Castles in the Air? Landscapes and Gardens of Public Housing

1. Hopeful Dreams, Stark Realities - Britain's postwar reconstruction
With a background studying and working in landscape architecture, architectural history and garden history and conservation, Dr Catherine Flinn has returned to academia and research focusing on postwar reconstruction in UK and mainland Europe - in particular the political, economic and social impacts of rebuilding and redevelopment. Her book 'Rebuilding Britain’s Blitzed Cities: Hopeful Dreams, Stark Realities' (2018), is based on her detailed research at The National Archives. She discovered that, despite the promises made by politicians and the visions and dreams of architects and planners, progress on rebuilding blitzed cities - outside of London - was thwarted for many years by a secret Cabinet Investments Programme Committee, hidden from Parliament, which delivered the government's priority to rebuild industry before housing. Flinn discovered also that it was Evelyn Sharp, appointed deputy secretary of the newly formed Ministry of Housing and Local Government, who exposed the secret committee. Dr Flinn outlines the redevelopment of several cities including Liverpool, Exeter, Hull and Coventry, and how new thinking, about traffic, architectural style, and leasing land, have all influenced what happened. She briefly shows a contrasting approach to reconstruction adopted in some mainland European cities.
Dr Catherine Flinn has a doctorate in modern British history and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She previously took degrees in landscape architecture, architectural history and garden history and conservation. She returned to academia following a professional career in architecture, landscape and planning. Dr Flinn has taught at several universities in the US and the UK. Her research focuses on postwar reconstruction - in particular the political, economic and social impacts of rebuilding and redevelopment. Her book “Rebuilding Britain’s Blitzed Cities: Hopeful Dreams, Stark Realities” was published by Bloomsbury and is available in paperback.