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Sleeping in the Shelters, 1940
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Sleeping in the Shelters, 1940
The Bystander depicts a range of different sleeping arrangements during night-time stays in air-raid shelters. On the top-left (Lansdowne House shelter) women can be seen resting on li-los, rugs, cushions, and camp beds. Those on the top-right (a Mayfair hotel shelter) are enjoying the luxury of real mattresses. On the centre-right (the shelter at Murrays dance club), a woman sleeps sprawled across three chairs. On the bottom right (Grosvenor House), deck-chairs and chairs are used. While on the bottom left (the crypt at St. Paul s), the poor individuals sleeping on nothing but rugs are treated to cups of tea.
1940
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Media ID 14403456
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Airraid Blackout Blitz Bombing Bombings Crypt Effort Grosvenor Lansdowne Mayfair Morale Murray Murrays Pauls Raid Raids Sep16 Shelter Shelters
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph, titled "Sleeping in the Shelters," captures the stark contrasts in living conditions during the night-time stays in air-raid shelters during the Blitz of World War II in London, 1940. The image, published by Illustrated London News Ltd and taken by an unknown photographer, reveals a range of makeshift sleeping arrangements that reflect the varying socio-economic backgrounds of the population. On the top-left, at Lansdowne House shelter, women are seen resting on li-los, rugs, cushions, and camp beds, creating a sense of community and shared hardship. In stark contrast, on the top-right, the residents of a Mayfair hotel shelter enjoy the luxury of real mattresses, demonstrating the disparity between the wealthy and the less fortunate. The shelter at Murrays dance club, on the centre-right, offers a unique solution with women sleeping sprawled across three chairs, making the best use of limited space. At Grosvenor House, on the bottom right, deck-chairs and chairs are utilized for makeshift beds. Lastly, on the bottom left, the poor individuals sleeping on nothing but rugs in the crypt at St. Paul's Cathedral are treated to cups of tea, a small gesture of comfort and solidarity in the midst of the chaos. This photograph provides a poignant glimpse into the resilience and resourcefulness of the British people during the Blitz, as they adapted to the harsh realities of life under constant bombing and the ever-present threat of danger. The image serves as a reminder of the unifying spirit and the collective effort to maintain morale during the darkest days of the Second World War.
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