Autumn, 1984: last days . . . . .

These pictures and notes by courtesy of Mark McManus

  "Colin", Crest Avenue; seriously damaged by fire in the autumn of 1983, owned by the Cakebread family of Canning Town.  Their relatives, the Howsons, owned "Rose Ville" at the junction of Margaret Avenue and Beech Hall Gardens.

  "Hawthorn", Hillcrest Avenue;  owned by the Burke family until 1983, when it became a home for the wardens of The Haven Plotland Museum.  It fell out of use following the construction of the visitors' centre and was demolished in 1999.

  A shack in Arcadian Gardens, only a few months after dereliction, used by the Hibell family of Limehouse.

  "Chook-A-Berry", Western Avenue;  occupied by the Bletch family until its destruction in late 1984.

  "Grangewood", Beech hall gardens; occupied by the Hayball family until late 1984.

  Beech Hall Gardens, showing one of the thin paths built by the plotlanders for their shopping trolleys.  "Grangewood" is on the left.

  "Glencrest" at the junction of Glenwood Gardens and Crest Avenue.  A holiday home at the time of its demolition in summer 1984, it was once a home to the Hinchcliff family (electoral register, 1964).  Its nameplate is an exhibit in the plotland museum.

  "Thorngrove", First Avenue;  occupied by the Thompson family until 1992.  Its remains are still highly visible.

  Overgrown by scrub, a derelict shack to the rear of the remains of "Anthelen", Fourth Avenue, owned by a Mr Anthony of North London.

  "High Trees" and "Four Elms", Hillcrest Avenue;  the overgrown patch in the garden is the remains of an air-raid shelter; used by the Joyner family until 1985.

  The derelict "Rosemary", Highland Gardens;  despite its diminutive size, it was once a residence for the Wallace family (electoral register, 1964); collapsed in 1985.

  "Viewgrand", Hillcrest Avenue;  destroyed in 1985, the small chimney is still visible on the site;  not "Iona" as the leaflet for the plotland trail suggests!

  "Iona", Hillcrest Avenue; owned by a local man, demolished in summer, 1984.  The nameplate can be viewed at the museum.

  "Everest", First Avenue;  originally a shop, it was home to the Elliott family until demolition in 1985.

  "Maple Leaf", Berry Drive; originally home to the Seeley family (electoral register 1949), later to Ernest South.  His neighbour at "Ruby", whom he mysteriously called Ada, was actually named Rose Frasi.  "Maple Leaf" was demolished in summer, 1984, but its nameplate survives in the plotland museum.