THE CIVILIAN WAR DEAD OF PITSMOOR 1939-1945
Many years ago I was given a A4 sized booklet called “Welcome To Pitsmoor – Glimpses of Pitsmoor Past and Present” . It was a fascinating book that contained some marvellous photos I had never seen before. In addition to the photos it tried to cover all the many different areas that go to form a community.
Quite naturally it referred to quite staggering number of Pitsmoor, men who died in the 1914 – 1918 Great War – 279 who are incidentally individually named on the memorial in Christ Church, Pitsmoor. The article then went on to mention that
“as far as can be ascertained no complete list of Pitsmoor air-raid victims, including eight killed in the Ellesmere area in October 1941 has been published. We believe the list opposite, compiled from records in the city library is complete, and readers may visualise the human suffering and tragedy represented here”
Under the title ROLL OF HONOUR OF CIVILIAN WAR DEAD OF PITSMOOR AREA it then goes on to list the name of each person who died and where known, the location of their death. Where children are killed it gives their ages.
A few years ago I wrote an article on the events surrounding the loss of life that occurred in the Marples Public House on 12th-13th December 1940 during the Blitz. It was the largest single loss of life in Sheffield since the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864. The exact number of fatalities at Marples will never be known but it struck me that the list in the booklet contained NINETY names of Pitsmoor civilians killed in the air raids.
The accepted figure for civilians killed in the two raids of 12th – 15th December 1940 is 668 – if this is the case then over 8% of the fatalities occurred in this one area.
In the light of this I thought that it would be useful if I could piece a bit more to together about those Pitsmoor people who lost their lives in the air raids. The original list did contain a number of errors which is only natural given the limitations that they worked under – the compilers did not have access to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Register which has been an enormous help in finding the additional details
THE TRAGEDY OF WAR
ROLL OF HONOUR OF CIVILIAN WAR DEAD OF PITSMOOR AREA – SHEFFIELD
|
NAME |
AGE |
DIED |
DATE |
DETAILS OF THE DECEASED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annie Bailey |
37 |
70 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Wife of Arthur Bailey. Died at 70 Grove Street. |
|
Arthur Bailey |
41 |
70 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Husband of Annie Bailey. Died at 70 Grove Street |
|
John William Battersby |
53 |
29 Stockton Street |
12 Dec1940 |
A.R.P.; of 29 Stockton Street, Pitsmoor. Husband of A. E. Battersby. Died at 29 Stockton Street. |
|
Alice Beatson |
|
Marshall Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Elizabeth Elshaw, of 3 Hessle Street; wife of William Beatson, of 2 Court, 5 House, Marshall Street. Died at 3 Court, 4 House, Marshall Street. |
|
Elsie Winifred Berrisford |
33 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 83 Southgrove Road, Ecclesall. Daughter of Mrs. Neil, of 6 Findon Street; wife of John Redfern Berrisford. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street. |
|
John Redfern Berrisford |
33 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 83 Southgrove Road, Ecclesall. Son of Mrs. C. Berrisford, of 38 Bradfield Road; husband of Elsie Winifred Berrisford. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street. |
|
Annie Brean |
22 |
107 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
Wife of F. Brean. Died at 107 Pitsmoor Road |
|
Cyril Breedon |
35 |
9 Parkwood Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Louisa Bingham (formerly Breedon), of 42 Lister Road; husband of Eva Mildred Breedon. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Anita Breedon |
3 |
9 Parkwood Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Cyril and Eva Mildred Breedon. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Eva Mildred Breedon |
32 |
