This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/jun/05/war-prefabs-and-an-unlikely-friendship-between-opposing-soldiers
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| War, prefabs and an unlikely friendship – between opposing soldiers | War, prefabs and an unlikely friendship – between opposing soldiers |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| In | In |
| the summer of 1946, as the debris of the second world war was | the summer of 1946, as the debris of the second world war was |
| beginning to clear, two men found themselves on an estate of newly | beginning to clear, two men found themselves on an estate of newly |
| built | built |
| prefabricated houses in Lewisham, south London. Max Hentschel, a | prefabricated houses in Lewisham, south London. Max Hentschel, a |
| 21-year-old German prisoner of war, arrived in a truck with his fellow PoWs to paint these “prefabs”; while Eddie O’Mahony, a demobbed | 21-year-old German prisoner of war, arrived in a truck with his fellow PoWs to paint these “prefabs”; while Eddie O’Mahony, a demobbed |
| sergeant of 27, was getting ready to move his young wife, Ellen, and | sergeant of 27, was getting ready to move his young wife, Ellen, and |
| two small sons to a bright new home on the Excalibur estate. | two small sons to a bright new home on the Excalibur estate. |
| Now aged 94, Eddie is still living here. “It’s a lovely little home,” he tells | Now aged 94, Eddie is still living here. “It’s a lovely little home,” he tells |
| me while showing me around his neat bungalow. “We were the third | me while showing me around his neat bungalow. “We were the third |
| ones to move into the estate. This is the original door,” he says | ones to move into the estate. This is the original door,” he says |
| as we head outside. “It’s been here since 1946, solid! I’ve | as we head outside. “It’s been here since 1946, solid! I’ve |
| loved the prefabs since day one, really.” | loved the prefabs since day one, really.” |
| His home, | His home, |
| which German prisoners had assembled, was only meant to be a quick fix for | which German prisoners had assembled, was only meant to be a quick fix for |
| Britain’s acute housing shortage after the war. Nearly 70 years later, Lewisham council is getting ever closer to finally demolishing all | Britain’s acute housing shortage after the war. Nearly 70 years later, Lewisham council is getting ever closer to finally demolishing all |
| but six of the 186 prefabs that make up the Excalibur in Catford, and replacing them with 371 new homes. “It breaks my heart,” sighs Eddie. “I close my eyes when I pass the ones that are boarded up – it will be the finish of me when I have to move.” | |
| Three | Three |
| million British homes were damaged during the blitz, with more than 1,500 | million British homes were damaged during the blitz, with more than 1,500 |
| destroyed in Lewisham alone. Driven by the need to find a quick | destroyed in Lewisham alone. Driven by the need to find a quick |
| solution, Winston Churchill’s government looked to the Scandinavian | solution, Winston Churchill’s government looked to the Scandinavian |
| countries and to America – where timber prefabrication had been | countries and to America – where timber prefabrication had been |
| pioneered since the 1860s as the country unified and populations | pioneered since the 1860s as the country unified and populations |
| grew. | grew. |
| As | As |
| servicemen | servicemen |
| returned to the UK, 156,000 prefabricated | returned to the UK, 156,000 prefabricated |
| homes were quickly put up across the country, with private firms | homes were quickly put up across the country, with private firms |
| commissioned to make them under the temporary housing programme of | commissioned to make them under the temporary housing programme of |
| 1944. The | 1944. The |
| prefabs were made in factories still geared up for wartime | prefabs were made in factories still geared up for wartime |
| production, their parts easily transported to be assembled on site, on | production, their parts easily transported to be assembled on site, on |
| top of | top of |
| concrete platforms. Costing about £1,000 a piece, these houses | concrete platforms. Costing about £1,000 a piece, these houses |
| sprung up across urban areas such as Liverpool, Bristol and London. | sprung up across urban areas such as Liverpool, Bristol and London. |
| Despite | Despite |
| their temporary nature, the prefabs with their two bedrooms, fitted | their temporary nature, the prefabs with their two bedrooms, fitted |
| kitchens, indoor bathrooms and immersion heaters, were a wonder | kitchens, indoor bathrooms and immersion heaters, were a wonder |
| to their residents. “When my wife opened the door she said, ‘What | to their residents. “When my wife opened the door she said, ‘What |
| a lovely big hall, we can get the pram in here’,” says Eddie. | a lovely big hall, we can get the pram in here’,” says Eddie. |
