Trying Out Improvised Fallout Shelters
The York & Scunthorpe Experiments,
March & August 1965.
Civil Defence Handbook No. 10, Advising the Householder on Protection
against Nuclear Attack produced in 1963.
In 1965, two simple experiments on the mental and physical effects of staying in a fallout room, as described in Civil Defence Handbook No. 10, for the recommended minimum time for protection against fallout were carried out. The York experiment was done by three women for 48 hours and the Scunthorpe experiment by a family of three for 72 hours.
As a little explanation for comments in the Scunthorpe report, "protective factor" or P.F. If you are, for example, inside a building with a protective factor of 25 (roughly that of a standard brick-built semi-detached house) then you will receive 1/25th of the radiation that some standing outside in the open would get.
The York Experiment, 20th-22nd March, 1965.
Left from Birmingham Daily Post - Tuesday 23 March 1965
Both from the British Newspaper Archive (click on picture to enlarge)
In an outbuilding at the Guildhall in York, the local Civil Defence Committee had made a permanent display of a household fallout room, as suggested in Civil Defence Handbook No. 10. This had been mothballed over winter but in the spring of 1965, they decided to use it for an experiment. The Civil Defence officer asked for volunteers to stay in the fallout room for 48 hours, the minimum time advised in the handbook. The scenario was that a 5-megaton nuclear attack on Leeds had created a fallout cloud that would cross York.
At 10.00am on 20th March, housewife Margaret Jones (34), British Rail clerk Winifred Smith (40), and civil servant Mildred Veale (40) went into the room. They had no electricity, gas, a limited amount of water and food, a selection of books including a complete set of James Bond, Science Fiction books and one on anthropology, and knitting, embroidery and dress-making materials. They also had a radio set that played pre-recorded simulated emergency messages based on the scenario. To quote Civil Defence magazine, “It looked like becoming a cosy little hen party, to be interrupted only by the occasional radio warnings of heavy radioactivity”.
taken from the History Today article (see below).
The fallout room measured 9ft by 13ft (2.75 x 4 metres), about the same size as a normal living room. It had a table, three chairs, cupboards and bookshelves .There was no daylight as the windows had been whitewashed to reflect bomb flash as suggested in the handbook.
The room had a lean-to shelter core made of propped up doors covered by sandbags. The protective factor of this core was three times that of the rest of the room. Inside, this measured just 3ft by 5ft (1 x 1.5 metres). The women would need to stay in there for the first seven hours in order to avoid the most damaging period of fallout [look up the 7:10 rule- Nick]. They actually managed six-and-a-half hours before discomfort and cramps forced them out of the core.
When interviewed by the Yorkshire Evening Press as the experiment began, all three were upbeat about their coming ordeal but that changed.
Miss Mildred Veale told the newspaper, “I kept thinking the core shelter was going to fall in”. The volunteers reported that on the first day, "They did nothing but exist; did the minimum of cooking, but nothing else whatever" and that the "Simulated radio news broadcasts made them feel more miserable and isolated”. They tried to do some knitting, but made so many mistakes they had to give up and when they went to bed, they found themselves unable to sleep". Miss Smith said that “the experiment made them imagine things, like bad dreams and time dragged”.
The organisers of the experiment that they were surprised by the rapid onset of feelings of listlessness in the volunteers after their initial period of confinement in the core.
A local newspaper had found out about the experiment from council minutes and news spread throughout the Press around the country. By the time the women emerged into the sunlight, around 40 local and national reporters, along with TV crews from the BBC and Granada, were waiting to meet them.
A comment in the official report stated “When the ladies opened the door, we were relieved to see that they were extremely presentable and ready for the fray”, and “The ladies knew what they were doing, believed it to be important, and obviously impressed the reporters with their sincerity”. The Civil Defence Committee said ‘no restriction whatever was placed on questions and answers’.
The follow up official report suggested that more work needed to be done to find ways of making the suggested fallout room safer and more comfortable.
