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Photography — 1940-12-29

City bomb damage Moorgate Underground Station

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One of the heaviest night attacks of the Blitz on London was on 29 December 1940. In Moorgate Underground station, countless incendiary bombs caused fires to rage. Strong winds intensified the fires and temperatures soared above 1,000° Fahrenheit (538C) causing railway track to warp and supporting beams to give way. Pools of molten metal and glass formed on remaining platforms. Almost every building in the Barbican and Moorgate area was destroyed that night, and 12 firemen were killed.

The following morning Police Constables Arthur Cross and Fred Tibbs photographed the destruction. All City stations except Liverpool Street were closed. Notices read 'due to enemy action trains will be subject to delay'.

Category:
Photography
Object ID:
IN6845
Object name:
City bomb damage Moorgate Underground Station
Object type:

photograph, silver gelatin print

Artist/Maker:
Cross, Arthur, Tibbs, Fred
Related people:

Related events:

World War II

Related places:

City of London

Production date:
1940-12-29
Material:

paper, silver salts

Measurements/duration:
H 165 mm, L 218 mm (paper), H 153 mm, L 206 mm (image size)
Part of:
—
On display:
—
Record quality:
100%
Part of this object:
—
Owner Status & Credit:

Permanent collection

Copyright holder:

City of London Police

Image credit:

By Kind Permission of the Commissioner or the City of London Police

Creative commons usage:
—
License this image:

To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.

Tags

Photography 20th century London Publishing & Media War & Weapons Transport City of London
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