Leeds "Large Public Trench Air Raid Shelters"

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Tue 17 Mar, 2009 10:47 pm

chameleon wrote: Brandy wrote: chameleon wrote: Brandy wrote: Here you know what you might be on to something!If you have a look at the map on live view you can definitley make out some earthworks (marked here in red)i might just have a wonder up there tommorow and have a closer look Live Search Maps? Hmmm, I've heard of that, has it got recent images couldn't resist that - yes I've looked before and seen it but don't see anything obvious to the rear of the field. I'm sure this is it but it doesn't look as though the entrance to the old toilets is relevant. Oh i forgot to add,the birdseye feature on live view is second to none lolhave you not tried it yet? I've often wondered about it Brandy, but can't help thinking you wouldn't see much through a bird's eye so haven't tried it Did find a couple of buttons that sent the darned bird going round in circles though lol here Chameleon this is going to take this thread completely off topic,but i was just trawling through some youtube vids and i found this have a look about 0:18 in do you see anything that rings a bell lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6trH81x ... re=related

Post by **chameleon** » Tue 17 Mar, 2009 10:51 pm

Brandy wrote: chameleon wrote: Brandy wrote: chameleon wrote: Brandy wrote: Here you know what you might be on to something!If you have a look at the map on live view you can definitley make out some earthworks (marked here in red)i might just have a wonder up there tommorow and have a closer look Live Search Maps? Hmmm, I've heard of that, has it got recent images couldn't resist that - yes I've looked before and seen it but don't see anything obvious to the rear of the field. I'm sure this is it but it doesn't look as though the entrance to the old toilets is relevant. Oh i forgot to add,the birdseye feature on live view is second to none lolhave you not tried it yet? I've often wondered about it Brandy, but can't help thinking you wouldn't see much through a bird's eye so haven't tried it Did find a couple of buttons that sent the darned bird going round in circles though lol here Chameleon this is going to take this thread completely off topic,but i was just trawling through some youtube vids and i found this have a look about 0:18 in do you see anything that rings a bell lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6trH81x ... re=related You've found young Munki & Dunki! quick, post a note

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Tue 17 Mar, 2009 11:02 pm

I know mate lol,they must have been moonlightingWait till Chris spots em lolI must admit there's a striking similarityps/WOW 16+million hits that video's had.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Wed 18 Mar, 2009 12:09 am

chameleon wrote: blackprince wrote: rjw wrote: You are quite correct there. The stones marking the feet of the entrances are still visible. The toilets were indeed made in the space of the shelters.The original shelters were probably over 500ft long. Give me a minute and I'll try to see how many bays they had. Most of them look to be still there.Looking at the documentary, physical and anecdotal evidence, there seem to be nearly 20 of these shelters extant around the city. The 1938 OS map shows "lavs" on the playing field opposite the Shaftsbury. I remember to get to the playing field from York rd in 1957/58 you had to walk past an earth mound bunker with a brick entrance and ventilation pipes on top of the mound . I always assumed it was an air raid shelter. I also recall ( vaguely ) a similar shelter nearby on Harehills Lane, on waste ground just opposite the school clinic or thereabouts . I have a feeling that all visible signs of this shelter were removed in the 50s. That seems to be saying that the shelter was more towards York Road than towards the rear of the field - or perhaps there were two? The only "Bunker" I remember is the one on the York Rd edge of the field. I expect it would have accommodated the cinema audience from the Shaftsbury in the event of an air raid ( maybe in addition to the one just up Harehills Lane). People in their own homes would be expected to have some sort of shelter, the Anderson shelter in the garden , or in a cellar or even under the stairs or a steel cage under the kitchen table but it would have made sense for the local authorities to provide large public shelters for a cinema goers who otherwise had no protection. A direct hit on a cinema could have killed hundreds.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Wed 18 Mar, 2009 12:13 am

Brandy wrote: Here you know what you might be on to something!If you have a look at the map on live view you can definitley make out some earthworks (marked here in red)i might just have a wonder up there tommorow and have a closer look The red rectangle is exactly where I recall the " bunker" in the late 50's.

oldleedsman · Post by **oldleedsman** » Wed 18 Mar, 2009 1:07 am

You might find this page of interest re. Hunslet bunkerhttp://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=32865Some great photos.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Wed 18 Mar, 2009 1:14 am

blackprince wrote: Brandy wrote: Here you know what you might be on to something!If you have a look at the map on live view you can definitley make out some earthworks (marked here in red)i might just have a wonder up there tommorow and have a closer look The red rectangle is exactly where I recall the " bunker" in the late 50's. BINGO! co/leodis

Post by **chameleon** » Wed 18 Mar, 2009 5:01 pm

Well. that's another fine result we all got us into! Just goes to show, lots of bits of memories and thoughts are worth alot

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Thu 19 Mar, 2009 12:22 am

Brandy wrote: blackprince wrote: Brandy wrote: Here you know what you might be on to something!If you have a look at the map on live view you can definitley make out some earthworks (marked here in red)i might just have a wonder up there tommorow and have a closer look The red rectangle is exactly where I recall the " bunker" in the late 50's. BINGO! co/leodis Good photo. You can see why these air vents with their coolie hat cowls would have fascinated me as an 8 year old and stuck in my memory for 50 odd years.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Thu 19 Mar, 2009 12:36 am

oldleedsman wrote: You might find this page of interest re. Hunslet bunkerhttp://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=32865Some great photos. Great photos. I never saw the inside of one of the public shelters when I was a kid in Harehills but some of my schoolfriends said they had explored a shelter. I like the idea of finding ARP helmets still in their original wrapping or maybe an ARP warden's rattle ( which I think was the signal for a gas attack)