Postman Mr William Browne Killed In Fatal Car Crash

[gralorn]

Is anyone able to assist me in finding out any details of the death of Mr William Browne who was a postman and supposedly hit and killed by a car involving someone fairly famous at the wheel. The fatal car crash was just before the War, so approximately 1939. I believe it may have been in the Surbiton area. Any information would be most appreciated.
Thank You.

[Valda]

Hi

Surbiton at that time would be covered by the Surrey North Eastern registration district. Deaths would be registered in the district they took place in.

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/surrey%20north%20eastern.html

There are no William Browne spelt with an e death registrations in this district within a five year search 1939 and pre that year.

In 1939 in that civil registration district there are the deaths of
William S Brown aged 68 (buried Surbiton Cemetery)
William H Brown aged 62
William Brown aged 52

The London borough of Kingston cemeteries' records are online.

http://www2.kingston.gov.uk/GraveRecords/

Regards

Valda

[gralorn]

I'll have to try and find out where it was exactly that he was killed in order to move forward I feel. Thanks very much though for checking Surbiton.

[anpefa1]

hello

the british postal museum have service records etcetera for staff and the union (if he was a union member, which is highly likely at that period) may also be able to assist (cwu.org).

 tony

[gralorn]

Have tracked down the death of William O Browne, he died supposedly when he was knocked down by a car carrying Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham, First Sea Lord 1943-1946. The accident was in June 1944. (D-Day). William Browne (with an e, same as the Admiral) was 52. Surrey Vol 2a Page 65a.

Would anybody be able to help me trace any newspaper articles about this accident, local (Kingston/Surbiton) or even National as he was an important person at this particular time in the war, would be most appreciated.
Thank you

[Langley Vale Sue]

Kingston-upon-Thames have an Archive & Local History Service which holds details of some local newspapers.
http://www.kingston.gov.uk/leisure/museums/local_history_and_archives.htm

They also have a research service.

[davidrigg3]

Would anybody be able to help me trace any newspaper articles about this accident

Trouble is Cunningham was so important that an incident like this would probably have been underplayed to say the least, and you get so many hits on his name when searching its difficult to sort through.

Did find when William O died (22nd May) and where he was buried, and that the O stands for Oliver.
http://www2.kingston.gov.uk/GraveRecords/index.php?task=view&id=74933

[carol8353]

In the Times newspaper ,court circular section of the 7th June 1944,it says that Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham had an audience with the King this morning. 

I wonder what they talked about !

Carol

[gralorn]

" On the way to work planning D-Day, you'll never guess what happened" Could just imagine it being  swept under the carpet with what was happening in a few weeks time! There must be something written somewhere, but yes all hits are about him and his brother in Egypt 'Op Crusader', nothing about him or his 'staff car' hitting the postman!