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This decade was defined by WWII (1939 – 1945). The basement of John Lewis Oxford Street was transformed into a workable and liveable bomb shelter to protect customers and Partners. On the night of the 18th September 1940, it saved the lives of over 250 civilians when an enemy bomb landed directly on the premises.
- Olivia Adams
Apr 11, 2024 · On the night of the 18th September 1940, the makeshift bomb shelter basement of John Lewis saved countless lives. For the department store was destroyed when an enemy bomb landed directly on the premises. The John Lewis West House was hit by an incendiary oil bomb, reducing the building to rubble. The resulting fires blew their way over to the ...
Sep 6, 2010 · As the war progressed, John Lewis continued to do its bit for the war effort, hosting a series of popular public exhibitions in its basement air raid shelter. But the building was now beyond repair. John Lewis's - a presence on Oxford Street since 1864 - remained a bomb site until 1954.
Jun 16, 2010 · John Lewis & Co Ltd - at 278 Oxford Street on the corner with Holles Street - was hit by incendiaries in the early hours of 18 September 1940. 200 people were sleeping in the store’s basement air raid shelter.
Aug 19, 2005 · This lasted about half an hour, and then the fire brigade decided that civilians should leave the area. By that time John Lewis was completely ablaze. The police thanked all the helpers for their ...
Jun 13, 2024 · The flimsy Anderson shelter did not appear to offer a great deal of protection, but many survived when the buildings next to them did not, and they certainly protected against flying debris. As the historian P. Ziegler states, an Anderson shelter could "resist a 50 kg bomb falling six feet away and a 250 kg bomb at twenty feet" (99-100).
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When did John Lewis become a bomb shelter?
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What happened to John Lewis West House?
Why were air raid shelters important during WW2?
Each deep-level shelter had an upper and lower floor, divided into sub-shelters. To help shelterers navigate, each sub-shelter was given the name of a historic senior British naval commander. But with air raids no longer a significant danger in 1942 and 1943, many of the deep-level shelters were used for military storage and staff accommodation.
