THE CIVILIAN WAR DEAD OF PITSMOOR

SHEFFIELD 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 

Ellesmere Road - Clun Road, Sheffield 1940

(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)(1)(1) - see The Sheffield Star dated 7th July 1941

  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"

Just over two years after that mail I received the following mail from a descendent of another family that was killed that night

"My name is Neil Noble and the Neales' were my grandparents. My mother Dorothy Edna Neale was born Aug 27 1937, she told me was sick and was not  allowed near her younger brother Tony ,and was at her Aunts on the night of Dec 12 1940. Eventually she was adopted by her aunt who she assumed was her mum until they told her differently when she was 16. Her dads family wanted her and her mothers sister adopted her.  Caused all kinds of problems !!. Anyway she lost her mum, dad, brother and her granma's family all in a short space of time. She decided to name me Neil to remember the family name , all be it slightly different."

Neil's family emigrated from Manchester to Ontario Canada in 1976

In January 2011 I received an e-mail from someone who had seen this article, and had located members of his family that had been killed that night

"My name is Alan Simpson, also born 1953,also went to Abbeydale Grammar School. Whilst browsing your site I found a link to the Pitsmoor Roll of Honour to those who perished in the Sheffield Blitz.
My father was Arthur Simpson, rear gunner in a Halifax bomber during the war. On the night of the 13th December 1940 he lost his mother, Mary Simpson, youngest sister Margaret Simpson, together with his niece Patricia Hutchinson (8),nephew Barrie Hutchinson (5months), eldest sister Doris Heeley, brother in law Percy Heeley and niece Barbera Heeley (10). His eldest sister Mary Hutchinson survived the blast on Bressingham Rd, even though her son Barrie was being nursed on her lap at the time.
Mary, or Nellie as she preferred had a daughter later in life which she named Barbera. Barbera had a successful life as a ballet dancer in the Saddlers Wells Ballet Company and to this day teaches worldwide. Nellie died last year (2010) at the ripe age of 101 having received a letter from H.R.H.
Some six months after loosing virtually his entire family, my father was shot down over France and parachuted out of a burning Halifax bomber to be captured and spent the next 3 years in a prisoner of war camp in various places, finally in Poland. On the forced march into Germany, the much reported "Death Marches", he and his Canadian friend escaped into the forest and finally after many days hiding and running, met up with an American patrol. He was awarded the "Caterpillar Tie" and membership of the "Caterpillar Club", an exclusive club for airmen shot down and parachuting to earth.
Sadly like his father, Arthur died at an early age but not without leaving a wife, Gladys who is still with us at 89 years old. Happily they had four children. Myself Alan, my brother John and sisters Anita and Joanne. Many more grandchildren and great grandchildren have sadly missed the company of my Father whom I regard as a true hero.
Dad rarely spoke of the war. He did mention being in a camp in Poland, close to Auschwitz and being able to smell the funeral pyres as bodies were burned in the open as the Russian and American soldiers advanced.
He was a loyal family man, proud and with strict morals, loved and missed by all. His ashes lay in a Crematorium in Carleton near Blackpool where we lived after leaving Totley in 1966. I hope this story is of interest to you and others."

I don't think I can add anything to Alan's story. Of course any additional information, as always, would be welcome. please contact me 

In July 2015 I was researching the death of Herbert Fretwell who died in a works accident in Sheffield. In doing so I came across this report from The Sheffield Star dated 7th July 1941

I checked with the details I had and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database - 

Rank:CivilianDate of Death:12/12/1940Age:15Regiment/Service:Civilian War Dead Reporting 
Authority:SHEFFIELD, COUNTY BOROUGH Additional Information:Daughter of Robert and Millicent Hill, 
of 18 Guilthwaite Crescent, Whiston. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road.

Rank:CivilianDate of Death:12/12/1940Age:26Regiment/Service:Civilian War Dead Reporting 
Authority:SHEFFIELD, COUNTY BOROUGH Additional Information: Daughter of Thomas William and Lily 
Hawksworth, of 88 Page Hall Road. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road.

Rank:CivilianDate of Death:12/12/1940Age:60Regiment/Service:Civilian War Dead Reporting 
Authority:SHEFFIELD, COUNTY BOROUGH Additional Information: of 20 Sedan Street, Pitsmoor. Husband 
of A. L. McLardy. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road

Rank:CivilianDate of Death:12/12/1940Age:25Regiment/Service:Civilian War Dead Reporting 
Authority:SHEFFIELD, COUNTY BOROUGH Additional Information:Son of Percy R. and Lily Smith, of 86 
Danville Street, Pitsmoor. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road 

Beatrice Hawksworth was not on the original list (see above)

The four people killed in the raid lay undiscovered for over six months. 

And in the course of this research I found another person who died at 65 Ellesmere Road - Elias Jarvis age 28 who is also not on the original list 

Rank:CivilianDate of Death:12/12/1940Age:28Regiment/Service:Civilian War Dead Reporting 
Authority:SHEFFIELD, COUNTY BOROUGH Additional Information: Son of Mr. W. Jarvis, of 77 Yew Lane, 
Ecclesfield. Died at 65 Ellesmere Road.

There is no indication as to what became of the remains of the five people who died there.

