Boxfield Bungalows on the cover of Rosie's book
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The Boxfields Bungalows By Rosie McNamara, reviewed by Alan Payne October 2020 Rosie McNamara’s book is an absolute treasure, packed full of fascinating photos, intimate details of wartime and post-war life and one of the most attractive book presentations I have seen in a long time. It records the history of the 260 prefab houses built at the Boxfields estate in 1942 to house families of workers clearing the Box and Corsham quarries for military duty in World War II. Many of the families came from Ireland, strangers in the area, thrown together to form a new life with their own school, shops and community centre in the most unusual of circumstances. Rosie tells of her early life in the basic houses with little heating, cramped conditions and limited domestic housing facilities and has substantial contributions from other residents of that time. But her book tells more about gratitude for being alive and surviving the rigours of wartime. As she says, it was more like a small village, which gave me a great sense of belonging and pride. Rosie’s story of her childhood highlights all that modern young people have missed. She tells of days largely spent outside on bikes, scooters, trolleys or roller skates when most families knew the others on the estate. |
The bungalows were dismantled in 1964 and now nothing survives above ground to recall their existence, other than people’s affectionate memories of Boxfields with a great appreciation of stability and a common desire to build a better future.
Rosie’s book The Boxfields Bungalows is available to buy from the Corsham Bookshop price £14.99 or please email her directly at http://www.theboxfieldsbungalows.com particularly if needed at times of coronavirus lockdowns.
Rosie’s book The Boxfields Bungalows is available to buy from the Corsham Bookshop price £14.99 or please email her directly at http://www.theboxfieldsbungalows.com particularly if needed at times of coronavirus lockdowns.