The Coppice/Air raid shelter

Wez · 19-01-2005, 11:27

Good morning/afternoon/whatever applies!

I wondered if any of you oldies could shed some light on a subject I've never been able to get to the bottom of...

I've been told by various people whilst growing up in Accrington that there's an old bomb shelter either on or around the Coppice area?.. This might as well be urban myth as far as I’m concerned though because although I’ve spoken to people who assure me they’ve seen it/been in it, no one’s ever been able to tell me where exactly this ever elusive spot lies!

I’d like to think that I know the Coppice and it’s surrounding area like the back of my hand, I used to go running there regularly.. so if it does exist, WHY CANT I FIND IT?!?

If anyone could offer any information that might help clarify things then it would be gladly appreciated.

It may be that my bad memory is responsible for fostering this erroneous belief in my mind, but I’d like to know for sure, it would be awesome to find any truth behind it all.

Thanks for listening, I know I’m not exactly brilliant at writing..

your loving village idiot
Wez

Wez · 19-01-2005, 11:29

hmm, maybe I should stop hitting return so much when I write..

accyplus · 19-01-2005, 12:08

The only air raid shelters I can think of are buried opposite the childrens play area,
when I was kid I remember seeing the concrete supports buried there.I imagine they#
were there to protect the people playing bowls,and any kids playing on the play grounds.There was also a barrage ballon installation in the field at the top of Peel Park
Avenue,were the new houses have been built.

WillowTheWhisp · 19-01-2005, 14:40

There were some air raid shelters outside the playground wall of Peel Park school on what was then "spare land" on Alice Street. We used to call them "the hills" as they were banked up with earth and had paths up to the concrete entrances at the top. We played on them as children but they are no longer there.

accyplus · 19-01-2005, 14:58

Ther were also two large brick shelters built on the car park,they were knocked down inthe early fifties,the shelters mentioned above I broke into those in the fifties during
the school holidays,there was allsorts of stuff in there,old gas masks,torches,coins.
tin plates & cups all very interesting.Dreaded going back to school though in case
Mr Hinchcliffe found out.

WillowTheWhisp · 19-01-2005, 15:03

I fell down one of them as a child (down the inside) and damaged both of my knees. Mr Hinchliffe did find out about that! I had to be carried into school on a stretcher (goodness knows why the school had one) and lie on a canvas bed thing whilst my mother was summoned to accompany me to Accy vic.

Wez · 19-01-2005, 16:03

Thanks for the insight! Must be that anyone my age I've heard about them from were just lieing about being there..

On a lighter note what's a barrage ballon? I know of the thing in question, I thought it was the frame from an old cannon or something, the Accrington Pals once used that field for training; is it left over from their day?

..Am I asking too many questions?

accyplus · 19-01-2005, 16:11

A balloon attached to winch by a cable,when the balloon was winched out the balloon
would climb up extending the cable in hope that enemy aircraft would collide with cable.

mez · 19-01-2005, 16:36

no wez keep the questions coming , it keeps the brains on here working, glad of your imput its intresting.

park381 · 19-01-2005, 16:41

Don't know about coppice but we came across one in the grounds of Lee Royd Nursery in the early 80's.
But take care, the "lighting" in that one was STILL CONNECTED and LIVE, connected straight back to sub-station, NORWEB had no record of it, live jointers were called in to make it safe.The shelter was then demolished.

Wez · 19-01-2005, 17:19

Thanks people!

It's been an education!

I can go home now!! Woo hoo!!

I love exclamation marks!!!!!!

seya tomorrow!

Perran · 19-01-2005, 23:54

Don't know about the coppice but there is or was some sort of air shelter/building near the top of Hambledon. Remember going up there loads of times when i was younger. Made out of brick and buried in the ground. Maybe it was something to do with the dummy airfield that was built up there during WW2 or is that a made up story ive fallen for....lol

Wez · 20-01-2005, 08:29

REALLY?

WOW!

I know there's some wind shelters or something along the walls near Mitchell's Lodge... Or possibly you mean Gamblers caves? Which have been demolished incidentally

I'll look into this, not as though I should be working or anything.....

janet · 20-01-2005, 11:29

I used to play in the air raid shelter on Royds street in the 60s, it was across the road from Lee Royd nursery, we found old bed frames down there. It was very spooky.It was filled in and is now a car park.

Wez · 20-01-2005, 12:06

Is that the one between Sandy Lane and Manchester Road Janet?