The Greenwich Industrial History Society speaker on 21 February is John McGuinness, who will be talking about the Progress Estate in Eltham, which was built in 1915 to house Woolwich Arsenal workers. It was later owned by the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society.

PLEASE read this important information about how to book to see this talk.

·         This talk will be by Zoom in the evening of Tuesday 21 February.

·         There is no charge, but you must book your slot by Eventbrite by 18:00 on 21 February on this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-progress-estate-eltham-tickets-546316265657

·         We will send you log-in details shortly after 18:15 on 21 February.

·         The talk starts at 19:30 on Tuesday 21 February.

The war created a need for increased production of both weapons and ammunition. To house the significantly enlarged workforce, there was a need for a significant number of new houses.

He has been researching these and other houses for his PhD on the incorporation of technology into low status housing.

He will talking to GIHS on features such as whether there was electricity and gas laid on, as well provision for lighting, cooking and domestic water heating are not generally shown. He has uncovered evidence that shows the cooking provision in some units was very primitive.

He’s been looking at not just what provisions were installed when the houses were built, but also how the existing space has over time been altered to provide for later and current requirements. In some houses the original wash boiler had been replace by a free-standing Ideal boiler and hot water storage tank. At a later date the original WC, open area and coal store were combined to make a bathroom.

After graduating in building management, John became interested in the historical use of concrete in housing. His great grandfather was a pioneer in concrete block manufacture and concrete block housing.