Contemporaries of Chambers often wondered if such a tall building would remain standing, though it had been "built of very hard bricks". Its sturdy construction was proved in World War II when it survived a close call from a stick of German bombs exploding nearby. This was ironic, since at the time, holes had been made in each of its floors so that British bomb designers could drop models of their latest inventions from top to bottom to study their behaviour in flight.
Grief! Shades of the South Bank Shot Tower; but at least you gave me an answer. I had visions of it being used as a Camera Obscura.
I promise you I am not out looking for oddballs but have been coming across them when looking for other things. Where else but AiX could you come up with such miscellany?
I was just looking up the Key Great Pagoda after watching The One Show film about the missing dragons and saw this on the Kew website.
During the Second World War, British bomb designers wanted to study their latest inventions in flight. They made holes in each floor of the pagoda and dropped bombs down in secret to test their inventions.
The wife and I first visited Kew about three years ago. Then, the Pagoda was tatty and closed. Today it has been beautifully restored. Some five hunded and something steps to the top, but well worth it. Some history on display. They only admit to smoke though. imgur.com/a/NpkEJgI
I visited the gardens only once and that was 1965 or 1966. I recall the pagoda but can't recall if it was open or if I went inside. Would it have still been in its wartime state then, with the holes?
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
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