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Prefabs

I used to do a paper round, on the huge Druids lane/Bells lane prefab estates, at the Maypole in the early 50s. I remember they were kept in immaculate condition, people were so proud of them.
There are a few left in Crewe but they were bricked over and now look like little bungalows.
 
You wonr beleive this but when I went to Avoncroft I forgot my camera! But the gift shop has a post card with a few shots of the Prefab on it, BUT nothing like the pics you took Morturn Did you crank the old air raid alarm to hear the sounds etc also the windmill? We only spent half a day there and I know that we missed quite a lot. John Crump old Brit.Parker, Co USA
 
oldbrit said:
You wonr beleive this but when I went to Avoncroft I forgot my camera! But the gift shop has a post card with a few shots of the Prefab on it, BUT nothing like the pics you took Morturn Did you crank the old air raid alarm to hear the sounds etc also the windmill? We only spent half a day there and I know that we missed quite a lot. John Crump old Brit.Parker, Co USA
Click to expand...

I did indeed, It looks like a genuine Anderson Shelter too. The windmill is a favourite, I know it does work, but did hear it was damage in a storm recently.

AirRaidShelter.jpgAvoncrofWindmill.jpg
 
For the anderson to be absolutely genuine, should it not be covered at the sides with earth?
 
thanks for the photos Morturn - brought back some fond memories of those in Lyndon Road, Stechford. I knew the lady who lived in the end one by the Bakery.
 
Oldbrit, as you say, you don't forget your first love. Mine too lived in a Pre-fab. 58 Partons Road Kings Heath. We also had quite a few in Firsby Road Quinton and when I first moved to Selly Oak there was a little estate of them on Weoley Casle Square (except the "Square" was a round island)
jimbo
 
Remember the prefabs on Castle "Square". Took a photo of them in 79' . If I can find it I will (try) and post it. I lived in Brandwood Park Road and remember the prefabs there, as a child
 
oldMohawk said:
I was looking at these aerial photos to show were the Prefabs were built on the Perry Beeches Estate when I noticed some dark curved lines which
appear to be the planned route of the M6 motorway.

On AerialPF1 I've put a yellow arrow pointing at the Prefabs.
Another yellow arrow points at the dark curved route line which ends as a circle over the College Rd / Aldridge Rd junction.

AerialPF2 a yellow arrow points at the prefabs.

On Aerial 3 the dark curved route line crosses the Queslett Rd past St Margarets Hospital curving towards the site of Junction 7 on the M6.

The Prefabs took half the playfield, the M6 took the lot, and the pleasant open brook on the field was put through a concrete pipe.

AerialPF1
Aerial_PF_1.jpg

AerialPF2
Aerial_PF2.jpg

Aerial3
Aerial_3.jpg
Click to expand...

Hi Mohawk
Where did these photographs originate? I lived in the prefabs off Beeches Road many years ago
Thanks
Dave
aka DJRVST
 
Hello, I lived at 1 Desford Avenue, right on the Beeches Road, now the M6 motorway, which road did you live on.
Andrew Hope.
 
Hi,

Can anyone help me please.
Does anyone have a photo of the prefabs at Cotleigh Grove on the Queslette Road.
My husband's family lived there for many years and it would be wonderful if there was a photo.
Thanks
Lin
 
Lived in the prefabs in Greet opposite the greet inn for 20 years, they were made of asbestos sheets,when i think about scraping the walls to decorate & drilling to fit things think im lucky to be here to day,i have fond memories of the ice patterns on the inside of the metal framed windows during the winter & sun bathing on the flat roof in the summer,we left in 69/70 for a new life in Chelmsley wood,but soon moved on.
Ogri
 
Just got to reading this again you say Frank and Louise Howell lived at 83 Moat Lane in 1947 I was 14 then so this about right! Do you have any info on JUNE Howell their daughter, she would be about my age 80yrs young. Love to know where she is now? John Crump Parker Colorado
 
June would have not been of voting age then, and the Howells were there in 1947, and had gone by 1950, having moved to 39 moat lane.. They are listed in 1955 at 39 Moat lane with June L.Howell. and Frank & louise are stilll there in 1957, but June is not listed. She does appear in 1965 at 13 Hall Road (assuming it is the same June L. Howell) with Ernest J.S. & Hillda Howell, together with a number of other people . Possibly a house in multiple occupation.
 
My mom used to live in a prefab in mackadown lane.
Was going to mention the prefabs in crewe but see i was beaten to it.
 
I've re-posted some of the lost/hacked photos on this thread. But if you can add other lost images please post them in a new post and I will place them on the original post. It will be good to see this interesting thread complete. Thanks. Viv.
 
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I've just tried to upload something here without success but will try again.

Hi Everyone,

Couldn't let the prefab thread go without mentioning Court Lane in Erdington. Our prefabs were built round the edge of Shorthead Park and like a lot of others had lovely views over parkland. The estates in Jarvis Road and Topcroft, off Goosemoor Lane had yet to be built. We loved it there and were very sad to leave.

Hope these pictures upload OK, they're not very good quality but a search through hundreds of pictures only produced these. One is a PC from Avoncroft (I think the prefab there is like ours - Arcown Mk V?) the other shows my brother and me in our front garden (note the pea sticks), one is a shot of my grandmothers in the back garden showing the neighbouring homes and the last one is my brother showing his artistic talents painting the shed with mud!

prefab0004.jpgprefab0001.jpgprefab0002.jpgprefab0003.jpg

PS pictures are slightly out of order this time, sorry.
 
What fantastic personal photo's Lady P. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. Pete remembers them well.
 
Hi All,

From all accounts this country is very short of suitable housing and it will get worse as immigration continues. We even have homeless sleeping on the streets which is a disgrace in a so called civilised country. It occurs to me that the situation is much like it was in the 1940s. Then bombing had destroyed thousands of homes. One solution, which was a great help was to build pre fabregated houses which was a great success . They were supposed to last for 10 years but, in fact, lasted much longer. They were cheap and did not take up too much land. Many people who lived in them loved them and were saddened when they had to leave.

I am sure there must be many members of the forum who had relatives and friends who lived in prefabs and will have learned first hand about them. Surely they could be revived and help to relieve todays shortage.

Old Boy
 
Old Boy said:
Hi All,

From all accounts this country is very short of suitable housing and it will get worse as immigration continues. We even have homeless sleeping on the streets which is a disgrace in a so called civilised country. It occurs to me that the situation is much like it was in the 1940s. Then bombing had destroyed thousands of homes. One solution, which was a great help was to build pre fabregated houses which was a great success . They were supposed to last for 10 years but, in fact, lasted much longer. They were cheap and did not take up too much land. Many people who lived in them loved them and were saddened when they had to leave.

I am sure there must be many members of the forum who had relatives and friends who lived in prefabs and will have learned first hand about them. Surely they could be revived and help to relieve todays shortage.

Old Boy
Click to expand...
We have lots of pre-fabs in our village, mainly for housing "The elderly". They`ve all been recently refurbished & are in great demand. My wife fancies putting our name down for one, but i don`t fancy living in such a small space. I will leave this house only in a wooden ( or cardboard ) box, but not till i`ve had a telegram from the Queen. ( probably Prince Charles by then )
 
Old Boy said:
Hi All,
I am sure there must be many members of the forum who had relatives and friends who lived in prefabs and will have learned first hand about them. Surely they could be revived and help to relieve todays shortage.

Old Boy
Click to expand...
Hi Old Boy
There is a 'Prefabs' thread with lots of comments in it .... one of my comments is here
Another thread was merged with this thread so my link is to an earlier post in this thread.
oldmohawk ... :)
 
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