World War II shelter uncovered during Shipley renovation

The former St Walburga’s school building on Farfield Road in Shipley is currently undergoing a major refurbishment following £3m funding from the Government’s Shipley Towns Fund.

That renovation work has now uncovered the bomb shelter, in which an eroded biscuit tin from the 1940s was also found, along with one of the original school boilers, with its plate still intact.

The biscuits appear to be from Huntley & Palmers.

Its website says: "The company was originally founded in 1822 by Thomas Huntley and George Palmer and continued to trade until the early 1990’s.

"Several years later we are back producing high quality products with a focus on product excellence and superb packaging design."

The old biscuit tin (Image: Bradford Council) The discovery of the shelter left those working on the site stunned as they unearthed such a significant piece of history.

Now anyone with memories of the building - or anyone who has historical artefacts like photographs that could shed more light on the building - is urged to get in touch.

The biscuits appear to be from a firm called Huntley & Palmers (Image: Bradford Council) James Wood, director of contactors, Bradford-based Whitaker and Leach, said: “We were aware there was a bomb shelter on site, but the exact location and scale were not known.

“We are experienced in working on sites with various challenges but this shelter has really intrigued everyone working here.

“We discovered the extent of the shelter during the excavations and we couldn’t believe what we had uncovered.

“To find the biscuit tin untouched since the Second World War was incredible, it’s like stepping back in time.”

The refurbishment, designed by Saltaire-based architects Rance Booth Smith, will include a new atrium, communal space and gardens for the centre which will continue to be run by The Cellar Trust.

Its mission will be to provide health and wellbeing support by working with a range of services from the voluntary sector, public sector and social enterprise all in one place.

Kim Shutler, CEO of The Cellar Trust, added “It is exciting to think that in preparing this wonderful building for a long future serving the people of Shipley for years to come, it has given us a glimpse of its incredible past.

Workers were left stunned as they unearthed the piece of history (Image: Bradford Council) “The building, which has been a fixture in Shipley for generations, has long served as a school, but little is publicly known about its history.

“As restoration work progresses, we’re hoping to compile as much information as possible and we’re calling on the community for their recollections and stories.

“We’d love to collate this heritage, and we’re committed to preserving the building’s historical integrity while giving it a new lease on life.”

Adam Clerkin, who is chair of the Shipley Towns Fund, spoke of how when funding is approved for work, the primary thought is the positive impact a project will have on the area for years to come.

He added: To get such an incredible glimpse into the past while doing so is almost unbelievable.

Anyone with memories or photographs that can shed more light on St Walburga's is urged to get in touch with The Cellar Trust (Image: Bradford Council) “It will be fascinating to hear more about the building’s history as the work progresses.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, transport and planning said, described it as an “unbelievably interesting discovery”.

He said: “It was wonderful to hear that The Cellar Trust plans to display any uncovered artefacts proudly in the newly-renovated centre when it opens in 2025.

“The new centre will transform the way mental health and well-being services are delivered in Shipley, so it’s really special to unearth the way the building also supported the people of Shipley in the past.”

Those with any information or photographs of St Walburga’s should contact marketing@thecellartrust.org