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-   -   What's happening here then? (https://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/amble-northumberland/showthread.php?t=543)

Coquet 14-10-2015 07:08 PM

What's happening here then?
 
2 Attachment(s)
Just thought I would add these two images before I add the text!
(these pointed out by Janwhin)

For your contemplation!

Alan J. 15-10-2015 09:27 AM

At a guess I would say it is something to do with the start of WW2. The gas masks and the miner suggests a possible rehearsal for air raids. At the beginning of the war apparently people in Radcliffe went down the drift between Centre and Leslie rows to shelter when there was an air raid. As the war went on they got sick of this and gave it up to take their chances at home.

Coquet 15-10-2015 01:00 PM

I knew you'd get that one. :) .. and yes, June 1939, before the war had started.

Here's the full story:

(picture title for those above)
On Friday evening, when an air raid rehearsal was held in the Redrow and Broomhill district, men, women, and children went down the various colliery drifts leading to the workings of Broomhill colliery, for shelter. The pictures obtained at the East Chevington Drift show: — a party, in the charge of an air raid warden (left), going down the scores of steps of the East Chevington Drift, while at the East Chevington Landing at the bottom of the drift, the party, in charge of the Master Shifter (left), are pictured after the order "Gas Masks On" was sent down.



Red Row A.R.P. Rehearsal.
Colliery Drifts Used As Shelters


Considerable activity prevailed in the Red Row and Broomhill district on Friday night, when an A.R.P. practice was staged by members of the local A.R.P.organisation, with Mr D.P. Jackson as head warden.
The Broomhill Coal Company kindly co-operated in the arrangements by allowing the colliery buzzer to be sounded and consenting to the use of their drifts as air raid shelters.
At 8:30 PM a succession of short blasts by the colliery buzzer indicated that imaginary aircraft were within five minutes of Red Row. On the sound of the buzzer, men, women and children, armed with gas masks and pit lamps, rushed to the drifts at East Chevington, Red Row, Woodside, South Broomhill, and North Broomhill.
Air raid wardens and first-aid parties took up their positions at the various points, shepherding and guiding the civilians to the comparative safety afforded by the drifts. The Red Row Infants School was utilised as the first-aid post, in charge of Doctor Scott, and members of the local Ambulance Corps.
The local ambulances and residents of the district who possessed cars offered these as ambulances to carry "casualties" to the clearing station, while lorries conveyed rescue squads to various points where help was required.
Members of the Boys Brigade acted as runners, conveying messages from district wardens to headquarters, and thus keeping the head warden informed as to the progress of operations.
Captain Fox, A.R.P. Officer, Morpeth, was present with five umpires who watched the operations and later congratulated the organisations on the highly commendable way in which the various branches of the organisation had been carried out.
It was the 1st practice of its kind held in the district, and although maybe not perfect, yet it prove quite satisfactory.

Derilda 15-10-2015 07:41 PM

Re. Air Raids WW2
 
My Father was in ARP during the war, as were several others at Broomhill and surrounds. One of our neighbours, Harry Robertson, was also a Warden and off they would go when a air raid was imminent. This was signalled to all by the 'Buzzer' at the colliery. I was born in May 1940 and Mother was very friendly with Harry's wife, so the two women kept each other company when duty called the men away. Well, one night there were several warnings and the women got a bit on edge so I was put in the clothes basket and we all set off to the colliery where it was deemed safer.. (As per the photo's from Coquet)
During transit I was deposited onto the road at Stone Row as they ran to get us all safe. They were some distance away when they realised that I wasn't where I should be. They retraced and found me, all well wrapped and still fast asleep. My Mother often told me that was the last time they went to the colliery. She made a bed under the table where we must have spent a good part of the war during the nights of air raids.
As for me, well, I didn't come to any harm and I have been a sound sleeper all my life!
I suppose, todays audience would think that it was dangerous for me to be lying there but petrol rationing and blackout orders made sure there was no traffic around. Plus the fact that there would only be a couple of families in the whole village who owned a car then.
Almost bedtime again so I'll get off and practice again, just in case there is an air raid!!

hollydog 15-10-2015 09:30 PM

My grandad was an ARP in Amble, still got his tin helmet here

Coquet 16-10-2015 08:50 AM

Quote:

My grandad was an ARP in Amble, still got his tin helmet here
Nice memento. So much more interesting with provenance too.



It is interesting just how early the Government knew war was coming.
All the silver lapel badges for the ARP I have seen are hallmarked for 1938.
They are very common, must be 100s of thousands of them.


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/images/arp_badge.jpg

Coquet 16-10-2015 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan J. (Post 5682)
At a guess I would say it is something to do with the start of WW2. The gas masks and the miner suggests a possible rehearsal for air raids. At the beginning of the war apparently people in Radcliffe went down the drift between Centre and Leslie rows to shelter when there was an air raid. As the war went on they got sick of this and gave it up to take their chances at home.


Surprised to see a flat roof in the second picture. Expected arched girders. Cannot see a roof support anywhere either. It could be inbye Ellington 2003!


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