Druid Street Arch Bombing

Hi Lonny
Thanks for your reply. I think we must have met in Eldridge Street at some time as me and my friends (all girls 5 of us in total) were always playing there but I think perhaps on reflection seeing as I am 2 years older than you (1937) perhaps not.  I used to live at 12 Linsey Street and our house was next door but one to Liptons back gates where the fruit from Kent was delivered by 2 shire horses and cart for a time just after the war and they drivers would park outside our house and it seemed that kids from miles around (including me and my sister) would climb up  the outside and scrump some fruit, were you one of us.
Yes I do remenber the water tank but I was forbidden to go in by my dad and his word was law but I do not remember the fire at Liptons but remember Parnells Mr Parnell was still serving in his shop when I moved away to get married also Chicks.  Have you seen the post by paperboy dated 19 November 2009 with the google image of Linsey Street and a green arow where Chicks used to be.as his mum and dad took the shop over from Chicks.  Like you I went to Alma School but I left in 1947.
I do not remember the Hennsey boys or Brian Hanson but remember the 2 boys who lived next to Chicks I believe their name was Varney?

Milly

Hi Max,

I left Monarch Buildings in 1939, when my brothers and I were evacuated to Brighton first and then to Frimley a village near Farnborough.
Being only seven years old at the time, I don't remember any names of families who lived there, except my own relatives.
Bill Day was married to my mother's sister, aunt Poll we called her and he was always beating her up, that I remember quite vividly. The Black Maria, was frequently called to take him away.
As I have already mentioned the Hussey's lived directly above us and one night I became engrossed in a chance conversation here in Canada, on the Halifax/Dartmouth ferry one night.

Although you mentioned Monarch Buildings, you didn't say what year the Dales lived there.
I used to play with the caretakers son Gilbert in the Drill Hall opposite and we all went to St. James school.

All the best.

Roy Wilcox

Hi ther ROYMAL....Just been looking at your pictures of the Druid Street Bombing where all those people died. My husband George Rose lost a lot of his family there too,about 12 in all I think. I do have photocopies of the lists of the people that died and it reads all the names.. The sad thing was that they thought they were being protected and safe there, but tragically that was not to  be the case. If you would like me to find the lists I will try to send them onto you. They were taken from the council archive war lists in Bernondsey.

Also getting off that subject, just to let you know that my George worked in the ABBEY STREET GARAGE just under the arch for about 3 years in about 1963-5.
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN, AND TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE NOW LIVING IN SUNNY SPAIN,     REGARDS Babs Rose

Hello Babs,

I am very sorry that I didn't reply to your welcome correspondance before this, but my wife has been very sick and she is now just recovering from major surgery.

Yes, it was quite a tragedy for all my family, including your husband's by all accounts, when that bomb droppedin October 1940.
I will never forget the headmaster of St. James's (evacuated) school that I went to in Frimley near Aldershot, calling my brothers and I to tell us that my mother, father and sister had been killed.

I did try to obtain a list of civilian casualties, by typing 'Council archive war lists in Bernondsey'. But was not able to find it.
If you do find a more accurate title, I would be pleased if you would send me the link.

I trust that you are enjoying your new home in Spain.

All the best.

Roy Wilcox

Hi All
My Uncle Thomas George Morgan, family were all killed in the disaster, I believe the only reason he escaped was that he was delayed getting to the shelter.
Georges  Wife Daisy, her daughter Daisy Grace aged 7 her son George James aged 16 her mother Hannah Amy and father Richard William Ricketts all perished I believe in the Air raid disaster listed below the records are listed under civilian war dead for Bermondsey London 1940. Bermondsey suffered the largest number of bombs in London during the blitzes of the Second World War. This was because of the area’s proximity to the Thames and main railway interchanges. Druid Street Arch was one of the many arches along the railtrack which were used as shelter during air raids.
The area under the arch was used as a social club and billiards hall during the day I believe. At night, it was transformed into a sanctuary from the bombing. The ominous sound of the sirens were the cue for local people to congregate as quickly as possible in a bid for safety.
On the night of 25 October 1940, hundreds of people were sheltering like this at Druid’s Arch during an air raid. It received a direct hit. Many were killed instantly and many died later of their injuries. The final death toll was 87. Druid’s Arch marks the site of the worst disaster in Southwark. It is remembered today by those who survived the Second War World and by their families 

Hi Taxi105 and Roymal

This is some of the information I have found of your Families in the Druid Street Arch Bombings.
Obtained from CWGC.

If there are any Names that are missing please let me know, i would be happy to do a re-search.

Bermondseyboy
Steve

Hi Steve
I cannot thank you enough for your kind help, there was another member of the family who died on that tragic day in Druid Street, it was Hannah Amy Ricketts, wiife of Richard William, her age I believe  was 66.
Thank you very much for all your help

David

Hi Roymal / Steve
This is a picture I believe of the  arch itself shortly after the bombing

Steve (BB) and David,

You have found my sister's Honour Record for me. How can I ever thank you.
I should have known that Mary was her second name. We had an aunt named Selina and in those days most children were always named after relatives. But we always called her Popsie, although we all thought that her first name was Mary.
In fact I was named after four relatives.

