‘Prefabs’in South London – built as emergency housing just after WW2 and meant to last for just 10 years

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The German bombing of civilian areas in London destroyed many homes during the Second World War.To meet the consequent shortage of housing after the end of the war ‘Prefabricated Houses’ (Prefabs) were designed and built. Growing up in South London in the 1940-60s Anthony J Sargeant saw many of these homes and had friends who lived in them. They were prefabricated in factories and quickly assembled on site on pre-laid foundations.Groups of these prefabs were put up on any available plots of land. They were meant as a temporary solution to the desperate need for housing – and they were only meant to last for 10 years. In the event many of them lasted for much longer certainly well into the 1960s and a few remain today. These ones were photographed by Tony Sargeant on the Excalibur Estate in Catford, South London in the summer of 2016.

One thought on “‘Prefabs’in South London – built as emergency housing just after WW2 and meant to last for just 10 years”

  1. Very interesting post (and picture). A simple solution, and yet could not be executed in the developing world when they are hit by catastrophes. Much to be learned from Britain. But it’s not just the strategy–but the values underlying it.

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