IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Wentworth Avenue, BOURNEMOUTH, BH5 2EF

It is becoming fairly obvious that a number of the wealthier Bournemouth families perhaps in anticipation of impending hostilities had their own private air raid shelters constructed in their gardens before the outbreak of WWII. Yesterday I was privileged to have been invited by a landscape gardener working at a property at Ravine Road in Southbourne who had uncovered purely by chance, a buried structure that was previously unknown to the present homeowner. The entrance passage to it appears to have been blocked with rubble and sealed, but access was discovered via the escape hatch chamber that was uncovered during work on the patio. From there one enters a large cube shaped room about 3m x 3m x 3m that was fitted with lighting, and a 2 pin electrical socket. It is evident it was in use postwar as a store with signs of former wooden shelving on the walls. There are large metal hooks in the ceiling that may have been associated with sleeping, possibly to sling hammocks? Image

Looking up from the escape hatch chamber that was discovered during work on the patio. It is currently the only means of entry into the shelter as the main entrance passage at the opposite end has been blocked postwar and sealed, and so far has not been excavated. Image

The view inside the shelter looking towards the escape hatch chamber which currently has a modern ladder in situ in order to facilitate entry for one elderly Geograph photographer. Image

The view towards the entrance passage that branches off to the right and was enclosed by a (now) open door. It can be seen to have been blocked by concrete rubble down what appears to be a sloping floor from the sealed off entrance doorway. The human figure gives a sense of scale to the shelter which is roughly cube shaped 3m x 3m x 3m. Image

Electrical fitting (Bakelite light switch and 2 pin socket) top right of entrance. Image

Close up of electrical fittings, a light switch, and a two pin electrical socket. Image

Entrance door and blocked entrance passage. Image

View towards the entrance passage showing hooks in the ceiling and electric light. I wonder if the hooks were associated with the sleeping arrangements, possibly the hooks were there to suspend hammocks? The wood shelving remains may have been fitted post war when the bunker was used as a store. Image

The blocked entrance passage. Image

Looking westward along College Road from the junction of Ravine Road, its eastern end. The postbox is a George V-reign specimen.