The Prefab Museum, opened on March 8th, is a resounding success! In just two weeks, the museum has attracted more than 700 visitors! Thanks to the TMO (Tenants Management Organisation of the Excalibur Estate) and our lovely volunteers, the Prefab Museum will stay open until 31st May 2014!
Have you, or your family or friends ever lived in a prefab? Photographer Elisabeth Blanchet, who is documenting London’s biggest prefab estate, is holding an exhibition of her photographs, films of residents’ interviews and memorabilia in a prefab in Catford’s Excalibur Estate.
Thousands of prefab houses were built across bombed-out London after World War II to help alleviate the housing shortage for returning servicemen and their families. Since then, most of the capital’s estates have been knocked down and Excalibur is set to be bulldozed and replaced by modern housing later this year.
Originally built by German and Italian prisoners of war in 1945 and 1946, six of the 186 bungalows have received Grade-II listing. The remainder of the estate will be demolished, except for St Mark Church, believed to be one of a kind.
Come and visit the estate before this unique slice of 20th-century social history disappears for good. You will learn about the fascination history of these tiny bungalow and meet some residents who have lived in the prefabs for a long time. The exhibition will also feature the work of other photographers, fim-makers, writers and artists – Jo Cooper, Nick Davis, Nadège Druskowski, Cath Dupuis, Sarah Gregory, Jane Hearn, Harriet Mcdougall, Rob Pickard, Alex Pink, Pat Posner, Lizzy Rose, Keara Stewart, Lucia Tambini, David Young - who are fascinated by prefabs too.
PLUS, see our special wall of Jane Hearn’s photos, where Excalibur residents, past and present, can take away a framed photograph of the prefab they live or have lived in!
OPENING TIMES