Friday, May 02, 2008

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Brigg used to boast two small estates of prefabs, built after the war to deal with the housing shortage. They were of different designs.
One set was down Elwes Street; the other in Woodbine Grove, between Hawthorn Avenue and South View Avenue.
Both are long gone...but not forgotten by those of us who lived there.
Current town councillor Andrew Markham's family lived in an Elwes Street prefab, while ours had one in Woodbine Grove, until leaving in 1962/3.
The prefabs had many modern features, including fridge and inside toilet.
However, the Woodbine Grove prefabs were condemned in the 1970s, with many years of life left in them.
Drainage of the site was not good, and some Brigg folk may remember a pumping building on the approach to the estate, just off Preston Drive. It was kept very busy.
Given the haste with which Brigg got rid of its prefabs, it's interesting to note you can still see small estates of them giving good service in Grimsby and Ashby.
Not many years ago we paid a visit to the Eden Camp tourist attraction and found a prefab there, bringing back many childhood memories.

No comments: