Wigan Album

I bet Ozy’s jealous of these ‘cos he only has one. (I’m more interested in those lovely stone flags.) At the same time how could those shelters withstand a bomb dropping on them!

Veronica: They would be dug into the ground then soil + sandbags piled on top and round the sides.

You’re right John G…. I had forgotten they dug in… not that I was even there at the time. Wonder how they went on if they only had a tiny back yard… probably sheltered under the stairs or table. I believe there was another shelter for inside the house… can’t remember the name of it. I think there was a ‘guard’ around it. Or they ran somewhere safe when the sirens went off.

My mother told stories about staying in a bomb shelter - they weren't pleasant places - wet and damp, were her words. She was a teenager during WW2. Lived in Bryn.

They weren't dug into the ground. They weren't supposed to withstand a bomb dropping on them either. They were for protection against flying debris should a bomb land in the surrounding area.

My late father in law told me a story about them digging a shelter at the top of Enfield street, where they hit a seam of coal, when they came back on Monday the hole was considerably deeper than required.

Veronica it was houses with gardens only, others used communal shelters, see link. Was wondering if places like Scholes even used church hall, school or even shop cellars, I know some shops in the town centre was allocated to be air raid shelters as the old RSPCA charity shop on Market St was one, and it then before being renovated still had the insignia painted on the walls

John G you are correct, i.e. An Anderson shelter is not a surface shelter and must be sunk in the ground. From here:
https://www.andersonshelters.org.uk/history.html

Anderson shelters were extremely strong too, see
Construction and strength of Anderson shelters:
https://www.andersonshelters.org.uk/steel.html

Ron, Martin Stanley would most likely to be interested to see your photo:
https://www.andersonshelters.org.uk/found_a_shelter.html

Thank you Cyril for your confirmation about the Anderson Shelter.
I think it had to be about a metre deep, then packed on top with soil, then sand bags.
I think James Hanson might be interested.
Or is it Mick, in disguise.

My grandad at Pemberton had one Cyril which was dug in the garden, grassed over the top I believe. They went down into them. Horribly damp and smelly. The other shelters where Morrison Shelters named after the Home Secretary. Made of steel and bolted to the floor - they were a cage actually and could be used as a table inside the home. I couldn’t see one of those in the house I lived in, there wouldn’t have been much room. It doesn’t bear thinking about if a bomb actually dropped on the house.

My grandma and family also had one at the bottom of their garden, I vaguely remember that and also being told told not to go in though some of the older cousins would do so - probably to have a crafty smoke. In the mid to late 1950s we lived in a prefab at Newtown and they had those shelters for sheds but the majority like we did kept coal in them.

So that's akin to were Ozy lives, but he seems to enjoy it!!

The film 'Goodnight Mr tom' shows an Anderton Shelter being earthed over.

Even the Nuclear Bunker in which I worked in 1960's was not designed to survive a direct hit. It was designed to survive a less that 10 kiloton air burst over Preston. (about 5 miles away) It was whilst I worked there that we learned we had become a target. i.e. We had our very own soviet missile allocated to striking the bunker.

James Hanson is wrong yet again, in his assertion that Anderson shelters were not meant to be dug into the ground.
Home Office Information Booklet, published February 1939: "Directions For The Erection And Sinking Of The Galvanised Corrugated Steel Shelter (Anderson Shelter)"
The booklet describes both in text and illustrations how at least two thirds of the shelter should be buried, and the third of the shelter above ground should be covered with at least fifteen inches of earth (or sand bags if available).
THey were designed with tensile strength in mind, not as armoured protection.

Edna it’s O’s pride and joy it’s in place of a posh shed or conservatory. After all he’s got an Aga in there and flowerpots and an ornamental letterbox. He even has garden parties outside in the summer! What more could he ask for….

I know Veronica, I like the way he embraces it. x

1950 I was three years old when we moved into a three bedroom house on Crawford Ave, Aspull. In the back garden was one of these shelters partially sunk and covered over with turf. I remember playing in it with other kids. A few years later my dad dismantled it and sold it to someone who kept pigs, we delivered it on a hand cart that he borrowed. I can remember the hole left in the garden after it had been removed, we all played in that as well. I seem to remember my dad saying he got 10/- (ten shillings) for it, later years I did wonder if he had the right to sell it !! Hmmm !.

Flying debris from bomb explosions?
James Hanson is talking through his hat again. The steel of the shelters wouldn't stop shrapnel but it did have excellent load bearing capacity. That's why they were buried and covered in earth.
Talking of earth, is there any subject on earth this man doesn't think he's an expert on?