Air raid shelter ouutside Boots in Headingley?

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 7:40 pm

chameleon wrote: Si wrote: cnosni wrote: Si wrote: Perhaps it's an emergency escape door, in case of a near or direct hit, the main entrance being the cellar-head inside the shop? If this entrance was blocked by fallen masonry, survivors could be pulled through the manhole where removal of debris might be easier? That's why it's marked prominently?Just a thought. That would seem to be the logical answer.Wheres digger when you need him.Hes probably been down it already knowing him!! Speaking of Phill.........did anyone watch Gryff Rhys Jones's "World's Greatest Cities" last night? He went to Paris (no, not Leeds!) and met Phill's Parisien counterpart. They went on an underground urbex in a load of old tunnels, and ended up in Notre Dame. These guys save and record the city's hidden sights, just like Phill! They were charged with criminal damage for mending a famous public clock. Funny how often something reminds you of our own friend's exploits isn't it......At least with the French contingent, the Judge declared there was no crime to answer, and quite rightly.Whilst we may not see the kind of action we'd like, have you noticed how often places seem to become 'more secure' once LHES has shown the plight to all. Something gained at least in then keeping out the less desirables. Just shown Mrs Chameleon Drapesy's picture, even her immediate response was, 'As he been in it yet'! Cpme on phill were are you, your reputation (well, part of it ) is way out ahead of you

simong · Post by **simong** » Fri 24 Oct, 2008 4:15 pm

At a guess, I would think that there will be some stopcockery under the panel, and that it would also serve as a marker for the location of the shelter for the rescue services in the event of a hit or building collapse. Access to the shelter might have been somewhere else on the row of shops as I would also suspect that the cellars below the shops would have been interconnected either by doors or arches.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Fri 24 Oct, 2008 6:08 pm

It's not the current water supply. That goes in from Bennet Road. Not to say there isn't any old stuff under there or gas supplies.

leeds_girlie · Post by **leeds_girlie** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 3:54 pm

I don't know what the building where Boots is was during the war, but pictures on Leodis show it was Boots in the 1960s, so maybe it could have been an independent chemist/pharmacy before then?

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 4:15 pm

Just a thought,but wasn't the idea of an 'air raid shelter' a safe haven from attack in a shelter away from buildings??It just seems pointless to have a shelter underneath a row of shops and local amenities that the Germans would probably target!!If i was around when the blitz was going down,id want to get myself as far away from buildings as possible.

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 4:31 pm

Just looking around the web I came accross this picture of what is described as n air raid shelter escpae hatch. This is the underside of course but appears to be identical to Drapesy's piccy.There was another picture showing the ventilating slots with a removable seal to prevent the entry of gas during an attack.Looks as though this might be the back of a shelter, the main body of which is or was surely under the buildings. There has to be a way in there

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 4:32 pm

Now I'll remember to add the picture!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 5:12 pm

Brandy wrote: Just a thought,but wasn't the idea of an 'air raid shelter' a safe haven from attack in a shelter away from buildings??It just seems pointless to have a shelter underneath a row of shops and local amenities that the Germans would probably target!!If i was around when the blitz was going down,id want to get myself as far away from buildings as possible. While remote shelters are the best option if possible, and there were plenty, I think that total lack of timely escape opportunities was the reason why sheltering under houses, workplaces etc etc was actually pretty common. The best known example was where many London Tube stations were used for the purpose after the trains stopped for the night. Goodness knows how the poor folks down there went on for toilets etc - and there was at least one tragic case where a bomb came straight down an escalator shaft and hundreds were killed - horrifying to contemplate.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 5:54 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Brandy wrote: Just a thought,but wasn't the idea of an 'air raid shelter' a safe haven from attack in a shelter away from buildings??It just seems pointless to have a shelter underneath a row of shops and local amenities that the Germans would probably target!!If i was around when the blitz was going down,id want to get myself as far away from buildings as possible. While remote shelters are the best option if possible, and there were plenty, I think that total lack of timely escape opportunities was the reason why sheltering under houses, workplaces etc etc was actually pretty common. The best known example was where many London Tube stations were used for the purpose after the trains stopped for the night. Goodness knows how the poor folks down there went on for toilets etc - and there was at least one tragic case where a bomb came straight down an escalator shaft and hundreds were killed - horrifying to contemplate. yes your probably right BLAKEY,i have often sat and wondered what it must have been like during the blitz can you imagine it?Your laid there in your cozy warm bed and all of a sudden WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH the air raid siren goes and then off you have to scramble down the garden and into the shelter!Bloooody terrifying not knowing if your going to have a house left to come back too,we honestly do not know we are born at times!

leeds_girlie · Post by **leeds_girlie** » Sun 26 Oct, 2008 6:30 pm

Maybe, but air raids used to be sudden, people needed shelters near shops and houses etc, I guess there wasn't time to get away from public places and underground was the safest place...I think there was a school near there, maybe it was something to do with that?