52 ancestors Week 33 (Aug. 16-22): Tragedy

 Week 33 (Aug. 16-22): Tragedy - Haylock Sisters

The biggest “tragedy” I have come across linked to my family/ancestors was 3 sisters who were killed as civilians in the WW2 bombing at the place they had been sent to for safety, shelter and refuge. Their mother died 2 weeks after the bombing that she had survived but sustained injuries at.

The 3 sisters were my 3^rd cousins twice removed but of my direct maternal linage. Florence Emily, Dora Ellen and Marjorie Haylock are the young girls of this “tragedy”.

Florence was born 14^th August 1922 in Bermondsey, Uk, she was the eldest daughter of Alfred George Haylock and Florence Elizabeth Ogier.  Dora was born 6^th February 1928 in Bermondsey, UK and the middle daughter and Marjorie was born January 1930 in Bermondsey, UK and was the youngest child.

The quote left is quite shocking in itself but doesn’t even cover the “tragedy” that was to follow as the war progressed.

The first day of the Blitz in Bermondsey was September 7^th 1940, a bomb had hit a railway arch on Linsey Street. The arch was crowded with many people due to not enough shelters being built. When the bomb hit the crowded and weak shelter, 23 people died and dozens more were injured. On the same evening of September 7^th 1940 there had been lots of bombings and planes flying around the Bermondsey area. From reading various articles online linked to this it has been said that the air raid warning was signalled for all residents to put on their gas masks as a bomb had hit a local gas main. Shortly afterwards doors were being banged and people were being advised to take ID cards, cushions and blankets and to make their way to the Keeton’s Road School which had been set up as an evacuation centre, The Keetons Road Rest Centre, a former peacetime school. Many of those who were told to go to the evacuation centres were from the local council housing estates in Southwark.

Just after midnight a bomb exploded near the rear of the school which was quickly followed by another; the site in suffered a direct hit, with horrifying consequences. Many were killed and injured as the centre was full of evacuees – men, women, children and babies; amongst them were the Haylock sisters and their mother. It was said at the time that only 27 people died but has since been estimated that some 400 civilians lost their lives in this “tragedy” and many others were injured. Florence, Dora and Marjorie had gone to this place for safety and refuge but sadly become civilian casualties of the war and died during the bombing.

The image to the right has been copied from the Civilian deaths records. It shows the 3 daughters listed and also mentions their mother Florence. Florence Elizabeth survived the original bomb attack but sustained injuries, she also sadly died just 23days after the “tragedy” that had killed her 3 daughters.

This must have been such a hard thing for Alfred to deal with, loosing his entire family in the space of 2weeks. 

In 1939 he was listed as an explosive worker, I’m not sure where at or if he was linked to the military due to the start of the war. I don’t think that he had gone to the Keeton’s Road School or was there at the time as I can’t find any evidence to suggest he was.  On the 1939 census, just over a year before the war fully took hold in London, Alfred, Florence and their 3 children were living at 27 Acorn Walk, Bermondsey. From looking at a map of London this wasn’t far from the surrey docks area and just under 2miles from the Keeton’s Road School.

Keetons Road School bombed 7th September 1940

The image above left shows Keeton’s Road School after the bombing, it’s no wonder that so many people were killed there, and I’m surprised that many more weren’t. and the image above right shows King George VI inspecting the bomb site shortly after the 7^{th September}.

The 7^th of September was just the start of what was to come and the Bermondsey area faced a further 57 days and nights of air raids and disturbances. They happened again in 1941 and also towards the end of the war.

Prior to finding the information on my ancestors I had no idea of the “tragedy” that had hit this area, yes I knew that London/Surrey areas had taken a big hit during the war, but it’s only when you find something linked to you that you start looking into the area it happened more.