Thank you again Steve for all your trouble and also for the picture.
I still have two older brothers living in England and they will be delighted to receive this information you have given me.

David, What a coincidence that your relatives were in the same shelter as my parents and sister.
Thanks for yours and Steve's interest in my search.

Roy AKNA (Harry) Wilcox
Dartmouth Nova Scotia, Canada.

Hi Brian - I am new on this site but was friends with Brian Hanson's sister Jeanie -  they lived at the top end of Rouel Road in the little terraced houses and I lived down the other end of Rouel Road next to Pearce & Duffs.   I also remember the Henneseys although they were a bit older the me.  Jeanie and I were friends until we both started working (she worked in Liptons for a little while with her Mother I believe)  I started work at 15 as a tea girl and messenger in New Bridge Street Blackfriars - we lost touch after that.

Linnie

Hi lonny - sorry I called you Brian - got carried away trying to get a reply back to you!

Linnie

I went round to druid street arch that following morning it was a shocking sightt the bodies I can remember were lying on the kerb with just a piece of cloth over there face.a friend of mine was killed ther her name was Nora Oxley age 16/17.one of those things you don't forget

Hi! Esther,

What an awful sight for you that terrible morning and you must have been so young at the time.
If your friend was 16 or 17 at the time, I am assuming that you were probably around the same age and no longer in school, but working like my sister, who was also killed with my parents, that would explain why you were not evacuated as I was with my three brothers.
All of St James school that I attended were evacuated.

My father was a window cleaner, although I think he changed jobs when the Germans started bombing London in eanest. I guess most windows were blown out. But up to that time he used to keep his barrow in one of the arches.

Thank you Esther for your comments and my best wishes for you this christmas and in the future.

Roy Wilcox

Hello everyone,

I hope some of you are still looking at this thread.  I have been through the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) website for Bermondsey (and the surrounding boroughs) and I can tell you that the Blue Plaque is wrong to say there were 77 deaths in the bombing of the Arch; I have the names of 94 people who died that night.  If anything I would guess that’s a bit of an underestimate, as some names could have been missed and in other bombings some people could not be identified.  I’m very happy to send a copy to anyone who is interested.

Roy, your mother, father and sister are all there, although just to show CWGC are fallible, they have got your address wrong, 41 Monarch Buildings.  Given that this information was probably handwritten, then typed out (several times), then entered onto a computer nearly 70 years later I suppose that some mistakes are maybe not surprising.

Esther, could your friend’s name have been Hoxley?  There’s a 15-year old girl of that name.  If not, we may have found someone whose name is not listed on the database.

Babs, I can’t see anyone with the surname of Rose but if you can remember any names of your husband’s relatives I might be able to tell you more.  I would love to see the list you have, because I am always on the lookout for names not covered by CWGC.

Best wishes

Andrew

Andrew.

Yes that was her name nora hoxley.(never pronounced aitches)
as you say quite a few were killed there.we used to call it the billiard hall.
you can imagine no one to collect the bodies so they stayed there until
some ambulances came available,which was quite the done thing then
everybody was to busy clearing up the mess after the raids,trying to find people alive.

We sadly lost several members of our family in the Druid Street bombing. They were the Dennis' living on the Neckinger Estate. If anyone has ever heard the name mentioned from family discussions, etc, I would love to know. I know nothing about them. My Dad survied (3 months old) but died a few years back. We thought he was the only Dennis left, but I have sinced found an uncle who was never mentioned. We have know idea why, as he was only 13 at the time and placed in an orphanage even though he had other relatives. Would love any help. Thank you

Hi! Joanne,

I did reply to your post on the 21st. of February, but I can see that it didn't register here, for some reason. I had added some pictures, so maybe that explains it.
As I was only 7 years old when we were all evacuated in 1939, I cannot remember many peoples surname in my neighborhood and I really don't know where Neckinger Estate is or was.
There are several pictures of Abbey Street, that I have posted on this forum and on Bermondsey Yesterday and Today, if you are interested.
I also mentioned that your family who died in the Arch Bombing, might thanks to Steve, be added in the CWGC Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as my parents and sister were above.
CWGC.

Nice chatting with you Joanne,

Roy Wilcox

Below is a list of the 77 who Died in the Druid Street Arch.
These can be got from the CWGC site, but i thought i would put them here for ease of reference.
I have added the Additional Information.
You will need to click on each segment (7 in all) to enlarge picture for clarity.
It seems like the last three entries had died at St Olave's Hospital but were injured at Druid Street.

If anyone would like the list sent to them in excel format so they can print off, please message me.