A.R.P. Shelters – Detailed Plans for Denaby & Conisborough

October 1939

Mexborough & Swinton Times, October 1939

A.R.P. Shelters

Details of the plans for Conisborough and Denaby for A.R.P shelters and trenches were given to the “Times” on Monday by Mr H.Thirlwall, Surveyor to the Urban Council, who stated that the scheme for communal and pillbox type shelters for Denaby, was now complete and had been approved by the Home Office and a start would be made that morning with the provision of shelters at the rear of Blythe and Loversall Street and of Clifton and Firbeck Street.

The communal type shelters which would have an actual area of 32 feet in length, 6 feet in width and 6’6″ in height would each accommodate 32 people. The shelters will consist of brick walls, 14 inches in thickness. This and reinforced concrete roof is, the brickwork been executed by two firms of contractors and the concrete work by the Council employees.

In all, 120 communal type shelters would be erected to accommodate the people in 1253 houses in the area from Balby Street to Firbeck Street and from Cliff View to Doncaster Road, the estimated cost being this £10,800.

In addition, there would be 60 single type domestic surface shelters, accommodating 360 persons, 130 double type, accommodating 1560 people and nine large double type, accommodating 144 people.

These would be erected in the yards of houses in the area between Tickhill Square and Cliff View at an estimated cost of £5835. The total cost of the whole scheme would be £7875 for materials and £8878 for labour, and Mr Thirlwall mentioned that under the scheme the government would pay for the whole of the materials and for 75% of the labour this. The cost to Conisborough urban district ratepayers will be £2200.

Mr Thirlwall also mentioned that they might have to provide a few communal type shelters in Conisborough, when it was not possible to erect Anderson steel shelters or use basements. For Conisborough Anderson shelters would be provided, except in certain cases where sellers all basements will be adapted. The question of the delivery of Anderson shelters was a matter entirely for the Government and not for the Council at all.

The Council had had to prepare schedules of requirements and these had been sent off more than six weeks ago. They showed that a total of 1126 shelters would be wanted, 994 being for households of six persons, 100 for families of 7 to 8 people and 32 for families of 9 to 10

With regard to public trenches, that was a matter for the West Riding County Council, but he had been asked to conduct a survey, with a view to recommending additional public shelters; these would consist of cellars and basements which would be adapted to meet the public needs.

At the moment work was proceeding on the existing trenches behind the Mining Offices of Amalgamated Denaby Collieries Ltd (to accommodate between 350 and 400 people) and on the Denaby Recreation ground (to accommodate between 160 and 200 people.)

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