Jane Elizabeth Hobbs – killed in WWII air raid

A lone raider on a bombing mission came dangerously close to the Great Western Railway factory during the night of Thursday December 19, 1940. But instead of hitting the Works the high explosive bomb fell on Beatrice Street, Gorse Hill.

There were several casualties and some miraculous rescues, but sadly Jane Elizabeth Hobbs died the following day in the Victoria Hospital.

Jane Elizabeth Miles was the daughter of a railway man who married another railway man like so many women of her generation did. William John Hobbs had begun his working life as a cattleman on a farm in Calne but by the time of his marriage to Jane in 1907 he was working as a machineman in the GWR.

The couple lived their entire married life in Gorse Hill where they raised three children. William died in 1933 at 167 Beatrice Street, the house destroyed by a bomb on the night of Thursday December 19, 1940.

Five houses were demolished and others damaged, but there were few casualties when a lone raider dropped bombs on a town in the South of England last Thursday night.

In one street where three houses were wrecked, the rescuers, who were on the scene within two or three minutes, were astonished to hear cries for aid.

Gaining a way through the debris from the back of the house they saw three or four heads protruding from beneath the collapsed stairway. These were the occupants of the house, who had rushed under the staircase as the building collapsed upon them and were thrown flat on the floor. They were all pulled out suffering from slight injuries.

Mrs Jane Hobbs, a widow, was the most seriously injured, and she died in hospital on Friday evening. Her 24-year-old daughter Jane, who was also seriously injured is still in hospital.

A Mr. Crook, who was on a visit from another part of the town, was also taken to hospital.

In another nearby street a bomb dropped in the middle of a small backyard at the rear of two houses. All the outbuildings were demolished and the walls at the back of the houses were fractured. Here again there were lucky escapes. Five or six occupants in the kitchen included a married couple who had twice previously been bombed in London.

Scores of houses in the neighbourhood were hit by flying masonry, and in this way, as well as through blast, many windows were broken.

Praise for ARP Squads.

Everyone was loud in praise of the magnificent way in which the wardens, the rescue and demolition squads. First-aid workers and firemen discharged their duties.

One resident observed: “They were here and hard at work almost before we could get out. Not a second was wasted, and I can tell you this fact was a great relief to us all.”

Extracts from North Wilts Herald, Friday, 27 December, 1940.

Gorse Hill

Jane was buried on December 26 in grave plot C3831 which she shares with her husband William and her parents Henry John and Fanny Miles.

Nellie May Page – killed in WWII air raid

The cities of London and Bristol were heavily bombed during the Second World War yet Swindon, somewhere in between, went relatively unscathed. Despite its dominance within the railway industry it appears that Swindon was not on the Luftwaffe radar. There is a theory that Hitler was preserving the railway network for when he invaded Britain.

On the night of October 20, 1940 a lone bomber dropped three bombs (two high-explosive and an incendiary bomb) on the town, causing significant damage on Rosebery and Graham Streets in Broad Town. There were 10 confirmed fatalities, including Nellie May Page who lived at 35 Graham Street but was visiting friends in Rosebery Street that fateful night.

Workers’ Houses Wrecked

People Killed by Bombs in South of England Town

Having regard to the damage to working class houses caused by two heavy high explosive bombs that dropped on a town in the South on Sunday night, the casualties were comparatively few.

In one street six adjoining houses collapsed when a heavy bomb crashed through the roof of one. The second bomb dropped in the middle of a road in an adjoining street, leaving another huge crater and almost completely demolishing three houses.

The explosion threw the uppermost part of about a dozen houses out of the perpendicular. Pieces of masonry, rafter timber and other debris were rained down over a wide radius, holing roofs in many places and doing extensive damage.

Despite this damage fatal casualties were few. One of the persons killed was Mrs. Nellie May Page aged 47, who was visiting friends at the time. Her daughter, Miss Sylvia Joan Page, who was with her, was taken to hospital suffering from severe head injuries and shock.

