Clapham Common deep shelter (north) - rear, Clapham High Street, SW4

Image: © Mike Quinn Taken: 8 Feb 2011

In late 1940, the government decided to build a system of deep (air raid) shelters linked to existing underground stations. Each deep shelter consisted of two parallel tubes that might be used for future express underground lines. Seven such shelters were built at Northern Line stations - Belsize Park, Camden Town, Goodge Street, Stockwell, Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South. Each shelter had two entrances with a “pill box” and ventilation shafts; most of these are still there today (February 2011). Some of the deep shelters are in use for secure storage of documents. This shelter is currently (February 2011) used by Iron Mountain Inc, a global document storage company. Iron Mountain was founded in 1951 in Livingston, NY, 125 miles north of New York City. The Company's founder, Herman Knaust, was known by his Hudson River valley neighbours as the "Mushroom King" because he made his fortune growing and marketing mushrooms. In 1936, he purchased a depleted iron ore mine and 100 acres of land for $9,000 because he needed more space to grow his product. But by 1950, the mushroom market shifted and Mr. Knaust was looking for alternative uses for his mine, which he had named "Iron Mountain." In 1951, Iron Mountain Atomic Storage, Inc. was founded. Mr. Knaust opened the first "vaults" inside Iron Mountain and put a sales office in the Empire State Building. With 2009 revenue of $3 billion Herman Knaust (allegedly) displayed great foresight in 1952 when he said "This business will mushroom...". For more info see http://www.ironmountain.co.uk/index.asp. This shelter can be seen on the satellite image http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=51.462769213201525&lon=-0.13492852449417114&gz=19&oz=10>=1 . [Source: “Beneath the City Streets” by Peter Laurie (1970, revised 1979).]

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