In January 2018 I received this information from a person who was born in 1947 in Pitsmoor Road but whose parents lived in the area at the time of the Sheffield blitz. Like the correspondent, I have no reason to doubt his mothers recollections. In fact they portray the sheer horror of the event

"I was born on Pitsmoor Road in 1947 and lived there until the demolition in about 1959. On the night of the air raid my mom lived down Fowler Street very near to Grove Street . Bombs rained down on Grove Street Marshall Street and opposite on Fowler Place. All of which I remember as bomb-sites as a child. My father was in the army based in Scotland before spending the rest of the war in India and Burma and was wounded at the last big battle with the Japanese in 1945 at Mandalay.

My mother was in the celler with my brother and sister aged 3 and 5. She was terrified . The next morning she had to be helped from the house as it was damaged with the bombs landing about a hundred yards away. She lost many friends that night. One of the stories she told me was about Patricia "Pat" Lee of Fowler Street. Her mum was put on nights at Stanley works . I can’t remember if her husband Bernard was in the Forces or working nights on that fateful night. She asked her mum and dad who lived nearby on Grove Street if they would look after Pat aged 3 while she was working the night shift. Pats Grandparents the Jacksons agreed. I suppose Pats Mom was in the shelter at Stanley Works Woodside Lane on that night. The next day when she returned to her parents house it was a pile of rubble and they were all presumed dead. 

My Mom Lily Marrison (nee Law) told me her eldest brother George Law who was living with his parents on Pitsmoor Road and came down to Mums house and after seeing her back with my brother and sister to her Mothers house on Pitsmoor Road returned down to Grove Street to help dig out Pat and her grandparents. I do not know how long it took but eventually he found a small bit of a shoulder with a piece of red cardigan attached . Her Mum burst out in tears shouting that’s our Pat. She was three years old. That was the only remains that they found of Pat. It was many years ago but she told me the same story a few times. Of course I can’t verify this but believe it to be true.
As a small child we would sledge down a slope on Grove Street that had been a bomb sight where people had been killed. I remember the position of the bomb-site where Pat Lee and her Grandparents lived. I drive up the new road to Pitsmoor church and in my minds eye can still see where these bomb-sites were.

Yes I would be happy for you to add this to your site . It should never be forgotten what that fateful night brought to Sheffield. My Mum told me about this sad story from when I was young up to her passing away in 2003 aged 90. I know that sometimes with the passing of time things can get distorted but I’m sure that it was correct as she never swerved over the years with her recollections of that night. Of course I am unable to proof it’s full authenticity as I was not born until May 1947. I drive up the New road to Pitsmoor from Bridgehouses and I can still point out some of the bomb sites and the general area where they fell. There are not many people left now who remember and realise that many people lost there lives on either side of the road. Are there any photos surviving of the Bomb damage in and around Pitsmoor Road ? Thanks for your prompt response." 

The three fatalities that were specifically referred to are

Patricia Lee age 3 at 70 Grove Street - 13 Dec1940 of 73 Fowler Street, Pitsmoor. Daughter of Bernard and Kathleen Lee. 

and her grandparents

Ellen Jackson age 58 at 70 Grove Street - 13 Dec1940 of 72 Grove Street. Wife of Robert William Jackson. 
Robert William Jackson age 59 at 70 Grove Street - 13 Dec1940 of 72 Grove Street. Husband of Ellen Jackson. .

The grandparents were buried together at Sheffield's City Road Cemetery

JACKSON, Ellen (wife of Robert Wm (killed in air raid), age 58). Died at 70 Grove St; Buried on December 23, 1940 in General Portion ground; Grave Number 8761, Section I2 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: .

JACKSON, Mary (Wife of William, age 29). Died at City General Hospital; Buried on June 17, 1943 in General Portion ground;  Grave Number 8761, Section I2 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 46 

JACKSON, Robert William (killed in air raid, age 59). Died at 70 Grove St; Buried on December 23, 1940 in General Portion ground; Grave Number 8761, Section I2 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 239 

But little Patricia was buried in the coffin of another person - Arnold Arthur Murphy age 19 of 66 Grove Street who lost his life at the same time. He was the son of Kate, and the late William Hart Murphy.

LEE, Patricia (air raid victim (in coffin with Arnold Murphy), age ~). Died at 70 Grove Street; Buried on December 21, 1940 in Consecrated ground; 
Grave Number 81, Section N of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister: E P Cook: Removed from Sheffield Parish.

Died at 70 Grove Street on 13 Dec 1940; Buried on December 21, 1940 in ~ ground;  Grave Number ~, Section ~ of ~ Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: of 73 Fowler St. Identified by Kate Keeton of 111 Verdon St (Aunt).

These details confirm what was found "he (George Law) found a small bit of a shoulder with a piece of red cardigan attached . Her Mum burst out in tears shouting that’s our Pat. She was three years old. That was the only remains that they found of Pat"

Fowler terrace is non-existent now but its location was a cul-de-sac about half way up Fowler Street (from the railway line) on the left hand side, Grove Street was across on the other side of Fowler Street. Reginald Street was just above. Another person that lived in Fowler Terrace was killed in Marples, the same night - Ethel Beardshaw age 27 who was killed along with her sister Lily Shooter age 32

Sources

Welcome To Pitsmoor – Glimpses of Pitsmoor Past and  Present

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Sheffield Star dated 7th July 1941

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 This page was last updated on 19/01/18 14:56