Guided walk on the St John's Estate - remembering post-war prefabs

The Prefab Museum and The Friends of the Island History Trust present a guided walk of the St John's estate on the Isle of Dogs, as part of The Moving Prefab Museum and Archive project. This Heritage Lottery Fund project celebrates and documents the heritage of post-war prefabs and the communities that lived in them. 2016 marks the 70th anniversary of the Temporary Housing Programme.

The Isle of Dogs was devastated in the Blitz of 1940-41 and again by flying bombs and rockets in 1944-5, destroying and damaging homes beyond repair, making many local people homeless. Post-war prefabs were the solution to a housing crisis, and although only supposed to last for 10-15 years some in the UK have lasted to this day. The St John's estate had many post-war prefabs as well as their predecessors the experimental and very basic Seco huts!

Meet at and return to St John's Community Centre. The walk is followed by an illustrated talk at the community centre, free but ticketed entry.

You are welcome to join us for the Archive Tea Party from 2.15-5pm which is open to all and not ticketed. Admission is free and there will be an exhibition about prefabs, and refreshments, and opportunities to share and listen to memories and locations of post-war prefabs.

A donation to The Friends of the Island History Trust is most welcome.