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Before the bombs fell, the machine was already being assembled.
In this episode of WAR HALL: A Theatre of the Mind, we step inside Walthamstow Town Hall as it transforms into the operational heart of a borough preparing for war.
Council meeting minutes record debates about the Town Hall clock, dance floors and lighting, an electric rotating glass ball... At the same time, a far more urgent system is taking shape — Air Raid Precautions, control rooms, wardens, signals.
This is the story of assembly: of people, procedures and infrastructure wired together under growing pressure, just before the Blitz. Ross Wylde, head of Walthamstow’s ARP, pushes through a radical, decentralised system — a machine designed to survive chaos — even as doubts, delays and government complacency loom large.
As the summer of 1940 approaches, lights are dimmed, bells silenced, lookouts posted. The town listens differently. Watches the sky. Prepares for something not yet fully imaginable.
The Assembly follows how Walthamstow Town Hall was reorganised for war — before the war arrived.
Selected audio excerpts featured in this episode:
- 'The war over Walthamstow: the story of Civil Defence 1939 1945' by Ross Wylde
- Benjamin Britten, Peter Grimes (1945), Four Sea Interludes — “Storm” Decca
- All other music by Simon Mills
Audio excerpts are used under UK fair dealing provisions for the purposes of criticism, review, and historical illustration. Full rights remain with the respective rights holders.
War Hall is an independent production. If we ever make a profit, half will go to War Child, with the rest supporting our small team. If you’d like to help us make future episodes, you can join our Patreon — even the smallest contribution helps us pay artists fairly.
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Some clips are used under fair dealing and fair use for historical illustration. All rights remain with the original rights holders. Used with permission where required.
Music and sound design by Simon Mills.
Produced by Alison Williams, Professor John Thomas, and Susie Williams.
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