| “For working-class families, it was unknown to have an indoor | “For working-class families, it was unknown to have an indoor |
| toilet; we had a shed in the garden. And when we saw the | toilet; we had a shed in the garden. And when we saw the |
| bathroom ... Nobody had a bath in those days, it was magic!” | bathroom ... Nobody had a bath in those days, it was magic!” |
| Walking | Walking |
| through the suburban streets of Lewisham, all terraced houses | through the suburban streets of Lewisham, all terraced houses |
| and family sized cars, you suddenly come out at row upon row of | and family sized cars, you suddenly come out at row upon row of |
| pastel-coloured, flat-roofed bungalows, each compact home ringed by | pastel-coloured, flat-roofed bungalows, each compact home ringed by |
| its own sizeable garden. The estate, crisscrossed by | its own sizeable garden. The estate, crisscrossed by |
| alleyways, is an oasis of calm. They | alleyways, is an oasis of calm. They |
| were meant to last just a decade but, over | were meant to last just a decade but, over |
| the years, Eddie and other | the years, Eddie and other |
| residents have improved and kitted out their prefabs to their | residents have improved and kitted out their prefabs to their |
| own taste, building extensions, adding mock-Tudor beams, tending | own taste, building extensions, adding mock-Tudor beams, tending |
| their gardens and hanging flower baskets. The only complaint is | their gardens and hanging flower baskets. The only complaint is |
| that these prefabs, made from timber frames and asbestos cement | that these prefabs, made from timber frames and asbestos cement |
| sheeting, turned out to be cold, with the coal fire (later replaced by an | sheeting, turned out to be cold, with the coal fire (later replaced by an |
| electric one) only heating the living room. In winter, Eddie’s | electric one) only heating the living room. In winter, Eddie’s |
| sons could pick icicles off their bedroom window. | sons could pick icicles off their bedroom window. |
| Lewisham council has been trying to redevelop this land since the 1950s and | Lewisham council has been trying to redevelop this land since the 1950s and |
| the borough’s mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, has called the prefabs “cold, damp, asbestos-ridden homes”. Residents, largely left to | the borough’s mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, has called the prefabs “cold, damp, asbestos-ridden homes”. Residents, largely left to |
| manage their upkeep themselves, insist the | manage their upkeep themselves, insist the |
| prefabs are perfectly | prefabs are perfectly |
| safe and that the | safe and that the |
| amount of asbestos in the walls is minimal. | amount of asbestos in the walls is minimal. |
| But the council maintains that to bring the prefabs up to the decent homes standard would be too expensive, and that they have | But the council maintains that to bring the prefabs up to the decent homes standard would be too expensive, and that they have |
| to go. | to go. |
| The | The |
| process of "decanting" has already started – about 40 prefabs | process of "decanting" has already started – about 40 prefabs |
| are now fenced off, their once immaculate gardens overgrown with | are now fenced off, their once immaculate gardens overgrown with |
| weeds, their doors and windows boarded up. Despite owning his prefab, which he bought from the | weeds, their doors and windows boarded up. Despite owning his prefab, which he bought from the |
| council in 1991, Eddie will also be served with a compulsory | council in 1991, Eddie will also be served with a compulsory |
| purchase order soon. | purchase order soon. |
| “What | “What |
| works perfectly well as a community is being pulled apart,” said | works perfectly well as a community is being pulled apart,” said |
| architectural historian David Heathcote, on a recent visit to | architectural historian David Heathcote, on a recent visit to |
| the Excalibur. “Whatever comes next is not going to recreate these | the Excalibur. “Whatever comes next is not going to recreate these |
| alleyways, this space to have a social life, where people potter | alleyways, this space to have a social life, where people potter |
| around in their gardens or can lean on the fence and have a chat.” | around in their gardens or can lean on the fence and have a chat.” |
| It has been suggested that the whole estate should be designated a conservation area. “As | It has been suggested that the whole estate should be designated a conservation area. “As |
| housing needs change, these prefabs can be amended or replaced with | housing needs change, these prefabs can be amended or replaced with |
| better ones, much like a car or a fridge,” Heathcote suggests. “They suit the transience of | better ones, much like a car or a fridge,” Heathcote suggests. “They suit the transience of |
| modern urban life very well. What is great about them is that they | modern urban life very well. What is great about them is that they |
