Wigan Album
Anderson Shelter
10 Comments
Photo: Ernest Pyke
Item #: 22892
They were easy to assemble but the hard part was digging a hole because at least half of it had to be below ground level.
I was speaking to the Liverpudlian lady in charge of the private museum in Llandudno many years ago. When I mentioned the Anderson Shelter she said "What`s that, we had a Morrison Shelter." So I said "What`s that"
The Morrison was an indoor one which was a steel plate supported off the ground so that you could sleep underneath it.
I met a Londoner who uses his Morrison as a workbench!
Wonder how many of these shelters were made and how many still being used.
We left our Anderson in Queensway in 1958 when we moved to Shevington.
Appears to be signed by Sir Ian Mckellen's dad.Ernest.
My friend had an Anderson shelter in their backgarden, in Harvey Street, Lower Ince. During the war we would play in it. One day it would be the inside of a submarine, and another day it would be the inside of a bomber, mostly a bomber, his brother was serving in the R.A.F.
I think you are right Dave! See;_
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_McKellen
Albert, Did the shelter you played in get any water in?
Ours got a lot of water in.
Our house in Queensway was right beneath the flight path of the German bombers going to Liverpool. A bomb dropped near to the railway viaduct on the Whelley loop line, about half a mile away. It was said that a train was on the viaduct and the fireman was using his shovel. Our gang went to the crater the next morning, a Saturday and I got a piece of shrapnel.
We had a Morrison which was used as a kitchen table, the underneath part was used for storage.
Ernest. Relative to your question. I can't remember the shelter getting water in it. If so, it wasn,t much, or I am sure I would have remembered it.
Ernest. I have some recollection,that an article was written, by a railwayman, in the "Past Forward" magazine, several years ago,relating to a doodlebug, dropping in that locallity, whilst he was on the footplate.
Albert, it wasn`t a doodlebug. They didn`t have the range to come so far.
I don't know if a doodlebug was responsible for the damage mentioned above, but they did reach Lancashire.
The Germans conducted experiments launching them from modified HE-111 Heinkel bombers to extend their range, and on Christmas Eve 1944 they landed at Oldham, Oswaldtwistle, Tottington, and Bamber Bridge.
37 people were killed in the Oldham raid, and 6 in the Tottington raid.
Mick, the bomb dropped on Friday evening 10th January 1941 (it`s in my first diary) and didn`t half rattle our front door.
"Extracts From The Lancashire Control Centre Incident Record Books 1939-45 (Includes personal updates) Mark S Gaskell", website:-
http://www.lamr.co.uk/docs/Wigan%20&%20District%20Air%20Raids.pdf
This incident isn`t listed.
"Wigan Remembers" - a research book on World War II, website:-
http://www.betanetcafe.co.uk/Wigan%20Remembers.pdf
Entry for January 1941: Germany continues to bomb Britain. Liverpool and Manchester heavily bombed.
Re my comment at 05:20 on your P-a-D today, an extract from this BETA research website:-
Bombs Dropped on Wigan
One night a German bomber dropped a stack of bombs on a grave yard in Goose Green. The Warden called in and the telephonist tried to ascertain if this was an exercise where-upon she was told in a loud voice “Nay missus this is a real un”.
The next bomb to drop destroyed an Independent Methodist chapel in Greenough Street. I think the sirens went after the bomb and one of the volunteers who lived nearby dashed out to get on duty and ran right through the incident arriving at Report & Control with a black face and a very startled look!
Joan Johnson, Wigan
Clearly a different incident then, Ernest.
I just wanted to explain that there were VI doodlebug raids this far north.