Whitley Library ARP Wardens Post Shelter, Reading

 The shelter is situated behind a now disused Library in Whitley which was originally at one point in its life the ARP Headquarters Group during the Second World War.

Whitley Library was built in 1935 in a classical and confident municipal style building made from red bricks and a lovely bath stone cartouche at the very top which says Library written on it.

A few years after opening all the locals were involved in a desperate struggle for our nations very existence. The Library then became a local ARP Wardens HQ in 1940s with a underground post around the back rear of the building.

Sadly during World War Two several Whitley residents were killed or injured in the air raid on the town in 1943.

A library in these sad times would have been useful as a important refuge and the ordered symmetry of this building would have stood out as the architecture of hope. 

The Library does still remain today but being repurposed.

Further down the road from here is Rabsons Recreational Ground which once housed a divided Italian & German POW Camp during the Second World War.

The mound of the shelter.

The Escape hatch now blocked off with concrete.

Where the main entrance would have been.
An old photo of the Library which was the ARP Headquarters Group Building at one stage in its life.
Credit - Reading Libraries 

The bath stone cartouche can be seen here at the top of the building in the centre.

***UPDATE 2021 THE POST IS CURRENTLY BEING DEMOLISHED THIS MEANT ACCESS WAS POSSIBLE***







Comments

Bunker said…
Hello , do you have a video of inside this bunker or more images?
8 April 2022 at 04:05
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