preserved.

 

[Flyfisher]

Can you imagine it now? Islington slums?

Nigel has first hand experience, I believe. :wink:

 

[essexbearhunter]

Avoncroft Museum has a great exhibit on The Prefab. The Prefab designers were really forward-thinking and designed in modern features not normally found in the housing stock that they were replacing. From memory, the layouts were also heavily optimised with water and water heating concentrated in one area.

I'm not surprised that people got attached to them.

 

[Penners]

The last time I was at Avoncroft, there was an elderly blokey "manning" the prefab. He was very interesting to talk to - he'd lived in a prefab for years, just after WWII.

 

[Alex]

There is one at St. Fagans, National Museum of Wales, fully furnished as if someone was really living there. I was really pleased to see it there but it was a warm day when we were there and it was like walking into a greenhouse in the summer.