B/W print; shelterers at Wood Green Underground station during Second World War, Sport & General, circa 1940

A group of young children, including a baby, sleep on a platform at Wood Green Underground station. They are sheltering from an air raid. Every night, up to 60,000 people took refuge in the Underground. It was one of few refuges for people who lived in high-density housing. One advantage it had over the shelters at ground level was that the bombs could not be heard this deep underground, so some people managed to snatch a few hours' sleep. These shelters were often damp and unhygienic, though the authorities improved conditions after the first few weeks of bombing. Scabies, lice and impetigo spread quickly from person to person as they lay close together on the damp floor.