Fractured Gas Main

An oil bomb which struck the rear of one house, partially wrecked the scullery and living room. A fire was started here, but it was dealt with very effectively by the fire-fighting services, and extinguished before it could get a hold. Gas from a fractured gas main also caught alight, but here again the brigade quickly had the situation in hand.

The situation provided a severe test for the various ARP services and police, but they all acquitted themselves remarkably well. Demolition and rescue squads, as well as first-aid parties and medical men, were at hand extricating residents trapped deep down in the wreckage and attending to the injured.

In Good Spirit

Gallant work was done by wardens and ambulance men, and they recount how two young girls were liberated, almost unscathed, from beneath a completely wrecked house. Falling beams had apparently prevented them from being crushed to death, and the rescuers were surprised to find that they were not only unhurt but in good spirit. One asked for a drink and when offered a flask of water observed, with a smile, “Is that the best you can do?”

Generally, the inhabitants displayed great fortitude and calmness, and seemed to be more concerned about the welfare of their neighbours than of their own interests.

Rapid headway was made in clearing away the debris. There were plenty of volunteers for the work of salving furniture and other belongs, and, in the same way, those whose homes were not so severely damaged found plenty of helpers to assist in covering up broken windows and doorways.

Extracts for the North Wilts Herald Friday 25 October 1940.

Wartime publishing restrictions prevented newspapers from identifying the town and street names.

Nellie was born on June 4, 1893, the youngest of five children. Her father William James Hopkins worked in the Carriage and Wagon Works. When Nellie was baptised at St. Saviours on July 16, 1893 William and his wife Emma and their children were living at 78 William Street.

Nellie married at St. Marks on September 25, 1915 during the First World War when her husband Francis Vernon Page was serving in the RAMC.

Nellie was buried in grave plot E7491 with her husband Francis who died in December 1935.

Rear Admiral Sir Arthur Hall – an extraordinary Swindon story

Sir Arthur Edward Hall KBE CB is not buried in Radnor Street Cemetery but his extraordinary Swindon Story deserves to be told.

Arthur Edward Hall was born on February 1, 1885, the son of Charles Hall, a boilermaker in the GWR Works, and his wife Emma. He grew up at 6 Andover Street, one of the streets that branched off the canal. A humble beginning for a man who went on to have a quite amazing career, as can be followed here in the obituary that appeared in The Times.

Adm. Sir Arthur Hall

Education in the Royal Navy

Instructor Rear-Admiral Sir Arthur Hall, K.B.E., C.B., who died at his home in London on Saturday at the age of 74, was a former Director of the Education Department of the Admiralty. He was the first naval officer to hold that post and the first to have the rank of instructor rear-admiral.

Arthur Edward Hall was born on February 1, 1885, the son of Charles Edward Hall. He was educated at Swindon College and the Royal College of Science, London. He taught for six years in the physics department of the Imperial College of Science before entering the Navy as an instructor in 1915. He served in the Inflexible during that war, was present at the Battle of Jutland, and was successively Fleet Education Officer to the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets, before he was appointed Deputy Inspector of Naval Schools in 1932. Four years later he was promoted to the new post of Director of the Admiralty Education Department where he served until his retirement in 1945. He was then for five years Director of Studies and Dean of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

Hall’s services to naval education were of the first importance. Yet he was active in many other fields as well. His connexion with the English Association was of long standing and he was chairman from 1951. He was a governor of Imperial College and chairman of the Royal School for Naval and Marine Officers’ Daughters from 1943. He was a member of the Hankey Committee on Further Education and Training (1943-45) and of the council of the Society for Nautical Research (1947-51). Among other organizations to which he gave his time were the Institute of Naval Architects and the Navy Records Society, of both of which he was treasurer, and the RN Scholarship Fund and the RN Benevolent Society.

He married in 1920 Constance Martha Gibbens, by whom he had a son and a daughter.

The Times, Monday November 23, 1959.

