• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Prefabs

re;prefabs

we live in a prefab in redditch,
it has gone through a few changes
since being built,the last one which
is as it is now,they added 50ml to the
outside to make it look brick built
they put a mesh on plastered it,
then again then again,then,
painted on the natural brick colour
thennnnnnn they used a strait edge and
scrapped it along and up and down,
and it looks like brick built.
was a real messy process as you can
imagine they took the fence down so
they could get all round so we were exposed
for a couple of weeks,what a journey.
looks the part though??
regards Derek..
 
The asbestos prefabs in Gressel lane have now all been stone cladded and are sold as 'desirable bungalows'.
 
Re Prefabs

There were lots of prefabs built on the field behind Grindleford Rd Beeches Estate. The M6 runs there now. As a child I watched them being built. They laid metal tracks from Hassop Rd and run prefab sections along them and fitted them together. It all happened very quickly. The internal fittings made us locals quite envious - I might be wrong but I seem to remember that they had fridges and sink units - quite posh for those times.
 
I think the first fridge I ever saw was in a prefab.:)

David, did you go to St Pauls on the Sunday. We wuz there.
 
I saw my first Electric cooker at a Friend of My Mothers who had a Prefab on the large Prefab Estate off College Road, I believe it was one of the bigest at the time, but someone could put me right I'm sure.:)

Sorry sight these lot

 
Last edited:
I remember the estate of pre-fabs at Druids Heath and Bell Lane Maypole. All cleared to be replaced with a mix of high rise and two storey dwellings.
 
Pre- fabs

Alf,
there were some also built in Warren Farm Rd just opposite the swimming bath's, built by the firm "Kent & Sussex, I saw those being built,and also there were some in Homerton Rd and Kings Rd by the Finchley Rd. recreation park
 
Yes Dennis and that stream ran through the middle of them right to Witton Lakes, I believe.

We use to have stick races down that stream all the way to the Perry Common Road.
 
Yes Di I went to the service, well when I said I went, I mean I meant too but unfortunately set out late. By the time I got down there it was 11.30 and because of the road works outside the church decided not to call in. The area has changed. The shops at the Scotts have lost their character without the large grass verge which separated them from the main road.
It's always difficult to go back, it would be good to say that things are better but they rarely are.
Red House park was in a sorry state as was Perry Hall and the city is in the process of another major rebuild like it did before back in the 60's. It'll be another 5/10 years before it settles down. I drove down Broad Street past many closed and shuttered building that only a few years ago were the new life blood 'all change again hold tight.' oh hum!
 
Great Barr Prefabs

In Keith Berry's wonderful photographs there are a few of the prefabs

one is reproduced here:
https://b43.co.uk/cms/birmingham-road/pre-fabs.html

there are others including interior views at the end of their lives, cant find the link now, but there are some great photos on his site

image.jpeg
https://www.pbase.com/beppuu/old_bham&page=all Note 23/3/16 : the Keith Berry site is no longer available but his photos are now available in post #23 here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?46064-Keith-berry/page2
 
Last edited by a moderator:
:)
dereklcg said:
we live in a prefab in redditch,
it has gone through a few changes
since being built,the last one which
is as it is now,they added 50ml to the
outside to make it look brick built
they put a mesh on plastered it,
then again then again,then,
painted on the natural brick colour
thennnnnnn they used a strait edge and
scrapped it along and up and down,
and it looks like brick built.
was a real messy process as you can
imagine they took the fence down so
they could get all round so we were exposed
for a couple of weeks,what a journey.
looks the part though??
regards Derek..
Click to expand...
:) hi ya been trying to resize a photo of my former prefab.
but got there in the end, they converted 46 of them all together.
regards dereklcg.
 
B43 said:
Keith Berry's wonderful photographs... https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?46064-Keith-berry/page2
Click to expand...

What a fantastic site, B43... some amazing photographs, many of which took me back to my youth and beyond!

I've also bookmarked your website... when I've got more time, I'll have a good look around there! At first glance, it looks excellent, and covers the area I came from all those years ago, so I'm really looking forward to it! ;)

Note 23/3/16 : Keith Berry site link no longer available. His collection of photos is now here at post #23
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?46064-Keith-berry/page2
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Clay Lane

I was born in Clay Lane during the war (2nd not first !), and opposite our house used to be prefabs, which were put up in part by German POW... I recall even as a very young child being dragged away from the prefab sites because I was too friendly with them ! Our home was bombed a few times...

Behind at woodcock lane I had an aunt, and the Rover Works of course which turned out tanks at the time, workers used to call me over to get them papers and cigarettes for them, my mother a pianist earned a few pounds and a small wage at the Journey's end pub too, which was mine, and my bothers playground, we also were amongst the first children, when the infant school was built too.

