Date added:
15 February 2011
Staff at local leisure centre in Smethwick discover a secret chamber during refurbishment works to changing rooms.
During major refurbishment work to changing rooms at
Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre workmen and staff at the centre located on Broomfield, Smethwick, were shocked to find a shaft leading down to a large secret underground room.
In scenes reminiscent of Howard Carter discovering the tomb of Tutankhamen news was fed back up the shaft. Staff were hoping to find the mummy of an ancient centre manager or a hoard of precious antique shuttlecocks or even one or two Chilean miners but all that was found were mounds of coal and some ancient looking lamp shades.
On further inspection it became clear that the discovery was actually a very large coal bunker that at one time must have been used to store coal to heat the building when it was being used as a drill hall for the Smethwick Rifle Volunteers.
Steve Bartley Facility Manager said, “I have done a lot of research into the history of the drill hall that is now Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre and it is a fascinating building. It seems like there isn’t a week goes by where I don’t spot a feature of the building that get’s me scratching my head as to what it was originally used for, but the discovery of a large underground bunker came as a real shock! There is a still a large amount of coal stored in the room that was obviously surplus to requirements when the building converted to gas fired boilers and heaters”.
The area as now been sealed off and who knows, 100 years from now someone else may discover Harry Mitchell’s lost chamber.
The £120,000 investment in refurbishment work to the changing rooms supports improving the customer experience for users at the centre.
Call the centre directly on 0845 659 4815 and select option 2.
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