CHESTERTON CINEMA bombed WW2?

[IMBER]

It seems that the Michelin factory in Stoke was a major target.

Imber

[Billiegirl]

Yes, apparently my grandfather worked at Radway Green during the war. Two world wars in one short lifetime; he died in 1946.

I suppose the railways were always a target, too.

Definitely worth remembering what our relatives went through. Thanks so much for helping me clarify some of their history.

Best wishes, Billiegirl 

[Bookend69]

Hi All

Interesting chat this as I lived next door to Maggies and knew the Shemalts very well. During my time there were two brothers and they also owned the other cinema, later a bingo hall, in Victoria Street. They lived in a 1930s style bungalow in Red Street.

We didn't move into Heathcote Street until November 1959, but the aftermath of the bomb was still evident. My understanding is that a bomb was off loaded by a German on his way home from a raid on Liverpool (hearsay). The damage in John Street also demolished the "pop" factory in Sandford Street, plus the roof of our outbuilding (probably the size of a double garage) the canopy over the driveway, plus the first floor and part of the roof of our house. The latter two never got reinstated, but my father, in the early 60s, removed all the accumulation or bomb debris from the building which attached to the cinema and made a double garage out of it, under a flat roof.

During the war, legend has it that people would take shelter in our cellar and, during "safe periods" hold meetings in a kind of hall which we never used other than to explore. The hall had a stage type raised area at one end but was difficult to access as the external staircase was also damaged by the bomb (possibly just rotted away, but we blamed the German bomber for just about everything that was wrong with that property!).

We moved out in the Spring of 1974 when our properties, Maggies, plus others in London Road (including the pub in Dragon Square) were compulsory purchased for redevelopment and now we have the eye sore that's there now, no soul or character to the area, which is sad to see.

Cheers

Bookend69

[Billiegirl]

Great details Bookend, thanks a lot for your contribution. I agree its very sad to see that area now.
Best Wishes, Billiegirl 

[Brian Bartels]

One of the victims was George Bartels, my uncle's only child. His father, also named George had moved from the East End of London to Chesterton to work in the coal mines as a skilled engineer, he was a Bevan boy. 
The family lived at the top of Heathcote Street near the site of the British Legion hall.
I have no knowledge of the circumstances of his death other than the fact of its occurrence.  I was lead to believe that it was the result of a single German bomber jettisoning its load.
There is a certain series of strange coincidences.  Bartels is a Germanic name.  At the turn of the 19th century, my forefather who I'm led to believe was Jewish moved from Germany to the East End to escape discrimination. This is where where the Bartels family grew and expanded. 
My uncle and his family survived the Blitz only moving after it ceased.
As far as I know, the raid that killed George was the only time Chesterton was bombed.
Cheers
Brian