Air Raid Shelters etc

"Browns" was originally a rather large and well kept public toilet before being a bar so it is probably the correct place. It was purchased by the Alen HIggs Trust in 2013 and they planned to reopen it as in bar in 2014 but I'm not sure whether they did as I haven't been past it for a while. Browns Bar Sold

It's now a restaurant/bar called Drapers. Here's a brief history of the site.

Thanks to the last two respondents for their answers to my query. It seems odd turning what was a public toilet into a Bar! It probably wasn't an air raid shelter then?

Before it was a public toilet, I remember that building when it was the museum, and wandering round looking at the exhibits. I understand it was the basement of the new Herbert Art Gallery, the building of which was stopped at the outbreak of World War 2. I recall it as a low grey, squat building with chunks taken out of it, presumably from wartime shrapnel, as can still be seen in the walls of the nearby Cathedral. Although I stand to be corrected, I understand that it was used as an air raid shelter and if I'd have been around with that lot going on I would certainly have dived in there for cover, as probably many people did.

This will no-doubt bring back memories for a lot of people, but visible on the right hand side of this photo is the "One Person" Air Raid Shelter that used to stand in Pool Meadow Bus Station!

Anyone know how long that remained in situ?

I remember that 'thing' so well, hope it had an air vent! I always thought it had something to do with the bus inspectors.

If I remember right, that shelter stood by the corner (Priory St.) next to where the blind man used to to sell the newspapers and was still there in the early sixties.

The ornate building in the background is the rear of the art school in Ford Street. Access to the rear workshop was between the buses and over the pavement, obviously this was not done when it was busy

I always thought it was for keeping the grit in for the pavement.

This was mentioned back in 2012 in this thread and the o p referred to it as a "one person air raid shelter"

The rear access to the Art School had to be used very early in the morning. The Principal, cannot remember his name at mo, nice person though, had his car resprayed every year (free of charge) as teaching lessons on paint spraying for the students. I was one of his students. Also, MR I think Dreamtime is right, rightly or wrongly I was told that the shelter was for the Last Man Standing i.e. the inspector or the one in charge of Pool Meadow as he had to make sure no-one was left in the bus station during an air raid.

More in line - does anyone know for certain when it first appeared there?

Where did air-raid shelter come from? I would think it was storage shelter, oilcan, raincoat, lost property etc, neither does it look 1939. I think Pool Meadow was a little different then, looks either metal or flammable stuff, neither suitable for air raids, you would either roast or get burnt, certainly during the blitz. I never read, heard or saw a 'single' air-raid shelter either in Coventry or London, did the Gov't make and issue such in 39? Somehow it looks like the fifties, if so, there was an horrific accident in Pool Meadow, a bus knocked down and ran over a person's head, people fainted, weresick and panic stricken. Fearnley, I believe it was, had to make better accident arrangements. Dutchman, I know of no water tank built in the centre of town for fireman before the blitz, neither have I seen one in any photo of the blitz, They took a lot of water from the Sherbourne behind the Wine Lodge. What I have seen is basements flooded after the house had been burnt down, bit of a joke don't you think? The one you said in Jordan Well wasn't there till sometime in 41 after the raids had ceased. I believe I read somewhere those particular houses were still standing next morning but on fire, they burnt down that day, nearly twelve months later they filled the basement with water, it was never used to my knowledge.

Just found this better shot of a shelter.