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Please note that only the first photograph below is of the actual prefabs in Warley Woods.  The other images are of buildings of the same design.

While it would seem unusual to live in Warley Woods now, there was a period when twelve families, in addition to those living at the Abbey and the lodges, lived within the boundaries.  Twelve prefabricated homes, “government temporary accommodation”, were built in 1946 around the corner of Harborne Road and Abbey Road, running alongside what is now the 4th fairway of the golf course.
They were built after a ten years agreement was signed between Birmingham (the landowner) and Smethwick Corporations.  Smethwick paid £70 per year for the tenancy.  We know that Smethwick applied for a 10-year extension to this in 1955 and there were no objections to the extension.  Staff remember them being there in 1956 and think they were removed around 1962.  There was a request in the Parks Department minutes in 1962 when the Housing Department asked if the prefabs in various parks could be kept for a further five years, unless the land was urgently required by the Parks Department, but Warley is not specifically mentioned in the report and of course these prefabs were the responsibility of Smethwick Council not Birmingham.

Golfers, visitors and staff of the time remember the buildings, and mainly how golf balls ended up in the back gardens of the homes. There seem to have been discussions between local authorities about the need to put in a fence, but no one seems to commit to paying for it for a while.  Eventually Birmingham and Smethwick agreed to share the costs in 1959.

We were also able to talk to someone whose sister had lived in one, who remembered it as a lovely bungalow with a beautiful view.
The front door faced Harborne Road...There were no trees there then...They were delightful...They were generous [in size]. You walked into a nice large square kitchen with a big window.  A collapsible table fitted against the wall and something that was unique, the kitchen sink was stainless steel.  We didn't have stainless steel then.  A very nice gas cooker...It is a kitchen that I have thought of many times when I have lived in other places...It was a revelation to be able to walk around and look out of the window and look over a parkland. You walked into the lounge which was a nice size...I think they had electric fires...I do remember my sister had dining room chairs either side of the gate leg table and a three-piece suite...off the hall was the bathroom and toilet and two bedrooms.

On Facebook other people have shared memories of living there as children, playing in the bunkers and playing cricket on the golf course.  Two people remembered being there on the coronation day of Queen Elizabeth II and that someone had a television outside so everyone could watch the celebrations.

The design of prefabs are Warley Woods were called AIROH and we have images from other sources to show what they would have looked like.  

Would you like to read about somewhere else on the history trail?  Go back to the main listing page.