The Scunthorpe Experiment, 12th-15th August, 1965.
from the British Newspaper Archive (click on picture to enlarge)
The report of A. E. Rainsforth, Deputy Civil Defence Officer,
copied from “Civil Defence" magazine Vol.18 No.1 January 1966.
Introduction
During a meeting of the Civil Defence Officer and the full-time staff, held in June, 1965, the subject of Publicity and Recruiting was raised. The question of having a house in each Sector of the town fitted with a fall-out room and available for public viewing was then discussed. Knowing the general apathy of the majorty of the public towards matters concerning Civil Defence. I suggested that it would make a better impact if one of the rooms was occupied for a specified period. As this had been done before in different countries, and the last time by three volunteers of the York Division on March 20-22, 1965, it was felt that something different had to be done. Forthwith I volunteered to use my own family, as it was not known whether a child had taken part in any previous test.
Purpose of Experiment
This was not to be a scheme aimed primarily at publicity, but with a serious object in mind. The purpose of occupying the fallout room and shelter core was two-fold. Firstly, to find the reactions and psychological effect this would have on a child and, secondly, to draw local public attention to the fact that families can make adequate preparations, and with the minimum of discomfort, give their families a chance of survival against nuclear radiation. The test was timed to last for 72 hours, from 10.00 on Thursday, August 12, until 10.00 hours on Sunday, August 15, 1965.
Assumptions
It was assumed that on Tuesday, August 10, the Government declared a State of Emergency and advised the general public by both radio and television to prepare their fall-out rooms.
Action
The room chosen for the experiment was the living room, situated at the rear of the house, one of a semi-detached type (Council house). Reasons for using this room were that not only was it the largest, 15 ft. x 13 ft., but the built in cupboards already held the food supplies, crockery, cutlery, etc. Adjoining the living room was a very small scullery.
With a real sense of urgency I started to fill sandbags, and in 1 1/2 hours I had 100 filled, tied and stocked ready for positioning. The bags measured 15 in. x 9 in. x 4 1/2 in. and when filled weighed approximately 25 lb. To conserve the sandbags I had to use some old timbers to form a shelf level with the window sill and the living room was then blocked from outside using 48 of the prepared bags. The small scullery window was blocked by the use of cardboard cartons filled with earth.
For the shelter core I had two doors and decided to utilise the party wall as the gable end and the partition wall to support the doors at an angle of approximately 60 deg. This now made a lean-to shelter with the following dimensions:
Width from wall to base 3 ft. 3 in. Maximum height 5 ft. 4 in. Length 5 ft. 0 in.
Another 12 sandbags had to be filled as it required 64 to give the core its full protective factor. The protective factor of the fall-out room was now approximately 48 and the shelter core and a P.F. of approx. 70.
During Tuesday and Wednesday preparations were finalised and I now had the windows blocked, shelter core constructed, elson type toilet, primus stove and fuel, food and water stores checked and lighting, including candles, torch and spare batteries and an old type paraffin lamp. We had decided against taking in a radio, as although we could have switched on at predetermined times, I felt that the probable sound of music if switched on early could have been a temptation to leave it on.
0900 hours, August 12, 1965. It was now assumed that an attack had taken place some hours earlier, many miles away and we were now in an undamaged fall-out area and a Grey Warning was received. To make the experiment more realistic I had turned off the water and gas supply, instructed the G.P.O. to take off the telephone and when at 1000 hours the Black Warning was given I turned off the electricity at the mains and the family retired to the fall-out room.
Log Book
1st Day: As we retired to the shelter core at 1000 hours I instructed my wife and Jeanette to get in position whilst I collected some biscuits, raisins and a bottle of milk. When we entered the core we tried to get as comfortable as possible and I again explained to Jeanette just why we were doing this and what may happen if we did not take shelter. Candles had been lit and placed near the entrance, together with some reading material and games.
