I understood that Prefabs, built to help with people bombed out during the war. The Howells that lived next door to the one at Avoncroft, may have been just that, June Howell was my age, wonder if she is still alive and well? FIRST LOVE FOR ME!!For the record. This is the prefab originally built in Moat Lane in 1946 which now resides at the open air Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove. Viv.
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Lyn could it be that you are spelling it with a H and not a U. Umberslade Road is an old established Rd, probably 200 to 120 years old Ghi grea...i take it humberslade road is a fairly new road ...when i put it in the scottish maps it comes up as on this part of the map but i cant see a road of that name so maybe the area on the map is where the prefabs were built...knowing the area maybe you can figure it out...link below
lyn
1956 map - I assume this shows the 10 prefabs
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same area in 1937
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That’s brilliant,I wonder what the land was before the prefabs were built
Yes, exactly right. How will I find out what the land was and who owned it, I have a feeling it was Cadburys1956 map - I assume this shows the 10 prefabs
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same area in 1937
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Thank you Lyn, that map is brilliant. It just leaves the puzzle that when they built the houses in Umberslade Rd They started at No2 stopped at No72 then nothing then the houses started againhi grea...i take it umberslade road is a fairly new road ...when i put it in the scottish maps it comes up as on this part of the map but i cant see a road of that name so maybe the area on the map is where the prefabs were built...knowing the area maybe you can figure it out...link below
lyn
Thank you Mike, it just seems strange that not too long ago it was all fields. As I mentioned to Lyn the puzzle remains as to why a big gap was let when building the houses in Umberslade Rd.Not quite 120 years old. Below is a map of the area, with the centre of the prefabs marked by red marker, on a map c1905, probably surveyed about 1903
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I never realised that the land for the prefabs on the Walsall road opposite Perry avenue was leased from the parks department, stands to reason though as it’s on the borders of Perry Barr park.Quite a lot of the land for Prefabs was leased form the parks department and subsequently handed back. Prefabs cost slightly more to build than conventional housing but were much quicker to erect. I cannot remember the exact number, but I think they had a planned ten-year life. Of course, most of them well exceeded this planned life cycle.
The prefabs did lay the foundations to system building and modular construction in a controlled environment.
That’s a great map, thank you. The development does look odd but there must have been a reason.No help into why, but an aid to how it was developed. Below is a map (with red marker again in area of prefabs) published 1916, probably surveyed around 1914.
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Only a suggestion: to keep access to the canal open to bring in building supplies for the future (planned?) housing development ? Viv.
I think you must be right as the Cadbury wharf was just about that location plus it was on the Umberslade road side of the canal, thank you GOnly a suggestion: to keep access to the canal open to bring in building supplies for the future (planned?) housing development ? Viv.
I lived in one exactly the same as that in Selly Park.... 4 Selly Avenue to be eaxct...It just came to me my mom said ours was an Arcon type......she though Canadian but I looked online and found they were an American company....https://www.prefabmuseum.uk/content/history/one-arcon-storyFor the record. This is the prefab originally built in Moat Lane in 1946 which now resides at the open air Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove. Viv.
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Ah yes, my old paper round !Many happy years growing up in one during the period from 1947 to 1964, moved to house from there with an outdoor loo and a Triplex grate fireplace bit of a cold backwood step and No frig and only three electric sockets.
I lived on the Maypole Kings Norton estate between Druids lane and Bells lane.
I've worked out that I did the paper round in 1954 - 55, (you were'nt allowed until you were 13). Myself and another kid covered the two rounds on the estate, working from Westwoods, "up the Maypole".When and from which newsagents did you do your paper round maypolebaz.
Oh, definitely !Just wondered, my Mum and Dad ran the newsagents in Monyhull Hall Rd from 1970 to 1984. I think we had rounds serving parts of Druids Heath estate.
A bit after your time maypolebaz.