Alongside the school used to be a motorcycle dirt track as well, and then I attended the Acocks Green school until I was about 8 or 9 is, anyone from that era around ? I was born at 295 clay lane, our parents moved back to Wales. I remember too, the prospective political candidates who used us children to distribute flyers, I think his name was Henry Usborn (?). They coached us kids into a song "Vote, Vote, Vote for Henry Usborn, he is just the man for me, if it's (I can't recall the opposition !), and his wife, we will stab him with a knife.... etc " :)

I've a photo here somewhere of myself and my two brothers at the VE day street party in Clay Lane... My brothers and I used to get free cakes every Thursday from the Rover Works Canteen, we'd pinch the off the window ledge ! I am sure the staff knew because every week there would be some there !
 
:)The house that i moved into 29 years ago i believe was built on what used to be where prefabs were.

I lived in Hales Gardens which was of Dovedale Rd and The Hurstway
at the bottom of my garden was a stream that led to witton lakes does anyone remember the prefabs:rolleyes:
 
Yes Mossy and the stream.:)

Seeing the prefab and the work that has been done to it, it annoys:redface: me to think that they could not have done this to some (not all )of the buildings in and around the areas of the town, after all they were built by craftsmen to last.
...Cat:)
 
For most of my child years I lived in a prefab at 1 Desford Avenue (now the M6 motorway) on the Beeches Estate. I have a picture of them somewhere that I will post as soon as I find it.
 
hi all
as a boy I saw many prefabs and had friends who lived in them and was slightly jealous as they had fridges and electric cookers which seemed space age to me so neat and warm. there were many down jiggins lane bartly green and at my friend les's who lived in harborne on the way to selly oak down the road which ran from the greenman besides the blue coat school, and in weoley castle on the castle square my mate paddy macgill lived in one and his mom kept it spotless. yep big part of my growing up were the prefabs. I now live in cambridgeshire and SCDC have demolished every single one and the 2 story houses they also built prefabricated.
paul
 
Only ever went in one pre-fab,so neat and compact inside with all mod cons.
When in comes to location,the ones in Queens Park,Quinton, would have taken some beating.
 
Back in the mid 60's I used to know two people who lived in the prefabs just off the Beeches Road next to where they built the motorway flyover, I went into the one once - it was quite nice inside. They must have gone a long time ago now.
 
Mossy said:
:)The house that i moved into 29 years ago i believe was built on what used to be where prefabs were.

I lived in Hales Gardens which was of Dovedale Rd and The Hurstway
at the bottom of my garden was a stream that led to witton lakes does anyone remember the prefabs:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Those prefebs were fantastic places to play as kids, we could get to them from the Capilano Rd Dovedale Rd junction, or the by Maxted Rd at Witton Lodge Rd. A great adventure for us was to follow 'the brook' all the way to Witton Lakes from there. Great for tracking, numerous alleyways and a huge area. As we got older we would go hedgecutting / gardening for the residents. I also had a paper round which had just one delivery here, and it had to be the furthest one out from the shop, they had the 'Sportng Chronicle', they went away for two weeks once and I forgot and kept delivering them!!!
 
A rather tatty looking pre-fab, location unknown. Len.

Sorry original image lost.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Andrew Hope said:
I lived there for years, do you have the names of the people you were friends with?
Click to expand...

They were a couple of lads from a group of people we used to hang out with, about 65/ 66
Albert Connelly and Paul (not sure of his surname - maybe Rogers?) I knew Albert better, very nice guy. He worked in Witton. I think his family moved to Hamstead when the prefabs were gone.
 
View attachment 45690
Quick sketch of where prefabs were in Hurstwood Rd and surrounding.
Thornby Rd Hurstwood Rd, Chalford Rd and Maxted Rd were roads with prefabs. There was also a path to the left of the brook which led to more prefabs at the back. Numerous other openings from this path led out to a large green about halfway up Maxted Rd.
 
Desford Avenue:


Below is a picture taken at the site of 1 Desford Avenue of relatives from way back with the prefabs in the background.
Hope someone remebers the street as well as I do.
 
Hi Andrew,I lived near you in Scarsdale Road.If my memory is correct a good sort named Bedwell(maybe Sheila) lived in Desford Avenue.This was about 1960-1964 before I left for Australia.The Co-Op milkman who delivered to the prefabs for years was Bobby Bramwell whose parents also lived in Scarsdale Road before emigrating also to Oz.Bobby was there for the switch from horses to electric float.Do those names ring a bell?
 
Hi Les
Sheila Bedwell lived right next door at #3 or it may have #2, she had three sister, Jean, Rita and Lynne. There parants were Arthur and Peggy.
You can find Jean on Freinds Re-united, she was also a very good friend of mine, us having the same birthday. I remeber the milkmen and the Rag and Bone man having a horse and cart just like Steptoe and Son.
Andrew.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top