In the Spring of 2012 I decided to try to find out how and why temporary homes were built at Clerk’s Piece in the late 1940s. Through my internet searches I found Dave Hall, the Education Officer of the Bristol Aero Collection museum. The Bristol Aeroplane Company was one of the first factories to make aluminium prefabs like the ones at Clerk’s Piece and Dave, who had done some research of his own, was kind enough to send me lots of information on their manufacture. I am also indebted to the staff of the Lowestoft Record Office who allowed me access to the Borough of Beccles Housing Committee minute books.
CONSTRUCTION
When Britain needed a radical solution to it's post-war housing crisis it turned to prefab homes to provide the answer. Over 153,000 of these temporary dwellings were built in the United Kingdom between 1945 and 1949. About 53,000 were the aluminium prefabs known as AIROH homes, (Aircraft Industries Research Organisation for Housing), and they were the first British prefabs to be totally constructed on factory production lines. Aluminium alloy sections formed the base, walls and roof with a pine floor on timber joists bolted to the frame. Window frames were also aluminium although exterior and interior doors were panelled wood. Each section was seven feet six inches wide, the maximum width allowed on the roads at that time. All fittings, plumbing, electrical sockets, window panes and paint finishes were applied in the factory. Arriving on site in four sections, the prefab could be bolted together on a brick built plinth in less than a day. One of the two middle sections was known as the service unit. This housed a bathroom with hot water cylinder, a sink and wash boiler within a wall of kitchen appliances, and a living room coal fire with back boiler to heat the water. This revolutionary design required only one connection to each of the mains services of water, electricity and sewage.
In early April 1946 the Ministry of Town and Country Planning approved the proposal to acquire 3.857 acres of arable land off Ellough Road, Beccles, Suffolk as a site for 30 temporary bungalows. The plot was purchased in July 1946 for the sum of £231. 8s. 0d. and work started immediately on preparing the site. By early July it had been decided by the Beccles Borough Housing Committee that the homes were to be AIROH houses. By the end of September the roads, sewers, foundations and utility services were complete and the Ministry of Works was informed that the site was ready.
On 14th October the housing committee decided that the site would be known as “The Clerk’s Piece”, a name that had been used by the previous owners of the land, the Church of England. Work started on erecting the homes in the middle of November. By the end of 1946 all 30 had been completed and handed over to Beccles Borough Council ready for occupation. On 18th January 1947 it was reported that all the prefabs were occupied, at a rent of 15 shillings (75 pence) per week inclusive of rates.
On 14th October the housing committee decided that the site would be known as “The Clerk’s Piece”, a name that had been used by the previous owners of the land, the Church of England. Work started on erecting the homes in the middle of November. By the end of 1946 all 30 had been completed and handed over to Beccles Borough Council ready for occupation. On 18th January 1947 it was reported that all the prefabs were occupied, at a rent of 15 shillings (75 pence) per week inclusive of rates.
DEMOLITION
On 16th January 1964 an agreement was signed between the Mayor, Aldermen & Burgesses of Beccles, (referred to as The Corporation), and R. Loades Ltd of Low Meadows, Weston, (referred to as The Contractor). The agreement confirmed that the Corporation had accepted the tender of £245. 11s. 0d. per prefab from the Contractor for the demolition and disposal of 18 prefabs in Clerk’s Piece on condition that all possible care should be taken not to damage boundary fences and gardens of the remaining 12 occupied prefabs and that any damage should be rectified. The Contractor was to pay the Corporation for each prefab within 7 days of its demolition. By October 1964 only numbers 2, 9, 12, 19 & 24 were still occupied and by the summer of 1965 the entire site had been cleared.
Mr Loades advertised the prefabs for sale as offices and outbuildings and sold some of the fixtures and fittings locally. One couple who lived just around the corner in Banham Road purchased their first fridge from Mr Loades, a second hand Prestcold model that was still in good working order after 18 years of service in a prefab.
On 16th January 1964 an agreement was signed between the Mayor, Aldermen & Burgesses of Beccles, (referred to as The Corporation), and R. Loades Ltd of Low Meadows, Weston, (referred to as The Contractor). The agreement confirmed that the Corporation had accepted the tender of £245. 11s. 0d. per prefab from the Contractor for the demolition and disposal of 18 prefabs in Clerk’s Piece on condition that all possible care should be taken not to damage boundary fences and gardens of the remaining 12 occupied prefabs and that any damage should be rectified. The Contractor was to pay the Corporation for each prefab within 7 days of its demolition. By October 1964 only numbers 2, 9, 12, 19 & 24 were still occupied and by the summer of 1965 the entire site had been cleared.
Mr Loades advertised the prefabs for sale as offices and outbuildings and sold some of the fixtures and fittings locally. One couple who lived just around the corner in Banham Road purchased their first fridge from Mr Loades, a second hand Prestcold model that was still in good working order after 18 years of service in a prefab.