Preparing Air Raid Shelters at Harrison Park

Category

Library Item

Item no

7450

Title

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

Description

Three children, two boys and an older girl, stand at the back of a small wooden construction. They are smartly dressed in long coats. The ground is dirty and uneven and there is a sheet of corrugated metal on the floor.

Artist / maker

Bain, L. P.

Date

1938

Size

11 x 8 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Item is dated 9th October 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 > Accessories > Necklaces

Clothing and dress > Garments > Coats

Clothing and dress > Garments > Skirts

Clothing and dress > Garments > Trousers

Events > Disturbances > Conflicts

People > Children > Boys

People > Children > Girls

People > Children > Schoolchildren

People > Military activities > Civil defence

Places > Edinburgh areas > Shandon

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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Preparing air raid shelters at Harrison Park