August 1939: The year Sunderland prepared for war by digging shelters

August 1939 was the month when homes began stepping up their building of air raid shelters in the gardens of their homes.

Other bigger communal shelters appeared across the town at places including Ryhope.

More than 1.5million shelters were distributed

More than 1.5million Anderson shelters were issued across Britain and updates were given in Parliament.

Here’s one on the Ford Estate in Sunderland in 1939. This householder makes sure it is well built into the ground in his garden.

Children watched in amazement

Have a look at one being delivered to a house in General Havelock Road. A small crowd of children turned up to watch it arriving.

In another scene, this woman peers out of a shelter in Percy Terrace South in Hendon. This one is unlike most of the others in Sunderland as it was built completely at ground level.

There was a shelter in Mowbray Park

Take a look at these workers making preparations to the shelter in Mowbray Park.

Lastly, here’s one at Ryhope Colliery.

Tell us if your relatives talked about the dark days of 1939 and what life was like inside an air raid shelter. Email [email protected].