Heating unit from a prefab house

From Object Wiki

Heating unit from a prefab house

Most prefab houses were built around a central unit containing everything from the water boiler to a gas cooker. This made building lots of them easier. Although intended as temporary housing, Britain’s 160,000 prefabs gave many families their first taste of good quality housing, and lasted for a long time. This one was made in 1944 and installed in 35 Roding Avenue, Barking.

Most pre-fabs were built of conventional materials, but aluminium ones were also ordered to utilise the excess capacity of the war-time aircraft industry.

[edit] How it works

Water is heated in the metal boiler and then flows through pipes to the kitchen taps and the central heating pipes.

[edit] Memories

[edit] In the Science Museum

This one was made in 1944 and installed in 35 Roding Avenue, Barking. Inv. No: 1967-436

[edit] Images

This object is currently on display in the Dan Dare & the Birth of Hi-Tech Britain exhibition at the Science Museum, London.