Author Topic: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log  (Read 24614 times)

Offline msavage59

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #18 on: Saturday 08 December 12 22:02 GMT (UK) »
Dave,

I think you will find that it was Jill Gardner. Her parents moved to Bournemouth when Mr Gardner retired. I actually have the concrete lawn roller which was theirs...as an garden ornament in my garden here in Richmond, N. Yorks. It had made its way over the fence before they left...and when I sold No 18 for  Mary, I took it as a keepsake!

I had often remarked that I wondered if the reason why I could never find the St Alban's Rd rocket on any documents was because it had instead been a Gas explosion. I think the authorities would have wanted to keep it quiet and let people believe it was a rocket.

When Owen's photo was taken in 1960, I was only just one year old!

Across the road from No 18 was No1, which when I lived at No 14 in the 1960s was a Doctors house, possibly a surgery as well. Before I sold No 18 for Mary, a guy (living at I think No 3,which had been turned into maisonette flats - he had lived there for many years) told me he had photos his father had taken at the time of the bombing and promised to show me them....but sadly I never got to see them. He was still living there around 10 years ago.

I was aware of another family possibly at No 26 or 28 - The Browns -  I used to call there as they had a key so I could let myself in to No 16 if my Aunt was not in at the time I called.
I have a photo of the original No 16 before the bombing. I will post it later.

 I also used to have piano lessons at Mrs Dalton's House - No4 St Albans. That house was untouched by the bombing, so I saw what the original houses looked like. My other musical memories of St Albans is the fact that I recall there was someone who used to get a group together playing guitars/drums in one of the houses heading in your direction. I used to think it was great. Do you know anything about it? I'm sure it irritated the older neighbours nearby!

Mary may have come across as shy....but she became a Nurse after the bombing, then trained as a Midwife and later as  an area Health Visitor despite her own injuries. Most hospitals initially rejected her attempts to join to train as a nurse as they were concerned she would not have the strength in her badly damaged arm to perform her role.
 Southend Hospital took her just when it seemed she would never be accepted. As late as the 1970's Mary was regularly having to have minor operations to remove splinters of wood and glass which worked their way to the surface of her skin...on her back, legs,face, head and arms. There was no safety glass in the 1940's.

She visited patients in their homes in Dagenham and Becontree and she fought tooth and nail outside of her work hours to get people help with shoes and other basics. She was something of a workaholic because she could not let go of her patients needs and problems. Eventually, she suffered a breakdown and was hospitalised for a while and then retired early.

I can remember walking with her in Seven Kings and Ilford a couple of times and her suddenly being accosted by an ex-patient who recognised her from her nursing years and felt the urge to thank her for all the extras she used to do for them.

Even in retirement she nursed her mother who had dementia right up until she died and through her involvement in the church spent hours visiting and sitting with housebound parishioners. A lot of people might have given up and looked after themselves first...but then after the war a lot of people had the view that no matter what their own problems were, there was always someone much worse.

She is currently in a Nursing Home in North Yorkshire. She has had dementia for the past decade and she is terribly arthritic, unable to stand or walk for the past six years, reliant on help for everything. Despite the dementia she is cheerful. It is ironic, but the dementia has relieved her of a lot of the thoughts that fed her depression.

Co-incidentally, my youngest son has just started up in business with a friend who lost both his legs in an explosion in Iraq - where he worked in bomb disposal....and down the road in Catterick, they are completing the last phase of a rehabilitation centre for wounded personnel. I can remember growing up in Seven Kings and seeing from time-to-time, ex-servicemen with various disabilities going about their business. All these years later I am seeing a new generation in a similar situation.

You don't indicate if you still live in the Seven Kings area. If you wish to get in touch with more privacy feel free to contact me:  (*)
Either way, thanks for your contact.
Martin

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Offline Joniwix

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #19 on: Saturday 17 August 13 22:52 BST (UK) »
Hello, Just seen these posts. I have been searching for years as there are no records in the Blitz then and now and other books I have. I visited my Aunt in Morden road and was told that a V"2 had fallen in St. Albans Road, opposite the junction of Cambridge Road. We went and looked and the terrace had all but gone as I remember aged 9 and from the country.
No details of course. Many years later as my Aunt was dying we visited and I tooka trip down memory lane to see the site. The terrace had been rebuilt and materials were scarce. The join was/is there clear for all to see.
thanks everyone for the confirmation. I cannot add detail unfortunately but my mind is at rest.
John

Online IMBER

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #20 on: Sunday 18 August 13 08:40 BST (UK) »
The deaths mentioned above were clearly recorded as deaths resulting from enemy action:

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1

Imber
Skewis (Wales and Scotland), Ayers (Maidenhead, Berkshire), Hildreth (Berkshire)

Offline sarah

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #21 on: Tuesday 19 December 17 16:45 GMT (UK) »
I am posting this message on behalf of new member SBEdwards who sent the message to me.

Regards

Sarah

Quote
Re letter from e savage re bombing of St Albans road 6th March 1945 my family lived at 26 grandparents lived 27 we were bomb on my 1st birthday the only other living person my sister who would  been 9 at the time surname was usher grandparents had 2 boys Jim and Harry girls Kathleen olive ruby maud  Bertha betty brenda we were rehoused  Barnardos tanners lane Barkingside
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Offline moojor162

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #22 on: Wednesday 07 February 18 14:49 GMT (UK) »
I've just realised that the houses from no.8 up to and including no. 32 were rebuilt. Do you have the names for the occupants from 26 -32?

Offline moojor162

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Re: Seven Kings WWII Air Raid/Fire Wardens Log
« Reply #23 on: Friday 09 February 18 13:58 GMT (UK) »
I've just realised that the houses from no.8 up to and including no. 32 were rebuilt. Do you have the names for the occupants from 26 -32?
I've just realised that the houses from no.8 up to and including no. 32 were rebuilt. Do you have the names for the occupants from 26 -32?
I know it was a long while ago but a Martin was looking for people who lived in the bombed out section of St Albans Road, Seven Kings. I lived at 32 which was the last house to be bombed.

I was 5 months old when a V2 rocket landed in our road which caused the front of our house to disappear, my coat was left hanging over the edge of the upstairs floor.  We moved back in once the house was rebuilt and I moved out when I married in 1970, my mum left in about 1991 and the old air raid shelter was still in the back garden.

These are the people from St Albans Road that I remember:
No 32 my mum Gladys Jordan (she was a dressmaker and knew most people living nearby) my dad Len, brother Alan and me Janet.
No 30 Bill and Ellen Carter and son Billy.
No 28 Mr and Mrs Brown and sons Bernard, Richard and Paul.
No 26 Can't remember.
No 24 Mr and Mrs Bishop and daughter Christiana.
On the other side of the road:
No 1 Dr and Mrs Pruss and son Antony, daughter Angela and possibly another son and daughter.
The surgery was on the corner of Cambridge Road.
No 3 Can't remember the name but there was a son possibly Andrew.
No 5 Mr and Mrs Neave and daughter Margaret.
No 7 Ruth and John McKenzie, sister Joyce, daughter Jean (we still send Christmas cards) and son Johnny.

Hope this will bring back memories to anyone who is interested.

Janet
N