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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: FionaO on Sunday 10 September 17 15:51 BST (UK)
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Hi All,
During a recent family gathering I heard a tale in connection with a family member and I'm trying to find out if it is true or not.
What I know to be true is that Violet Ivy OAKLEY was killed on 29 Nov 1940 as a result of injuries sustained when one of her sons brought home an unexploded bomb he'd found while out playing. It then promptly blew up in his mothers hands! (Said child survived but lost half of one hand, part of his stomach and had to live with what he had done.)
Her death is included in the list of civilian casualties during WWII, so all appears to tie up.
Now I have been told there were also twins present when said mother died but I can't find any record of their births and have not previously heard of their deaths. Having looked on FindMyPast I can't see any press reports of this tragedy in the nationals about that date.
So my query is which local newspaper would cover a death in North Road, Streatham, London, November 1940? Or an inquest which would have been held? And further, where can these papers/fiche be viewed? And finally, if anybody is able and willing to have a look for me?
Hopeful as ever,
Fionaohyoucouldn'tmakeitup
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Her death is included in the list of civilian casualties during WWII, so all appears to tie up.
If her death is there, so would the death of twins be wouldn't it? Could she have been pregnant with twins at the time?
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Hmm, yes, I did wonder if that might be the case. It's all a bit odd as invariably her death is mentioned at most meetings (it's still shocking after almost 80 years) but I've not previously heard anything about twins. That's really why I would like to see if the inquest was reported in the press as it may shed more light on the events.
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Hi,
Her CWGC entry here: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3142746/oakley,-violet-ivy/
This states that although she was injured at North Road, she died the same day at Clayponds Emergency Hospital. The hospital was on Occupation Lane, South Ealing. Some info about it here: http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/clayponds.html
The only death civilian or otherwise on 29th November 1940 was that of Violet Ivy Oakley.
Do you have any details about the twins? Names etc?
Hope this helps.
Kind regards
David
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Thanks but I'm afraid I don't have any more info than I've given. I was hoping press coverage would be of help with this query.
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Have you looked at the 1939 Register on FindMyPast?
Just by doing a free search using the name Oakley, North Road, Middlesex, these are the results -
Albert A Oakley 1925
Albert E Oakley 1896
Violet ? Oakley 1901
1 more person who is officially closed
Living at Ealing, Middlesex
Albert A Oakley born 1925 birth record -
q2 1925, Brentford
Vol 3a Page 257
MMN - Davis
As there is not another birth record matching that of Albert's then he cannot be a twin. Equally as there is only one more person within the household then it would appear there are no twins in the household as at 1939. Cannot see any Oakley twin births from 1939 - 1940.
Therefore as previously posted perhaps Violet was pregnant with twins.
JJ
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As far as press coverage is concerned, it may not have made the papers as it was in the middle of the war.
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https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=58063052
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Have I got this right the accident happened in North Road Stretham yet the poor woman was taken
Over 12 miles passing several large hospitals some with maternity units to a small Hospital @ west Ealing
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Are you sure it happened in Streatham? It seems a bit odd that she would be taken miles away across London to a hospital.
If she lived in Streatham as well, why was she buried in Ealing?
snap Jane - same idea!
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Are you sure it happened in Streatham? It seems a bit odd that she would be taken miles away across London to a hospital.
If she lived in Streatham as well, why was she buried in Ealing?
snap Jane - same idea!
Google gives the distance between both addresses as 12.1 miles travel was no doubt difficult between due to road closures from bomb damage . off the top of my head I can think of at least 8 large hospitals on route .Claypond hospital is as good as tucked into the corner of the buriel grounds that was first called Brentford cem
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Hi,
Are you sure it happened in Streatham? It seems a bit odd that she would be taken miles away across London to a hospital.
If she lived in Streatham as well, why was she buried in Ealing?
snap Jane - same idea!
Google gives the distance between both addresses as 12.1 miles travel was no doubt difficult between due to road closures from bomb damage . off the top of my head I can think of at least 8 large hospitals on route .Claypond hospital is as good as tucked into the corner of the buriel grounds that was first called Brentford cem
I had wondered about that myself, having checked Google Maps, there is a North Road two streets up from Occupation Lane. Both roads being near South Ealing Cemetery.
I think that the North Road in Ealing is more likely to be the right one.
Following on from the post from kallcoat of the link to the gravestone in South Ealing Cemetery, I believe that the following my be Violet's marriage.
From FreeBMD:
Davis, Violet I to Oakley, Albert E; Dec Qtr 1919; Brentford Reg Dist; Volume 3a Page 554
Brentford Registration District covered Ealing until 1947 when Ealing was then covered by Ealing Registration District.
Haven't been able to spot any twins under the Davis surname either, my reason for checking for a marriage in the first place! ;D
Hope this all helps anyway!
Kind regards
David
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So it is looking more likely that if there is any truth in the story, she was pregnant with twins rather than actually having twins.
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Hi All, thanks for all your replies - most interesting and helpful as ever!
All documentation and oral history says the bomb exploded in their home at North Road. And yes, you are right and I must apologise, Streatham was wrong and it should be Ealing! So that makes more sense of Clayponds Hospital. In terms of the cemetary for the grave (thank you so much for the link), most of the family were in and around Ealing so that would be the natural choice.
I'm still hoping to find out what local paper would cover that area of Ealing (should be easier now I've got the right place!). I'd like to be sure I've checked all avenues for this particular tale.
Fionaoh
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I'm still hoping to find out what local paper would cover that area of Ealing
Of course, the problem is that there were so many deaths due to enemy action in London at the time that the papers probably didn't bother to report most of them. Her gravestone on the link given by Kallcoat states "lost her life through enemy action" which isn't the same as her son bringing home an unexploded bomb.
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I'm just wondering about the unexploded bomb - weren't bombs that were dropped quite large, certainly too big to be picked up by a child?
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I'm just wondering about the unexploded bomb - weren't bombs that were dropped quite large, certainly too big to be picked up by a child?
I was thinking that too. Perhaps it was more disturbed by the boy than actually picked up? There was one bomb that landed High St (end of North Road) at some point between 7 Oct 1940 and 6 June 1941 which may be the one that killed her (5 North Rd is currently at that end)
http://www.bombsight.org/bombs/16035/
Jan
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The Germans dropped some very small anti-personnel cluster bombs such as the SD2 which weighed just 2 kilos. Some had delayed fuses, some were booby-trapped. News of them was suppressed by the British government.
http://www.ww2airdroppedordnance.com/sd2-butterfly-bombs.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Bomb
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No one has suggested that you get the death certificate - that is what I would do.
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That's interesting about the butterfly bombs and they were being used in 1940 although it talks about being dropped on Ipswich then.
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Must admit I’d never thought of the size of the bombs! But first hand (child himself and siblings) accounts say he picked up the bomb so it must have been something like the Butterfly bomb (war is dehumanising).
Having a little root around I have found reports of bombing over Ealing on 16 November 1940 (Ealingnewsextra, 2015) which makes mention of The Middlesex County Times reporting of the bombing. So thanks everybody, I have an answer to my original question and now just need to find out where I can view copies from Nov 1940.
Thanks for all your help and input - invaluable as ever!
FionaO
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Ealing library @ 103 ,Ealing Broadway Centre I believe have a family research centre still that may have the newspapers on micro fitch if not they should be able to tell you where they are kept phone no is 02037001052