9 Parkwood Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Louisa Walker, of 10 Fowler Terrace; wife of Cyril Breedon. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
George Breedon |
11 |
9 Parkwood Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Cyril and Eva Mildred Breedon. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Terence Breedon |
5mth |
9 Parkwood Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Cyril and Eva Mildred Breedon. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Hilda Brown |
30 |
21 Bressingham Rd |
13 Dec1940 |
Wife of George Brown. Died at 21 Bressingham Road. |
|
Charles William Butler |
69 |
The Wicker |
13 Dec1940 |
of 91 Bressingham Road. Died at Wicker. |
|
John James Burley Clarke |
45 |
9 Parkwood Road, |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Lettice Agnes, and of the late Samuel Clarke. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Lettice Agnes Clarke |
69 |
9 Parkwood Road. |
13 Dec1940 |
of 22 Parkwood Road, Neepsend. Widow of Samuel Clarke. Died at 9 Parkwood Road. |
|
Sarah Coggan |
84 |
111 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
Widow of Alfred Coggon. Died at 111 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Andrew Cooper |
8 |
Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of W. Cooper (H.M. Forces), and of Linda May Cooper. Died at Fox Street shelter. |
|
Arthur Cooper |
7 |
Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
Of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of W. Cooper (H.M. Forces), and of Linda May Cooper. Died at Fox Street shelter |
|
Henry Cooper |
5 |
Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of W. Cooper (H.M. Forces), and of Linda May Cooper. Died at Fox Street shelter. |
|
George Cooper |
4 |
Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of W. Cooper (H.M. Forces), and of Linda May Cooper. Died at Fox Street shelter. |
|
Linda Cooper |
26 |
Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Daughter of John Henry, and of the late Grace Thurtle; wife of W. Cooper (H.M. Forces). Died at Fox Street shelter. |
|
Mary Ann Cowley |
59 |
289 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
Wife of William Cowley. Died at 289 Ellesmere Road. |
|
William Cowley |
58 |
289 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
Husband of Mary Ann Cowley. Died at 289 Ellesmere Road |
|
Lucy Cox |
15 |
159 Rock Street |
12Dec1940 |
Daughter of Mr. C. H. W. Cox, of 364 Windmill Lane. Died at 159 Rock Street. |
|
Henry George Dixon |
50 |
Brunswick Road |
12 Dec1942 |
of 12 Court, 3 House, Brunswick Road. Husband of Edith Dixon. Died at Nether Edge Hospital. |
|
Lois Dunn |
30 |
159 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Died at 159 Rock Street |
|
Peter Dunn |
6 |
159 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Lois Dunn. Died at 159 Rock Street |
|
George Dutton |
30 |
70 Grove Street |
|
of 70 Grove Street. Died at 70 Grove Street. |
|
Joseph Fagan |
51 |
15 Buckenham Rd |
29 Dec1940 |
of 5 Sorby Street. Husband of M. Fagan. Died at 15 Buckenham Road |
|
Dorothy Muriel Fleming |
18 |
Grove Street |
12 Dec1940 |
Daughter of J. W. and A. E. Fleming, of 76 Macro Street, Pitsmoor. Died at Grove Street. |
|
Emily Forster |
50 |
Ellesmere Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Of 37 Ellesmere Road,wife of Thomas Frederick Forster Injured at 60 Shepherd Street. Died Royal Infirmary |
|
Percy Greave CHECK |
18 |
Watery Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 72 Watery Street. Son of Mrs. E. Greaves. Died at Clyde Works shelter, Wicker. |
|
Madge Green |
24 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Joseph Henry and Ellen Elizabeth Green, of 10 Grimesthorpe Road. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street. |
|
Barbara Healey |
10 |
23 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Percy and Doris Heeley. Died at 23 Bressingham Road. |
|
Doris Healey |
32 |
23 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Wife of Percy Heeley. Died at 23 Bressingham Road. |
|
Percy Healey |
38 |
23 Bressingham Road |
15 Dec1940 |