Conditions were cramped in the core and as was to be expected, Jeanette became restless and wanted to get out after the first hour. To keep her mind occupied and make things easier for her we began to play Criss Cross Quiz, each of us taking turn as quiz master and it did not really matter whether the answers were right or wrong. After this we made up stories for a while and then, as lighting was not too good I allowed Jeanette to use the torch so that she could read comics. For these first seven hours the time passed away by alternating our activities.
1700 hours. Amazingly the seven hours have passed much quicker than we expected and Jeanette has come out of it well. We are all very stiff, sore and hungry. The strange thing about this is that we are more concerned about how other families and especially larger ones would have fared under the same circumstances. We know why we are doing this.
1730 hours. Having eased our aching muscles by simple exercises, we prepare a meal of bacon, eggs and a 16 oz. tin of tomatoes, plus of course, a very welcome cup of tea. Jeanette is always afraid of fire and is very wary of the primus stove.
1815 hours. Washed up dishes, using the minimum of water. My wife had tried to read, but the poor light is too much of a strain for her. Jeanette is steadily plodding through her comics. For light I am using four candles and do not want to increase this number. There is a limited supply of candles available and there is a necessity to conserve oxygen, although ventilation is reasonably adequate.
2130 hours. Time has passed fairly quickly, but the atmosphere is becoming a little unpleasant. I allowed each of us a few minutes to freshen up in the adjoining scullery (approximately 2 pints of water used between us). Made a hot drink and went to bed at 2200 hours, my wife on the settee and myself using an air bed on the floor. (One blanket each is quite adequate, really quite warm).
2nd Day: The first night was not unpleasant and all had a good night's rest. We did not wake until 1000 hours and the atmosphere is very stuffy, but after a cold sponging of our hands and faces we have prepared breakfast—fried eggs and beans. 1050 hours. Finished washing up and Jeanette is beginning to worry about her pet rabbit which is shut in the wash house. Although she has her dolls and games with her she is only interested at this stage in reading and colouring pictures in books. Feeling rather thirsty so opened a small tin of fruit juice and shared between us.
1245 hours. Jean, my wife, went into the core to stretch out and soon fell asleep again. Jeanette and I tried to do a jigsaw puzzle, but with the poor light we soon put it aside and whilst I did a spot of reading, Jeanette peeled some potatoes.
1500 hours. Jean came out of the shelter core and prepared the second meal of the day; mashed potatoes, corned beef, tinned peas and a tin of pineapple, the .juice of this was most refreshing. (All tins were wiped before opening and rinsed out in the washing up water to prevent any stale food odours.)
1600 hours. I retired to the shelter core for an hour and Jean and Jeanette tried the jigsaw, but after about half and hour it was put aside again. Jean started to play patience and showed Jeanette how to play. Jeanette then went on to play for about 6 hours, broken only when at about 2020 hours she said she was hungry again. Strangely none of us have lost our appetites through lack of exercise. The smell of paraffin is overpowering at times. For our last meal of the day we opened two 15 oz. tins of soup and a tin of spaghetti.
Though the atmosphere is getting progressively worse none of us are showing signs of lassitude; at one point Jeanette was jumping around with gusto. Towards the late evening I became short tempered with Jeanette over a point of hygiene, but we were soon pals again. We feel completely cut-off as everything is so quiet and apart from the dog next door we have heard absolutely nothing. Retired for the night at 2320 hours. We all slept well.
3rd Day: Awake at 0800 hours, but no one bothered to rise until 0915 hours. The heat is really oppressive now and Jeanette has asked if she can just stay in her pyjamas. Before breakfast was ready she was at the table and playing patience again, breakfast consisted of tinned tomatoes, bread and tea.
1210 hours. Refilled primus stove and because Jean has been unable to read I have lit a paraffin lamp for better illumination. The cards are out again and Jeanette is once more playing patience. Although the lamp is giving off more light it is also generating excessive heat and we are feeling very hot and clammy. Lamp put out at 1430 hours and we relight the candles. Jean retired to the shelter core and Jeanette and I play Bingo, after an hour in the core Jean comes out and I go in for half an hour.
