This from Mike Crowe, membership secretary of the Friends of Shanklin Theatre, about a (currently) mysterious Map Room in the depths of Shanklin Theatre. Do you or your relative know what went on there? In his words – Ed.
Not many people know, but down in the bowels of Shanklin Theatre and away from the entertainment upstairs, there is a room; reinforced and strengthened against bomb damage called ‘The Map Room’.
The Friends of Shanklin Theatre, the volunteer force behind keeping the Theatre open, are aware that this special room played an important part during the Second World War, in the defence of not only the Isle of Wight, but apparently the South Coast as well, and are in the process of returning it to its Wartime state, with memorabilia of the time around the walls, telling its story and what was happening.
Do you know someone with answers to these questions?
Did you, or any of your family, have dealings or connections with this reinforced room in Shanklin Theatre? We would like to know exactly what the role of the room was. A control for P.L.U.T.O? And the room next door, we have stories of that room too. Was it full of typewriters? Or was the tapping noise, Morse Keys tapping out important messages in code? The two rooms how were they linked? What colour were they? Did you need a pass? Do you have any photos? What equipment was there in these two rooms? Who were in these rooms? Army? Civil Defence? Royal Navy? (as has been suggested and was this to do with the D-Day Landings?) Royal Air Force? Police, “Dad’s Army”? Or was it to do with the Isle of Wight Councils?
Lots and lots of questions and we are hoping that the people of Shanklin, Sandown and the Isle of Wight will provide the answers. Any photo provided will be scanned and returned, but what maps do you have? What stories can you tell us? Were ‘Nippers’ caught peeping in? Did your Mum make the tea? The other rooms down there were they bedrooms/sleeping quarters?
Desire to return it to its former glory
“The Friends” hope to return this room to its former glory and importance and use it again, possibly for 1940’s style social functions amongst other things.
Contact Mike
If you can help, tell us a story or provide any evidence, please contact Mike Crowe, The Map Room Project, Shanklin Theatre, Steephill Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. PO37 6AJ
Drop in on Saturday to find out more
Tomorrow, being the first Saturday of the month, we hold our ‘Coffee Cake ‘n’ Chat’ session from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon.
As you know Shanklin Theatre is now run by volunteers and this is a chance for anyone who ‘might be interested but knows nothing about it’, to come and have a cuppa and a slice of cake, (home made by volunteers) for £1.00 and chat to other volunteers to see just what is involved.
No pressure, just chat, chomp and natter!!
Originally seen on page 25 of this week’s CP.