Husband of Doris Heeley. Injured 13 December 1940, at 23 Bressingham Road; died at City General Hospital. |
|
Edith Hessey |
38 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of Laurel Works, Nursery Street. Wife of Arthur Hessey. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street. |
|
Arthur Hessey |
39 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of Laurel Works, Nursery Street. Son of Arthur Ellis Hessey, and Fanny Hessey, of 25 Horner Road, Abbeydale; husband of Edith Hessey. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street. |
|
Jesse Hill |
15 |
65 Ellesmere Road |
12 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Robert and Millicent Hill, of 18 Guilthwaite Crescent, Whiston. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road. |
|
Nellie Hill |
49 |
Kilton Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Of 2 Court, 5 Kilton Street. Wife of Frank Hill. At 2 Court. 5 Kilton Street |
|
Samuel Holmes |
48 |
160 Fox Street |
12 Dec1940 |
of 160 Fox Street. Husband of Emma Holmes. Died at 160 Fox Street. |
|
Barrie Hutchinson |
5m |
25 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Samuel Douglas and Mary Ellen Hutchinson. At 25 Bressingham Road. |
|
Patricia Hutchinson |
8 |
25 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
Daughter of Samuel Douglas and Mary Ellen Hutchinson. Injured at 25 Bressingham Rd; died same day at City General Hospital. |
|
Ellen Jackson |
58 |
70 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 72 Grove Street. Wife of Robert William Jackson. Died at 70 Grove Street |
|
Robert William Jackson |
59 |
70 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 72 Grove Street. Husband of Ellen Jackson. Died at 70 Grove Street. |
|
Elsie Jepson |
29 |
157 Rock Street. |
12 Dec1940 |
of 157 Rock Street. Daughter of Mrs. M. E. Churchill, of 22/4 Marcus Street, Pitsmoor; wife of J. S. Jepson. Died at 157 Rock Street. |
|
52 |
Nursery Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Belmont Hathersage. Died at Laurel Works, Nursery Street |
|
|
Patricia Lee |
3 |
70 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 73 Fowler Street, Pitsmoor. Daughter of Bernard and Kathleen Lee. Died at 70 Grove Street. |
|
James McLardy |
60 |
65 Ellesmere Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 20 Sedan Street, Pitsmoor. Husband of A. L. McLardy. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road. |
|
Annie Middleton |
37
|
285 Ellesmere Road |
14 Oct1941 |
Daughter of Daniel and Harriet A. Hooper, of 291 Ellesmere Road; wife of Horace Middleton. Injured 12 October 1941, at 285 Ellesmere Road; died at Royal Infirmary. |
|
Horace Middleton |
40 |
285 Ellesmere Road |
19 Oct1941 |
Husband of Annie Middleton. Injured 12 October 1941, at 285 Ellesmere Road; died at Royal Infirmary. |
|
Joan Middleton |
8 |
285 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
of 285 Ellesmere Road. Daughter of Horace and Annie Middleton. Died at 285 Ellesmere Road. |
|
John Middleton |
53 |
Woodside Lane |
12 Dec1940 |
of 13 Court, 5 House, Woodside Lane. Son of Mary Middleton. Died at 11 Court 3 House, Woodside Lane. |
|
Mary Middleton |
86 |
Woodside Lane |
12 Dec1940 |
of 11 Court 3 House, Woodside Lane. Died at 11 Court, 3 House, Woodside Lane. |
|
Margaret Milner |
50 |
66 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 41 Grove Street. Wife of E. Milner. Died at 66 Grove Street |
|
Teresa Milner |
12 |
66 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 41 Grove Street. Daughter of E. Milner, and of Margaret Milner. Died at 66 Grove Street |
|
Agnes Mitchell |
54 |
107 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 107 Pitsmoor Road. Wife of A. Mitchell. Died at 107 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Archie Mitchell |
14 |
107 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 107 Pitsmoor Road. Son of A. Mitchell, and of Agnes Mitchell. Died at 107 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Gordon Mitchell |
12 |
107 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 107 Pitsmoor Road. Son of A. Mitchell, and of Agnes Mitchell, at 107 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Violet Mitchell |
