The Prefab Museum and the Excalibur Estate

Book launch and talk by Elisabeth Blanchet

Elisabeth Blanchet will tell the story behind the Excalibur estate and its residents, and how the Prefab Museum came to be. She will also be launching her book, Prefab Homes.

The Excalibur Estate in Catford is the only prefabricated postwar estate left in London. Six of the houses are listed. The rest of the estate faces demolition.

The homes, designed by Ministry of Works architects, are single storey with two bedrooms, indoor bathroom/wc and a garden. They were built by Italian and German prisoners of war. Many of the homes have been redecorated by occupiers, with porches, decorative features and garden statues - one is mock Tudor.

One of the two-bedroom bungalows (interior pictured here) was turned into the Prefab Museum. Along with original features, it displayed photographs, films and lots of memorabilia and household items.

The museum was opened in March for what was supposed to be one month and later gained enough funding to stay open until 2017. However, it sadly closed after a fire in October.