What are the Clapham Common tarmac bumps?
June 23rd, 2009 by Jack Wallington
What is this? Clapham Common has four of these blighters and they’re clearly a part of a conspiracy. Someone on our forum suggested Victorian rubbish, another said more air raid shelters, a friend thought old basketball courts. Any clues?
June 24th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I think: Old playground.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:40 am
There’s a few of them dotted around the common. As a kid, I heard old bomb-shell bunkers…dunno how true thou
June 24th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Apparently during the war, they were anti-aircraft placements…
June 25th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Curiouser and curiouser…
November 20th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
according to Wikipedia they are Victorian roller skating rinks… no, I didn’t believe that likely either… I have been tryinbg to find out myself & I have heard barracks for the Canadians who were stationed there, air raid shelters or placem,ents for anti-aircraft placements… I think the most frequent thing I have heard both locally & online, is the bomb shell bunkers. I would love some kind of visual, written or photographic, evidence though!
January 28th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
I’ve been looking into this, visiting the local history section of the Battersea Library, & talking to people from the local area, it seems that I was on the right track with Anti-aircraft gun placements. I have spoken with someone who remembers them being there in the north west section near Battersea Rise. I just want to confirm the others, along the West side of the common were also placements, too!
February 12th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Wow, brilliant – thanks Magdalena!