At last! I have completed my novel about growing up on a post-war prefab estate. It’s called “Prefabulous Days”, and it’s based loosely on memories of life on the Pilgrims Way estate, Kingsbury NW9. It’s now available on Amazon as … Continue reading
From Janet and Jim Chignall, who used to live in the prefab behind us on the Pilgrims Way prefab estate after the war: A few recollections and short stories of early childhood life and times in our prefab, 31 Pilgrims … Continue reading
During the first pandemic lockdown, I decided to have a go at writing a work of fiction. Not a very original response to adversity, I know, but it did at least keep me busy, and time flew by. Even before … Continue reading
“Whatever you do, don’t play with those Pilgrim Way kids” When I first wrote about growing up on a post-war prefab estate, I had no idea that local people living nearby might have formed negative attitudes toward such places and … Continue reading
Fryent Country Park Story – Part 5 Paul Kennedy has brought to my attention a Pilgrims Way update by local historian Philip Grant, on the Wembley Matters blog. It’s a must for all prefab old boys and girls. Click here … Continue reading
When I wrote Prefab Days, little did I suspect how much interest it would stir up, notably among former residents of the Pilgrims Way estate in Kingsbury NW9. The original post was written for a museum housed in a prefabricated … Continue reading
I recently happened across this rather candid audio clip in which Mr Ray Newman remembers his childhood in a post-war prefab and later in a council house in Somerset. Pros and cons, with some colourful language!
Fellow Pilgrims Way denizen Paul Kennedy recently sent me a file used to illustrate a talk by Philip Grant of the Wembley Historical Society. The talk covered all the prefab estates built just after the war in Wembley, including Pilgrims … Continue reading
So the UK government has rediscovered prefabs! Well done – better late than never I guess. Anyone who had the privilege of growing up on one of Churchill’s post war prefab estates and has lived long enough to tell the … Continue reading
I wrote this article for the Cottage Museum in Woodhall Spa, where an exhibition about prefab life opened this week. I now know that the thousands of prefabricated houses which sprang up after the second world war were Churchill’s response … Continue reading
Peter Dewrance 