You may like to read the following family stories:-

Rev George Hunter – Primitive Methodist Minister

Rev George Hunter and his daughter Edith

Charles Edward Hall – 75 Morris Street

Francis Edward Allen – Mayor of Swindon 1940-41

Francis Edward Allen was 77 years of age when he served as Mayor of Swindon during one of the difficult years of the Second World War, 1940-1941. Among his numerous duties during that year he launched Swindon Food Week, an initiative to help housewives make better use of rations; he lent his support to a national flag day on behalf of the air raid distress fund and he welcomed evacuees to the town.

Francis Allen was born in 1863 and baptised in the parish of Widcombe, Somerset, the son of stonemason Joseph Allen and his wife Mary Ann. By the 1880s he was living in Swindon where he married Emily Brooks on December 25, 1883 at the church of St. Paul’s. The couple went on to have 9 children and lived for all of their married life in the Rushey Platt/Wootton Bassett Road area.

Ex Mayor of Swindon’s Sudden Death

Alderman Francis Edward Allen Mayor of Swindon in 1940-41, died suddenly at his home, 9, Wootton Bassett road early this morning. He was 80 years of age.

Mr. Allen was born at Bath and came to Swindon as a young man to taken up employment in the GWR Works. He rose to chargeman of the gas works and retired about 18 years ago, after 42 years service.

On his retirement Mr Allen took up public life and was returned to the Town Council as councillor for the East Ward. Later he was made an alderman and was elected Mayor in 1940-41.

Mr Allen was well-known for his work in connection with the North Wilts district of the Ancient Order of Foresters, of which he was senior trustee at the time of his death. As recently as Wednesday evening he attended a Foresters’ meeting in Swindon.

Mr Allen also made a name for himself by his interest in horticulture. In the days of the old Swindon Flower Show, then held in the Town Gardens, he was a most successful exhibitor and was also a very competent judge of flowers.

He had taken innumerable prizes in local club flower shows, and at one time was on the committee of the “Evening Advertiser” Flower Show.

He was a former treasurer of the Swindon Division Liberal Association.

Mr Allen leaves a widow, three sons (two living in Australia and one in Swindon) and six daughters. All the sons and daughters are living and married.

The Evening Advertiser, June 13, 1943.

Funeral of Ald. F.E. Allen, Former Mayor of Swindon

Ald. F.E. Allen

Alderman Francis Edward Allen, aged 80, Mayor of Swindon in 1940-41, of 9 Wootton Bassett road, who died last Saturday, was buried with civic and forestry honours yesterday.

The Mayor (Ald. A.J.B. Selwood), wearing his chain of office, attended the funeral service at Wesley Church, Faringdon road, and the Foresters’ burial service was read at the graveside in Radnor street cemetery by Bro. F.J. Franklin, District Trustee.

The service at Wesley Church was conducted by the Rev. A..E. Banks, who, in the course of a short address, referred to the integrity and steadfastness of purpose with which Ald. Allen had served the town, and said the qualities of character he had shown in his public work had won for him a warm place in the hearts of his fellow citizens.

Extracts from the Evening Advertiser, Thursday, June 17, 1943.

Francis Edward Allen died at his home 9, Wootton Bassett Road, aged 80. He was buried on June 16, 1943 in grave plot B3130, which he shares with his wife Emily who died in 1951. The couple are buried with Emily’s sister, Elizabeth Hannah Wilden who died in 1910.

Stanley William Ashton – pilot officer

Pilot officer Stanley Ashton married Josephine Loveday in December 1939. Josephine was the daughter of Frederick and Adeline Loveday. Frederick served as an Air Mechanic 1^st Class during the Great War. He died in the King George Military Hospital in Stamford Street, South London. He was 29 years old and left a widow and two small daughters.

Stanley William Ashton, who was born on 22nd August 1911, served an apprenticeship as an electrician. He joined the RAF and gained his Pilots wings in Nov 1938. In 1939 he was serving with 59 squadron in France where they were using Blenheim MIV aircraft. As the Germans pushed through France in 1940 the squadron was withdrawn to England and based at RAF Odiham Hampshire. They continued to fly missions over France, mainly reconnaissance operations.