18 |
107 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 107 Pitsmoor Road. Daughter of A. Mitchell, and of Agnes Mitchell. Died at 107 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Roland Moxon |
57 |
Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 68 Grove Street, Pitsmoor. Husband of Mary Jane Moxon. Died at Grove Street. |
|
Arnold Arthur Murphy |
19 |
66 Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 66 Grove Street, Pitsmoor. Son of Kate, and of the late William Hart Murphy. Died at 66 Grove Street. |
|
Kate Murphy |
61 |
66Grove Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 66 Grove Street, Pitsmoor. Daughter of the late John and Alice Redfern, of 12 Attwood Street, Kidsgrove; widow of William Hart Murphy. Died at 66 Grove Street. |
|
Anthony Neale |
16m |
119 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of Ernest Corbett Neale and Edna Neale. At 119 Rock Street. |
|
Edna Neale |
23 |
119 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Wife of Ernest Corbett Neale. Died at 119 Rock Street. |
|
Ernest Corbett Neale |
26 |
119 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
of 119 Rock Street, Pitsmoor. Son of Dorothy Agnes Davy (formerly Neale), of 9 Kilton Lane; husband of Edna Neale. Died at 119 Rock Street. |
|
Jessie Newton |
32 |
109 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 109 Pitsmoor Road. Daughter of Maud, and of the late James Newton. Died at 109 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Lily Newton |
44 |
109 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 109 Pitsmoor Road. Daughter of Maud, and of the late James Newton. Died at 109 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Mary Newton |
25 |
109 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 109 Pitsmoor Road. Daughter of Maud, and of the late James Newton. Died at 109 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Maud Newton |
64
|
109 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 109 Pitsmoor Road. Widow of James Newton. Died at 109 Pitsmoor Road |
|
Jessie Oldfield |
41 |
Nottingham Cliff |
12 Dec1940 |
of 41 Cookswood Road. Daughter of Sam and Jane Oldfield, of 86 Molton Street. Died at Nottingham Cliff. |
|
Ada Poynter
|
50 |
103 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
of 103 Pitsmoor Road. Wife of Wallace Poynter |
|
William Sands |
30 |
Wallace Road |
13 Dec1940 |
of 26 Wallace Road. Husband of L. Sands. Died at Royal Infirmary. |
|
Elizabeth Simpson |
76 |
80 Burngreave Road |
18 Dec1940 |
Widow of F. Simpson. Died at 80 Burngreave Road. |
|
Margaret Simpson |
23 |
25 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
of 27 Bressingham Road. Daughter of Mary Ellen, and of the late Samuel Simpson. Died at 25 Bressingham Road. |
|
Mary Ellen Simpson |
58 |
25 Bressingham Road |
13 Dec1940 |
of 27 Bressingham Road. Widow of Samuel Simpson. Died at 25 Bressingham Road. |
|
Percival Henry Goodacre Smith |
25 |
65 Ellesmere Road |
12 Dec1940 |
Son of Percy R. and Lily Smith, of 86 Danville Street, Pitsmoor. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road. |
|
James Taylor |
77 |
9 Ellesmere Road |
13 Dec1940 |
of 9 Ellesmere Road. Husband of Mabel Taylor. Injured 12 December 1940, at 9 Ellesmere Road; died at City General Hospital. |
|
James Hilton Tempest |
41 |
287 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
Son of Jane Tempest, of 179 Highfield Cottages, Fartown, Pudsey, and of the late Arthur Tempest; husband of Gladys Eveline Tempest. Died at 287 Ellesmere Road. |
|
Gladys Eveline Tempest |
43 |
287 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
Daughter of Hebdon Flower Lancaster, of 8 Woodlands Grove, Stanningley, Leeds, and of the late Rose Ann Lancaster; wife of James Hilton Tempest. Died at 287 Ellesmere Road. |
|
Edna Tempest |
17 |
287 Ellesmere Road |
13 Oct1941 |
Daughter of James Hilton Tempest and Gladys Eveline Tempest. Injured 12 October 1941, at 287 Ellesmere Road; died at City General Hospital. |
|
Derek Tempest |
4 |
287 Ellesmere Road |
12 Oct1941 |
