Search results
Of those 3.6 million shelters, just a handful remain in place today. This site contains information about the 15 I know of, together with information about the history, design and construction of the Anderson shelter.
- Brockley, London
The entrance to the Brockley Anderson shelter The escape...
- The shelters
This section lists the 14 Anderson shelters in England which...
- Design & Construction
This dramatic photo demonstrates the strength of an Anderson...
- Other shelters
A shelter for workers on the Bridgewater Canal; Three...
- Reminiscences
We had an Anderson shelter in our back garden in Manchester....
- Contact
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best...
- History
The Anderson air raid shelter, made of curved corrugated...
- Cheadle, Cheshire
This is an unusual shelter In Cheadle, south of Manchester....
- Brockley, London
Learn about different types of air raid shelters used during World War II and other conflicts, such as cellars, Hochbunkers and Anderson shelters. Find out how they were designed, built and used to protect people from enemy attacks.
- Anderson Shelters Were Named After The Minister of Home Security
- The Shelters Could Fit Up to 6 People
- Anderson Shelters Were Free For Some People
- Anderson Shelters Were Initially Pre-Emptive
- People rebelled Against The Use of Anderson Shelters
- Anderson Shelters Were Tough to Endure During Winter
- Decoration Competitions Were Held
- Anderson Shelters Were Not Ideal For Urban Areas
- Anderson Shelters Were Not The Most Effective Option Available
- Anderson Shelters Were Replaced by Morrison Shelters
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
In November 1938, while serving as Lord Privy Seal and Minister of Home Security, Sir John Anderson was asked by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to prepare Britain for defense against bombing raids. The resultant shelters Anderson commissioned were named after him.
Anderson commissioned engineers William Patterson and Oscar Carl Kerrison to find a viable structure. Their design consisted of 14 steel panels – 8 internal sheets and 6 curved sheets bolted together to cover the structure. The structure was to be buried over 1m into the ground and covered with soil. Just 1.4m wide, 2m long and 1.8m tall, the shelt...
Anderson shelters were provided free of charge for people with household annual incomes of less than £250 (equivalent to approximately £14,700 today). They cost £7 (roughly £411 today) to buy for everyone else. At the end of the war, many local authorities collected the corrugated iron, though people who wished to purchase their shelters could pay ...
Britain’s preparations for air raid shelters began in 1938, and the first Anderson shelter was set up in Islington, London, in February 1939. By the time Britain and France declared waron Germany on 3 September 1939, 1.5 million Anderson shelters had already been constructed. While Britain’s pre-emptive approach had prepared them well, the substant...
After heavy bombing raids in early September 1940, thousands of Londoners flocked to underground stations against government advice, rather than using Anderson shelters. The police didn’t intervene, and some station managers provided additional toilet facilities. On 21 September, government policy was changed and 79 stations were fitted with bunks ...
While the corrugated steel sheets provided protection from bomb blasts, they offered little protection from the elements. Anderson shelters were bitingly cold during the winter months while rainfall often led to flooding and sometimes the collapse of structures. As a result, many people would defy government instructions to spend the majority of th...
People were free to decorate and where possible add comfort to their shelters as they pleased. Bunk beds could be purchased but were often built at home.As a way of boosting wartime morale, some communities held competitions to determine the best-decorated shelters in the neighbourhood. People also took advantage of the fact that shelters require a...
Given the requirement for garden space to accommodate an Anderson shelter, they were not a particularly viable option in built-up urban areas. Around a quarter of the population did not have gardens. A 1940 survey found that only 27% of Londoners stayed in an Anderson shelter, while 9% slept in public shelters, 4% used underground stations, and the...
During World War Two, Spain utilised the shelter model of engineer Ramón Perera. Larger and sturdier than Anderson shelters, Perera’s shelter proved effective: Barcelona only suffered around 2,500 casualties from 194 bombing raids, earning Perera the nickname ‘the man who saved Barcelona’. The British government ignored Perera’s expertise and rejec...
When it became common knowledge that the public preferred to stay in their homes and would generally avoid using their Anderson shelters, a new, indoor version was prioritised. This arrived in 1941 in the form of the Morrison shelter, named after Herbert Morrison who had replaced Anderson as the Minister of Home Security. The Morrison shelter was e...
Learn about the history and design of Anderson shelters, the corrugated iron structures that protected millions of Britons from German bombing during World War Two. Discover how they were named, built, used, and replaced by Morrison shelters.
Learn about the design, distribution and use of Anderson shelters, the small and cheap garden shelters that protected millions of Britons from German air raids in World War 2. Find out how people adapted, decorated and reused the shelters after the war.
Learn about the history and design of Anderson shelters, small units built in private gardens to protect people from bombing during World War II. Explore documents, images and questions related to the Home Front 1939-1945.
Learn how to build a small unit in your garden to protect yourself from bombing during World War II. See diagrams, letters and documents from the official records of the British government.
People also ask
What was the Anderson air raid shelter made of?
What happened inside an Anderson shelter?
What was the purpose of the Anderson shelter in WW2?
How did the Anderson air raid shelter survive?
How much do Anderson shelters cost?
How did Anderson shelters work?
Learn how to construct and furnish your own Anderson shelter, a type of corrugated steel air raid shelter used in the UK during World War II. See official instructions, photos, and tips from the Home Office and local authorities.
Great Prices On Original Anderson Shelter. Find It On eBay. Everything You Love On eBay. Check Out Great Products On eBay.
