There was an impromptu public air-raid shelter, making use of a pre-existing kiln-trench, at W.S.Cozens’s (Stour Brick, Sand and Gravel Co.)brick kilns at the junction of Sturry Road and Reed Avenue. This was perhaps most often referred to as the ‘Reed Avenue’ shelter. The provision was suggested around the start of the Second World War, but was still not available on 6 September 1939 because of the bricks stored therein. These needed to be stacked in the open air and the council offered to meet the cost of their insurance against damage. This proved impossible, but the conversion went ahead, to accommodate 80 persons, and was approved for use on 9 January 1940. (A similar shelter was provided among Cozens’s other brick kilns adjoining Salisbury Road and St Michael’s Road). There seem to have been latrines outside(?) each entrance to the shelter by that time. Late in February 1941 the firm requested the affected kiln (No.2) back. The Canterbury Emergency Committee applied to have it formally requisitioned, but later rescinded, and instead requisitioned another kiln on the site (No.3). The new kiln-trench was provided with a concrete floor early in 1941, and an emergency feeding centre was established within the shelter at about this time – equipped with camp boilers etc..
Owner : Private
Publicly accessible : Unknown
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : Destroyed
Date of visit :

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). SKE14863.

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). Ske14863.

Simon Williamson, 01/01/39, Chief Air-Raid Warden’s notebook (Unpublished document). SKE14864.

Simon Williamson, 01/01/39, Chief Air-Raid Warden’s notebook (Unpublished document). Ske14864.