Son of James Hilton Tempest, and Gladys Eveline Tempest. Died at 287 Ellesmere Road. |
|
John Henry Thurtle |
60 |
119 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of the late March Thurtle; husband of the late Grace Thurtle. Died at 119 Rock Street. |
|
Horace Tuckwood |
31 |
Wicker |
12 Dec1940 |
of 112 Wulfic Road. Died at Samuel Osborne Clyde Works shelter, Wicker |
|
Minnie Vernon |
50 |
111 Pitsmoor Road |
12 Dec1940 |
Daughter of the late David Vernon. Died at 111 Pitsmoor Road. |
|
Edna West |
34 |
95 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Wife of Herbert West. Died at 95 Rock Street. |
|
Elizabeth West |
63 |
95 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Wife of Harry West. Died at 95 Rock Street |
|
Geoffrey West |
4 |
95 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Son of Herbert West, and of Edna West. Died at 95 Rock Street. |
|
Harry West |
67 |
95 Rock Street |
13 Dec1940 |
Husband of Elizabeth West. Died at 95 Rock Street |
(1) on the original list as George Berrisford
The addresses where the fatalities occurred are
12th -13th December 1940
103 Burngreave Road
66 Grove Street (2) 70 Grove Street (2)(1)(2)(1) Grove Street(1)
29 Stockton Street (1)
Marshall Street (1)
Nursery Street (2)(1)(2)(1)
9 Parkwood Road (5 – Breedon Family)(2-Clark)
The Wicker (1)(1CW)(1CW)
103 Pitsmoor Road(1) 107 Pitsmoor Road (1) 109 Pitsmoor Road (4-Newton) 111 Pitsmoor Road (1)(1)
Fox Street (5) 160 Fox Street
95 Rock Street (4) 119 Rock Street(3-Neale)(1) 157 Rock Street (1) 159 Rock Street (1)(2)
Brunswick Road (1)
15 Buckenham Rd
60 Shepherd Street
21 Bressingham Rd (1 Brown) 23 Bressingham Road(3 Healey) 25 Bressingham Road(2 Hutchinson)(2 – Simpson)
9 Ellesmere Road
65 Ellesmere Road(1)(1)(1)
Kilton Street
Woodside Lane(2)
Nottingham Cliff
Wallace Road
1941
285 Ellesmere Road(3) 287 Ellesmere Road(4) 289 Ellesmere Road(2)
It is rather heart-wrenching to imagine the distress and misery that the German attack caused. - the death of Mrs Cooper and her four young sons in the Fox Street Shelter is particularly harrowing. There is an indication of the consequences of the raid in a posting to a family history mailing group on Thurday, 22nd November 2001
I just thought I would add my family's experience of the Blitz, .......
My father was an auxiliary fireman and naturally on fire watch duty on the
night of the 12/13th December 1940. He was married to EDNA ROWBOTHAM and they
had a son GEOFFREY. They lived at 95 Rock St. Pitsmoor, with my paternal
Grandparents HARRY and ELIZABETH WEST. On that fateful night Harry was
suffering from a cold, so instead of going to the air raid shelter, when the
sirens sounded, they sat on the cellar steps.
The house took a direct hit and
all four were killed. My father came home in the morning to find his family
and home wiped away. The only salvageable item was a writing desk which my
father still has in
his possession today.
My father happily remarried-- to my mother, which is why you are hearing this
story today!
My generation (born since the 50's) have so little understanding of what life
must have been like in those days. The awful events of September 11th
only come close to giving a feeling of the fear people must have been living
with for the best part of SIX YEARS…….Would love to hear from any one who may
have known this family at that time.
Best wishes Julie Nicholls (nee WEST) Great Yarmouth Norfolk
I wonder if there are other stories and reminisces of the people who were killed that night? If you can add to the above information please contact me and I will post it to the site.
In October 2008 I received the following mail from a person who had come across my site-
"My grandfather was John Henry Thurtle who died on the 13.12.40 his daughter my Auntie Linda was killed the day before as where her sons . They were I am told very beautiful children with a headful of blonde curls. I have a few stories that have >> been passed down to my by my dad Eric Thurtle who sadly passed away 13.12.90, yes 60yrs to the day his dad died"
Ellesmere Road - Clun Road, Sheffield 1940
This page was last updated on 03/11/08 10:44