• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Reading West and Mid Berkshire MP Olivia Bailey celebrates Lionesses Euros win at 10 Downing Street

    Reading Pride releases statement regarding dropped sponsors ahead of town hall this week

    Uni of Reading given Green Flag award for 15th consecutive year

    Royal Berks Fire and Rescue unveils new training centre in Whitley Wood

    Reading men charged with robbery and weapons offences

    Time flies when you’re having fun volunteering

    Rewind returns next month

    Friends Of The Elderly opens new state-of-the-art care home

    Man jailed after dangerous driving incident in Reading

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Reading West and Mid Berkshire MP Olivia Bailey celebrates Lionesses Euros win at 10 Downing Street

    Reading FC compete with League One clubs to sign striker

    Reading FC star Knibbs set to make Championship move as fee is agreed

    Reading FC confirm new signing as midfielder joins on permanent deal

    Former Reading FC loanee joins rivals

    Reading FC sign German attacker on permanent deal

    Reading and Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon set for Q&A at Purple Turtle

    Ex-Reading star Ejaria on trial with former Royals manager

    League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Whitley Way Back When: Temporary homes from the 1920s still alive and well 100 years on

Staff Writer by Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 9:49 am
in Featured, Whitley
A A
Families in South Reading enjoyed the modest yet sufficient setting of the prefabs. Picture: Whitley Community Museum

Families in South Reading enjoyed the modest yet sufficient setting of the prefabs. Picture: Whitley Community Museum

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

SOME of Reading’s oldest homes are approaching their 100th birthdays.

Despite being commissioned as temporary accommodation, they have stood the test of time, with some still in use.

Whitley Community Museum curator David Turner explained: “The main build of the Whitley estate commenced during the 1930s.

“However, during the 1920s prefabricated homes started to appear around Reading, including in Whitley.

“These homes were known as prefabs.”

According to Mr Turner, these houses were more than sufficient to accommodate residents’ everyday needs.

Related posts

Reading West and Mid Berkshire MP Olivia Bailey celebrates Lionesses Euros win at 10 Downing Street

Reading Pride releases statement regarding dropped sponsors ahead of town hall this week

Uni of Reading given Green Flag award for 15th consecutive year

Royal Berks Fire and Rescue unveils new training centre in Whitley Wood

Kitchens consisted of metal wall cupboards and base units, while heating came in the form of a stove powered by a back boiler.

This would have been able to supply households with hot water.

Although primarily built as temporary accommodation, some prefabs are still in use around Reading, with a few Whitley residents still remembering first living in these houses.

Mr Turner said: “During the 1970s, I worked in the Council Housing Department and was often called out for minor issues.

“One tenant I remember asked if the council could supply some paint that could be used on the metal kitchen units.

“On the whole, tenants liked the homes and were not eager to move.”

With over 4,600 followers on Facebook, the Whitley Community Museum is an accessible online and in-person resource.

The group serves as a platform for residents past and present to share memories through photographs and comments.

It also allows group members to reconnect, with members reacquainting themselves with friends and schoolmates from decades ago.

The museum held a Whitley Way Back When event at the Community Cafe on Northumberland Avenue earlier this year to showcase its photographs and exhibits in-person.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Care home owner seeks permission to convert part of Caversham site into eight homes

Next Post

‘It’s a rare beast to hear originality’: Reading Today speaks to Scott Matthews as he begins his tour of the UK, including Reading.

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • Reading FC star Knibbs set to make Championship move as fee is agreed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • League One side set to win race for former Reading FC young star

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.