| showed optimism about the future, but modern housing is all pokey | showed optimism about the future, but modern housing is all pokey |
| rooms with little windows.” | rooms with little windows.” |
| But | But |
| the prefabs have not been forgotten. Max Hentschel, now 88, and | the prefabs have not been forgotten. Max Hentschel, now 88, and |
| living in a small town of Salzbergen, near Munster, in Germany, | living in a small town of Salzbergen, near Munster, in Germany, |
| knows only too well what it’s like to lose his home. While a PoW in | knows only too well what it’s like to lose his home. While a PoW in |
| the UK, his family’s farm in Silesia was lost to Poland after the | the UK, his family’s farm in Silesia was lost to Poland after the |
| war. “I didn’t have any home I could say is mine anymore,” he | war. “I didn’t have any home I could say is mine anymore,” he |
| says. | says. |
| Max was eventually allowed to return to Germany in 1948 and ended up in | Max was eventually allowed to return to Germany in 1948 and ended up in |
| Salzbergen, where he worked and lived on a farm. After the bombed out | Salzbergen, where he worked and lived on a farm. After the bombed out |
| town was rebuilt in the 1960s, he moved into a two-storey detached | town was rebuilt in the 1960s, he moved into a two-storey detached |
| brick house. Sitting in his immaculate living room, Max says that in 2009 he read an article in | brick house. Sitting in his immaculate living room, Max says that in 2009 he read an article in |
| a German newspaper about the prefabs – “that Eddie and the others | a German newspaper about the prefabs – “that Eddie and the others |
| were fighting the council to keep them. So I wanted to say, ‘I | were fighting the council to keep them. So I wanted to say, ‘I |
| helped to build them – I remember. I want to help you.’” | helped to build them – I remember. I want to help you.’” |
| And so, Max | And so, Max |
| and Eddie struck up a friendly correspondence. “I was surprised the | and Eddie struck up a friendly correspondence. “I was surprised the |
| prefabs still exist,” Max says, in the faltering English he | prefabs still exist,” Max says, in the faltering English he |
| learnt as a PoW while doing odd gardening jobs for English families. | learnt as a PoW while doing odd gardening jobs for English families. |
| “It’s very sad that they’re losing their prefabs. It is not OK | “It’s very sad that they’re losing their prefabs. It is not OK |
| to take away the home of someone who has lived there for 70 years.” | to take away the home of someone who has lived there for 70 years.” |
| We | We |
| call up Eddie. “I would like to thank the Germans for erecting my | call up Eddie. “I would like to thank the Germans for erecting my |
| property,” he tells Max. “The first winter we were here, we had 3ft of snow and I | property,” he tells Max. “The first winter we were here, we had 3ft of snow and I |
| thought to myself: ‘The roof is going to collapse’ – but it didn’t. | |
| The Germans made a marvellous job of it! I want to shake your hand, | The Germans made a marvellous job of it! I want to shake your hand, |
| Max – I’ve been very happy here.” | Max – I’ve been very happy here.” |
| After | After |
| the chat with Eddie, Max points proudly to a rectangle of upturned soil in his large and precisely arranged garden. | the chat with Eddie, Max points proudly to a rectangle of upturned soil in his large and precisely arranged garden. |
| “Kartoffel!” he beams. Potatoes growing in his garden cannot possibly replace his | “Kartoffel!” he beams. Potatoes growing in his garden cannot possibly replace his |
| lost farm – which would be worth in the region of €2m (£1.6m) | lost farm – which would be worth in the region of €2m (£1.6m) |
| today – but Eddie, once a keen gardener, would | today – but Eddie, once a keen gardener, would |
| surely be impressed. | surely be impressed. |
| English Heritage has granted grade II preservation status to the six prefabs on the Excalibur that retain the most original features. Eddie’s is not among them. I | English Heritage has granted grade II preservation status to the six prefabs on the Excalibur that retain the most original features. Eddie’s is not among them. I |
| ask Max again why it was important for him to get in touch with Eddie | ask Max again why it was important for him to get in touch with Eddie |
| and the other prefab residents. Looking sadly across to the | and the other prefab residents. Looking sadly across to the |
| garden, he concludes: “Well, it’s never nice to lose your home, | garden, he concludes: “Well, it’s never nice to lose your home, |
| is it?” | is it?” |
| The | The |
| Prefab Museum, 17 | Prefab Museum, 17 |
| Meliot Road, London SE6 1RY, | Meliot Road, London SE6 1RY, |
| is open every Saturday until the end of September, 11am-5pm | is open every Saturday until the end of September, 11am-5pm |
| • Is demolition ever the best way to regenerate? | • Is demolition ever the best way to regenerate? |