More information : Former air raid shelter and gas decontamination centre, now known as Westbourne Library, built 1942 to the designs of the Borough Engineer E. McLauchlan and constructed by the Ministry of War. Initially it was used as a public air raid shelter but was redesignated in 1943 as an Air Raid Precaution (ARP) decontamination unit for north-west Ipswich.
Between 1946 and 1947 it was converted to a public library, which opened its doors on the 31 January 1948 and has continued as such to the present day. It is believed that the tower was once used as a look out, possibly when it was a public air raid shelter. However gas decontamination centres typically had a water tank in a tower to serve the showers, eye douche and boiler room. The tower is now used by the library for storage. The windows in the north elevation have been reconfigured, perhaps at the time of the library conversion.
E. McLauchlan also designed the neighbouring building to the south-west, Broomhill Lido, an open-air lido which was completed in 1938 (see record 1438431). The air raid shelter was designed to replicate and compliment the Lido in a simple Moderne style.
Listed. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England.(1-2)
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