Serpenthydra Coventry All posts by this member | 1 of 49 Sat 7th Jan 2012 9:47am Member: Joined Jan 2012 Total posts:2 Hello all,
As you may have guessed I'm new, just joined yesterday in fact (6.1.2012) as per Rob's suggestion.
I'm researching a novel, part of which takes place during the Coventry Blitz. I ike to be accurate, especially where history is concerned, so I was wondering if anyone knows what the interior of Drapers Hall air raid shelter is like. The building has long since been closed to the public but according to the Coventry Blitz walk experience this air raid shelter may still be intact, with WW2 posters still on the wall!
It's probably too much to hope that anyone has any pictures but any words of wisdom/description would be helpful.
Thanks,
Kit |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 2 of 49 Sat 7th Jan 2012 10:31am Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 A very warm WELCOME to you Kit, nice to have you around ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 3 of 49 Sat 7th Jan 2012 1:07pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 Not sure if it's any help, but here's a planning application, made by the City Council in 2007, to extend Drapers Hall and change its use. At the bottom of this page there are various downloadable floor plans - including basement. There's no photo's but it may assist your enquiries! ![]() |
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Serpenthydra Coventry All posts by this member Thread starter | 4 of 49 Mon 9th Jan 2012 1:00am Member: Joined Jan 2012 Total posts:2 Thanks for the welcome and the info. Any idea if the Hall would have been in use during the night of the 14th? I mean I can always write as if it was but it's nice if it were actually true. |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 5 of 49 Wed 11th Jan 2012 5:24pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 Really sorry, I have no idea - but I'll try and find out and post back here if I discover anything. |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 6 of 49 Fri 20th Jan 2012 3:10pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 Sorry it's taken a while. However, some good news! ![]() ![]() |
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morgana the secret garden All posts by this member | 7 of 49 Sat 21st Jan 2012 3:32pm Member: Joined Nov 2011 Total posts:1684 Reading some of the history about the town's air raid shelters a lot weren't used because the people didn't trust them, if this helps at all. |
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dutchman Spon End All posts by this member | 8 of 49 Sat 21st Jan 2012 3:48pm Member: Joined Mar 2010 Total posts:2833 Warwickshire County Councillor Barry Longden's parents sheltered him in the crypt under the cathedral, despite the proximity of Drapers Hall. They may have thought no-one would ever bomb a cathedral? |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 9 of 49 Tue 1st May 2012 5:47pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 For some months now I have been pursuing a contact at the City Council to allow me to have access to the basement of Drapers Hall to take some photos of the old air-raid shelter. I'm extremely pleased to be able to say that it finally happened today; I got to go down in the basement and take a number of photos - a few of which I share below. I'll upload more just as soon as I've spoken to Rob in order to decide the best place for them. Enjoy.
Apologies for the quality of some of them, it was in total darkness, with no lighting at all apart from a couple of torches and my camera flash.
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 10 of 49 Tue 1st May 2012 7:03pm Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:3631 Hi Tony ![]() |
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dutchman Spon End All posts by this member | 11 of 49 Tue 1st May 2012 7:07pm Member: Joined Mar 2010 Total posts:2833 Interesting pictures thanks Tony ![]() |
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Rob Orland Historic Coventry All posts by this member | 12 of 49 Tue 1st May 2012 8:12pm Webmaster: Joined Jan 2010 Total posts:1500 Excellent and interesting photos Tony, thank you so much for posting them. I expected the shelter to be much more plain and "square" looking, rather than the intriguing layout that comes across from your pictures. A lovely insight into our relatively recent dark history. |
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NeilsYard Coventry All posts by this member | 13 of 49 Wed 2nd May 2012 4:06pm Member: Joined Aug 2010 Total posts:2811 Brilliant! ![]() |
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TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 14 of 49 Wed 2nd May 2012 4:42pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1402 Hi Neil, Yes, I imagine it was. It was bad enough being there yesterday, goodness knows what it would have been like with the building literally shaking as the bombs fell.
It didn't feel as though I was very far "underground" (not like maybe a purpose-built shelter might) so as Dutchman mentioned - I doubt it would have offered a great deal of protection had a bomb dropped too close!
Anyone recall just how much damage that particular area received during the blitz? |
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Midland Red Cherwell All posts by this member | 15 of 49 Wed 2nd May 2012 5:28pm Moderator: Joined Jan 2010 Total posts:5155 Thanks for the great photos, Tony
I often wondered how I might have managed during the war and whether I could cope with going "underground" or whether I would take pot luck outdoors
I think your photos have convinced me that I would have preferred the latter! |
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