1600 hours. Once again Jeanette is crying out that she is hungry so while she prepares the table Jean gets something ready. As there are only a few small potatoes left these are boiled for Jeanette, together with tinned Irish Stew. Jean and I are feeling well enough apart from slight headaches. Jeanette is still going great and won't let us lay around and get listless. We are all wondering what fresh air will smell like.
2235 hours. It has been warmer than ever this evening and we changed into our night attire early on. It was too warm to cook a full meal so at 2130 hours we sat down to crackers and cheese, meat paste, and made coffee with a tin of evaporated milk. We opened an individual fruit jelly for Jeanette, but unfortunately this had melted and instead of quenching her thirst the sweetness only made her more thirsty. Time is now 2250 hours. We have sponged ourselves down (a total of two pints of water being used for this) and are now ready for bed, Jeanette has curlers in, in readiness for tomorrow's exit. A bad night.
4th Day: Arose at 0800 hours, after the most restless night of the test, the heat was really oppressive and we all perspired freely. My air-bed burst during the night and the floor made a very hard bed. Breakfast of a boiled egg each, bread, marmalade and tea. We have four gallons of our original seven gallons of water left, so I am increasing the ration for washing so that we can emerge looking a little respectable. I used a half cup of water and shaved.
0943 hours. Seventeen minutes to go and I am of the opinion that the test has been successful. Jeanette has come out of this with top marks, she has been wonderful. I am wondering what the reactions of the public will be.
from the British Newspaper Archive (click on picture to enlarge)
ConclusionsTo my mind, the experiment was successful and achieved its object, firstly Jeanette came out of this well and I am convinced that the advice given in C.D. Handbook No. 10 is adequate for the thousands of small families throughout the country, but I would like to see this information released to the general public now and in other ways than purchasing from H.M. Stationery Office. We have done our best with the experiment. Items of information were provided for in the local and national Press and this will be followed up with demonstration houses in the Borough. With regard to larger families, I would like to take this a stage further in the near future, namely to prepare a fall-out room and experiment more with means of improvisation for the shelter core and then find the reactions of children of varying age groups.
The general public reacted with mixed feelings, some thought that we were stupid and it was a waste of time, but it has been pleasing to find the number of people who have actually stopped me in the street and asked for more details of the experiment and have even gone into ways and means of improvisation. (The big question being: "Where do we all get sandbags?")
The national Press and B.B.C. gave a fair and mostly unbiased coverage of the experiment, but I did not know until the completion that an attempt had been made to cause trouble through the N.S.P.C.C. This was traced to a local reporter of one of the local papers, namely the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph. The local N.S.P.C.C. representative, Inspector P. Parker had contacted Mr. L. T. Hodson, C.D.O., wanting to know more details of the confinement of Jeanette in a closed room. Insp. Parker later contacted his Head Office in London •who were prepared to leave the matter in *his hands. At 1100 hours on Friday, August 13 he saw Dr. S. Childs, M.O.H. for Scunthorpe ,and again at 1130 hours he met Mr. Hodson. After explanations the Inspector was quite satisfied that the child as not exposed to any unnecessary suffering.
Civil Defence Officer's Comments: The family were free to emerge from their shelter at any time. There was never any question of subjecting the little girl, Jeanette, to unnecessary hardships.
I feel that far more thought must be devoted to the question of communication between those in refuge and the Warden Organisation.
It is thought provoking to compare the apathy of the public towards nuclear war; with the undoubted interest displayed in this experiment. I feel that when the time is opportune this could be a medium for introducing the general public to the preparatory stages expected of them in the event of an emergency.
SOURCES:
York:
What can we learn from 'The York Experiment' of 1965? - A York Press article of
How to Survive a Nuclear War: The York Experiment - a History Today article of 24 Oct 2018 by Taras Young (who has an interesting web site here)
Civil Defence magazine Vol.17 No.5 May 1965.
Scunthorpe:
Civil Defence magazine Vol.18 No.1 January 1966.
Grimsby Daily Telegraph - Thursday 12 August 1965
Daily Mirror - Monday 16 August 1965
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