On Tuesday 4th June 1940 Pilot officer Ashton and his crew were flying R3697. They took off from RAF Eastchurch in Kent – There are 2twotheories as to what they were doing. One is that they were on a transit flight to head back to their base in Hampshire. The other is that they were on an operational mission.

Neither have been confirmed but as the aircraft banked during take off one of the wings clipped the ground and the plane crashed killing all on board. Among those killed were Observer Sgt William John Wilson and Wireless operator/Air gunner Sgt Roland Wilson (unrelated). Stanley Ashton had been married just six months.

Josephine eventually remarried in 1955 and died in 1982 but is buried elsewhere. Although the cemetery was closed by then the burial registers indicate that there was room for one adult left in this plot.

Stanley William Ashton is buried here in plot C3524 with Frederick and Adeline Loveday.

The lubbly jubbly Fred Kiddle

I wonder what Fred Kiddle looked like. I imagine him as the loveable rogue Del Boy Trotter from the 1980s sitcom Only Fools and Horses, complete with medallion and sheepskin coat.

Fred had numerous jobs, including that of a ship brokers clerk, a traveller, pub landlord, shopkeeper, greengrocer but he is probably best remembered as a Turf Commission Agent – a bookies runner. Infact, we know he even had a nickname ‘Speedy.’

Fred’s great nephew David contacted me with a chapter from the Fred Kiddle story:

‘Most of Fred’s money came from bookmaking – both on course and off, with Duart House (his home) being furnished with antiques and silver ‘redeemed’ from unlucky gamblers in lieu of their debts. I understand Fred gloried in being nouveau-riche, owning many cars, from the windows of which he liked to scatter coins for local boys to run after! At the start of WWII he donated premises for the local Red Cross to use as their HQ – a wise investment, as they had preferred access to petrol, and made sure his car was never without, despite rationing.’

Now that is pure Del Boy.

Frederick Charles Kiddle was born in Gloucester in 1879 the son of Charles Kiddle, a railway foreman, and his wife Harriett. He first married Dora Henrietta Stephens in 1903. I’ve been unable to discover what happened to this marriage (or to Dora) In 1921 Fred married his second wife Ethel Maud Dunn but by that date they already had two children, Hugh born in 1914 and John in 1916. Their daughter Marcia Mary was baptised at St. Mark’s on February 13, 1922. During this period the family lived at 13 Cambria Bridge Road where Fred had a grocer’s shop.

By 1939 Fred was recorded as a Turf Commission Agent with premises at 26 Clarence Street, Gloucester and 2 College Place, Cheltenham. He died on died March 25, 1943. Probate was awarded to William Edward Kiddle (his younger brother) and William Canniford, insurance officials and Joseph Thomas Weston commission agents clerk and secretary. He left effects valued at £18,623 13s.

Fred was buried in grave plot C4878 in March 1943 where he joined his son John who had died in 1939. The inscription on the grave reads – ‘To my dear Speedy who I loved/No tongue can ever tell what we would give to have you back.’ Ethel died in 1964 and was buried in the neighbouring plot C4879. She is buried with the couple’s daughter Marcia, well known for her charitable works during the war, who died in 1994.

The Airspeed Oxford propeller unveiled

The rain clouds parted and the sun made a plucky appearance during our guided walk yesterday when we were delighted to welcome Air Commodore Tony Keeling OBE, Commandant Royal Air Force Air Cadets, to Radnor Street Cemetery.

Following the closure of the RAFA Club in Belle Vue Road the propeller mounted on the front of the building faced an uncertain future. Then a group of concerned Swindonians, among them Carole and David Bent, Neil Robinson, Toby Robson and Graham Carter, stepped in to rescue it.

