Volume: Swedish House, Abbots Langley, Type A & D

Date:: 24 Sep 1947

Location:: Abbots Langley, Three Rivers, Hertfordshire

Reference:: PSA01/04/H00213

Type:: Volume containing Photographic material

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Description

A series of 8 black and white negatives showing prefabricated “Swedish House" Types A & D (Type A English Rural semi-detached house; Type D Dormer bungalow). This form of prefab is a timber framed dwelling whose parts were built in Sweden and then assembled in situ across the country. They were intended to only last between 10-15 years but many are still standing in 2020. The homes in the images are at Trowley Rise in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire. The first Swedish houses in the UK were built at Abbots Langley. The Temporary Housing Act of 1944/5 was intended to alleviate the acute housing shortages of the immediate postwar years. The Ministry of Works was the government department tasked with the organisation and efficiency of the push for housing construction. Consequently, modular and prefabricated housing became very popular. The Swedish homes were built of Baltic pine and were a gift from the Swedish nation in response to Britain’s assistance during the war.

The original Ministry of Works storage envelope lists the operator as “E” and the division as “Archts".

Content

This is part of the Sub Series: PSA01/04/H Housing; within the Series: PSA01/04 Negatives; within the Collection: PSA01 Property Services Agency

This Volume is divided into 4 Child Records

This Volume contains the following materials:

Photograph (Negative): 8

Rights

Source: Historic England Archive

Keywords

Mid 20th Century Prefabricated House, Mid 20th Century Council Housing Estate