When a hot summer comes and the foundations from the prefabs appear in the park, we hear from local residents who remember them. I’ve been asking for years if anyone has any photos and non appeared. Then this month we’ve had some lovely news from Neil who lived in a prefab in Adelaide avenue (not sure which number but it burned down in a fire in the late 1950’s) & then at number 36 Montague Avenue until they were demolished in about 1964. He moved to Hertfordshire in 1976.
If that wasn’t exciting enough, I’ve just had a link to a cine film sent and it even shows the playground.
I’m just trying to link, so it should follow shortly.
Hello there.
It was wonderful to see the cine film of the playground and background shots of the prefabs on Hilly Fields, including a brief shot of my old home, number 48 Montague Avenue. All in colour! As Neil lived at 36 we must have been boyhood friends. I am Stephen Russell, youngest son of Rose and Harry and younger brother of Martin. Does anybody remember us?
We were moved out in September 1964, one of the last families to go. We moved to St Pauls Cray. I was 9 at the time and really didn’t want to leave! In fact none of the family did. I was happy living in my house in the park and as a pupil at Gordonbrock School, with the lovely, gentle Mr Widows as my teacher. It was a great place to be a lad and our prefab was wonderful- in the Summer. The Winter was not so great, living in a single skin of steel and asbestos, it was cold! Especially during the bitter Winter of 1963. Wellie boots in front of the oven in the kitchen and home knitted balaclavas being my strongest memory. Great Days!
Lovely to see the park being so treasured by a new generation, long may it continue to be.
Thanks for the memories, they are great to read.
Hi my name is Tony Sutton I lived at number 7 Adelade Avenue my best mate was Steven we both went to Gordon Rock I was one year older and remember Mr Widows we moved to St Paul’s Cray about the same time but went to different primary schools Steve attended St Paul’s Wood a d I went to Midfield but we both went to the same secondary school fantastic memories and would love to catch up with Steven.
Hello Tony!!! Long, long time no see! How fantastic to see your post! It is well over a year since I last looked at this site and yet your reply was just a week ago. It is a strange world. It would be great to meet up again, perhaps for a pint when all this isolation business is over? I think we may have a bit of catching up to do!
I live in Meopham, where are you? I don’t know if leaving an e-mail address is allowed but I’ll try, mine is steverussell1955@outlook.com.
Wonderful to hear from you again, especially to be called “your best mate”.
Cheers for now, hope to see you soon,
Steve.
Hi there. My name is Peter Chapman and I lived at 42 Montague Ave in the prefabs. What a great location for a youngster growing up. Over my fence straight onto the fields to play football and cricket. I knew Richard Watson, Richard Henley, and Dave Morris. We moved to Foxboro Gdns in 1959. Always have happy memories of Hilly Fields