Cabins where Pat worked on Lewis, perhaps, in earlier years (4)
I believe the answer is:
pods
'cabins' is the definition.
'where pat worked on lewis perhaps in earlier years' is the wordplay.
'where pat worked' becomes 'po' (Post Office - reference to Postman Pat).
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'lewis perhaps in earlier years' becomes 'ds' (TV character DS Robert Lewis).
'po'+'ds'='PODS'
(Other definitions for pods that I've seen before include "Seed cases" , "From enclosed cabins" , "some seals" , "Pea-jackets" , "Groups of dolphins" .)