Preparing air raid shelters at Harrison Park

Category

Library Item

Item no

7446

Title

Preparing air raid shelters / trenches in Harrison Park / West Bryson Road

Description

Men, women and children are working together to dig a large trench in Harrison Park, Edinburgh. Most of the people are wearing overalls and holding spades. A couple of people have stopped digging whilst the photograph is taken. Polwarth Parish Church stands in the background and there are low-rise flatroofed buildings behind the workers on the right of the picture.

Artist / maker

Bain, L. P.

Date

1938

Size

10.7 x 7.9 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Item is dated 30th September 1938.
Harrison Park long trench was 125 yards long and one of many air raid shelters built for the public throughout Edinburgh.
To protect people from the bombing 30,000 public and 110,000 private air raid shelters were built. These were known as Anderson shelters and were built almost underground - six feet down and covered with earth and grass. Some people grew vegetables on the top. Because they were underground many would fill up with water making them damp, cold, smelly places to be. Children often had the job of checking the shelters and bailing the water out.

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Garments > Dresses

Clothing and dress > Garments > Shirts

Clothing and dress > Garments > Trousers

Clothing and dress > Garments > Waistcoats

Events > Disturbances > Conflicts

People > Adults > Men

People > Adults > Women

People > Military activities > Civil defence

Places > Edinburgh areas > Shandon

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

(55°56′3″N, 3°13′30″W)