At Sunday’s event Air Commodore Keeling cut the ribbon and led the assembled visitors into the chapel to view the propeller, now mounted above the door. Cemetery volunteer Kevin, a member of the Eyes On Hands On team, gave an informative talk about the history of the Airspeed Oxford to a packed chapel, as you can see from Andy’s photographs. Then, accompanied by fellow officers and air cadets, Air Commodore Keeling joined us on our walk.

Guest speaker, Paul Gentleman, gave an account of the career of Wing Commander John Starr who is remembered on his brother’s (Squadron Leader Harold Starr) grave. Paul and his wife Caroline along with Noel Beauchamp have been researching the life and times of the two Starr brothers for several years. Paul, Caroline and Noel, in association with Green Rook and Swindon Heritage, organised the Swindon Remembers event to commemorate the Battle of Britain 75^th anniversary held in the cemetery in 2015.

Our visitors at Sunday’s event donated generously to the memorial plaque for Mark Sutton. This will be unveiled at the Remembrance Day Service, an event Mark established many years ago.

Here are some photos of the day captured by Andy and myself.

Unveiling of Airspeed Oxford propeller

In recent years the Radnor Street Cemetery chapel has become a repository for rescued and recovered war memorials. Ten years ago Mark Sutton was instrumental in seeing the Sanford Street School War Memorial removed to Radnor Street Cemetery Chapel from the then empty school building where it was considered to be vulnerable. Then in 2015 a memorial to 19 Gorse Hill men who died during the First World War might also have been lost forever until rescued by Mark. In subsequent years more plaques and memorials have been deposited in the cemetery chapel.

During our next guided cemetery walk we will be unveiling another war time relic that was in danger of being lost to the history of Swindon.

Following the closure of the RAFA Club in Belle Vue Road the propeller mounted on the front of the building faced an uncertain future. Then a group of concerned Swindonians, among them Carole Bent, Neil Robinson, Toby Robson and Graham Carter, stepped in.

The propeller, which has been identified as belonging to an Airspeed Oxford – a trainer for RAF bomber aircrews, has now been installed in the cemetery chapel and will be unveiled by Air Commodore Tony Keeling OBE, Commandant Royal Air Force Air Cadets.

‘I’m delighted to see this propeller returned to display in Swindon. This is a visible celebration of the historic links between the town and the Royal Air Force. I am most grateful to the members of the local community who made this happen. Thank you.’

Following the unveiling our walk will follow a military theme during which we will visit the graves of several airmen who served during both World Wars and are buried in the cemetery.

Join us outside the cemetery chapel on Sunday August 13 for the unveiling at 2 p.m.

published courtesy of Imperial War Museum.

Charles Smart – Killed in Black-Out

In July 1939, as war became imminent, the Lord Privy Seal’s Office issued a number of Public Information Leaflets. Leaflet No. 2 contained information on ‘Your Gas Mask – How to keep it and How to Use It’ as well as instructions concerning ‘Masking Your Windows’ with the following advice:

In war, one of our great protections against the dangers of air attack after nightfall would be the “black out.” On the outbreak of hostilities all external lights and street lighting would be totally extinguished so as to give hostile aircraft no indication as to their whereabouts. But this will not be fully effective unless you do your part, and see to it that no lighting in the house where you live is visible from the outside. The motto for safety will be “Keep it dark!”

The ‘black out’ was yet another feature of wartime that impacted on everyday life. In the winter of 1940 these difficult conditions and icy winter roads resulted in a road traffic accident and the death of Charles Smart.

Image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.

Killed in Black-Out

Inquest on Swindon Man

Against the wishes of his niece who thought the roads too treacherous for him, Mr Charles Smart, aged 68, a retired GWR employee, of 44, Curtis Street, Swindon, went out on Tuesday of last week to the Central Club. On his way home he was in the act of crossing the road when he was knocked down by a Corporation ‘bus receiving injuries from which he died in the GWR Medical Fund Hospital on Saturday night.

A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned by the jury at Tuesday’s inquest, conducted by the Wilts Coroner (Mr Harold Dale), and the driver of the ‘bus William John Snell was exonerated.

Mr Smart’s niece, Mrs Dorothy Kate Critchley, with whom he lived, said her uncle enjoyed good health, hearing and eyesight.

Dr Alister McLean said the cause of death was shock following injury to the brain due to a blow on the head.

Reasonable Speed

Walter Fred J. Ockwell, 10, Milton Road, Swindon said that last Tuesday night about 10 o’clock, he was in Curtis Street and just before reaching Whitehead Street he saw a form in the middle of the road. The form was not moving. When about 30 feet away he shouted to the object. A ‘bus came along but the object did not appear to move until the ‘bus was almost on top of it. As the ‘bus swerved to the right the object moved to the left. The ‘bus was almost in the middle of the road, and was being driven at quite a reasonable speed.

When he reached the spot, the driver and passengers were getting out of the ‘bus. The object proved to be a man lying a little to the centre of the road. It appeared as if the ‘bus had pushed the man forward. Witness said that as the man stood in the road he faced the direction from which the bus came.

Private James Lewis Warburton said he saw Smart leave the pavement and walk towards the centre of the road, where he stood still. He thought Smart was going to stop the bus, and he did not see him slip.

Driver’s Swerve

The bus driver, William John Snell, described it as a very dark night, with bad road conditions. When he first saw the figure in the road it was very close to the bus and well into the road. He immediately applied his brakes and swerved to the offside, but, owing to the condition of the road, the bus slipped along a little further, and the nearside headlamp struck the man, who was wearing dark clothing.

Questioned by his solicitor (Mr S.G.G. Humphreys), Snell said that had Smart remained where he was when he first saw him, the swerve would have avoided him.

The Coroner suggested that it might be that Smart found the road so slippery that he was afraid to move.

Sympathy was extended to the relatives by the Coroner, and by Mr Humphreys on behalf of the Corporation and the driver of the bus.

North Wilts Herald, Friday, 9 February, 1940.

Image published courtesy of the Dixon Attwell Collection, Local Studies, Swindon Central Library

Charles Smart 69 years of 44 Curtis Street died at the GW Hospital and was buried in a public grave, plot C149 on February 8, 1940.

Radnor Street Cemetery volunteers

This Thursday morning you are likely to find members of the Radnor Street Cemetery volunteers busy in the cemetery. Here are a few words from Kevin explaining some of the work the volunteers undertake.

‘There are currently seven volunteers working in Radnor Street Cemetery. These include Jon, Jonathan, Brian, Pauline, Val, Jo and myself.

We are volunteering in an official capacity for the CWGC as part of their Eyes On Hands On project. The Commission is responsible for 103 plots at the cemetery, 90 WWI and 13 WWII, of these there are 101 Commonwealth and 12 private. Basically, it is up to us to look after these plots and feedback any concerns to the Commission such as illegibility, damage, unsafe leaning etc.

We are authorised to softly clean the Commonwealth headstones, using just water and brushes, and carry out light weeding, grass trimming etc. For the private memorials we should only carry out only light weeding and not clean the headstones, but feed back to the Commission.

Of the casualties at the cemetery a lot of them died from illness, but there are also those who died in accidents or more sadly those who took their own lives often following the horrors they had experienced.

We have recently been photographing all of the headstones and memorials for the Commission website. The Commission now try and include photographs on their casualty database, which people can search.

Outside of the Commission’s responsibility there are also many private family plots at the cemetery that we have come across that make reference to loved family members lost during the two wars.

The first two images show a little bit about the Eyes On Hands On project. The next photo is a private plot commemorating 2nd Lt W.S. Hunter, Royal West Kent Regiment. The second photo is a Commonwealth headstone marking the grave of Pte K.W. Scott-Browne, sadly killed in a flying accident whilst training for D Day. The last photo is a family grave for Mildred Cook, commemorating her husband Hubert James Cook, killed in action during WWI.’

Read more about the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission here.