This memorial on the site of a mass grave of 122 of Manchester’s Second World War civilian dead located in Southern Cemetery, Manchester includes a separate section listing 5 Auxiliary Fire Service Men, however there were also other casualties of the Luftwaffe’s attacks who were killed while on duty. Most apparently, besides the large number of firemen killed, there were a significant number of Air Raid Wardens, Policemen A.R.P. Personnel and Nurses in the list of casualties.
Less obvious were the 39 firewatchers (37 men and 2 women) who were victims of the Bombing. These brave men and women were definitely among the “unsung heroes” of World War 2 and as such their lives deserve to be remembered.
Almost half of these heroic individuals (13 men and 1 woman) lost their lives on the night of Whit Sunday / Monday, 1st - 2nd June, 1941; the second heaviest bombing raid over the Greater Manchester area during World War 2. To make this post more manageable I have arbitrarily divided these 14 into two groups. The first seven are recorded below. I intend to include the other seven histories in a follow-up post.
Only one Arthur Walton is listed on this memorial (1) being buried here in Southern Cemetery: (listed as grave Q 956 in the non-conformist section). Five are buried elsewhere and one, Albert Henry Bowers was cremated Two James Gerard Wynne and Frederick Gerard Lund were interred in St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Moston. East Manchester. Frederick Augustus Penn’s grave can be found in Agecroft Cemetery, Salford, whilst that of Walter James Bull is in St. Margaret’s Churchyard, Prestwich.
The body of the last of the seven men, James Richardson, was returned to his home village for burial there. He was laid to rest in St. John’s Churchyard in Read , Nr. Burnley, Lancashire.
Manchester’s Civilian War Dead Memorial Tree: - Piccadilly
Arthur Walton:-
Arthur resided at 17, Clifton Drive, Higher Crumpsall, Manchester. Arthur was born in Manchester on 23rd February, 1881. He was married to Mary Eliza (née Millar) in the September quarter of 1908. He worked as a wages clerk for 42 years at the offices of the Manchester cotton merchants Frederick Cawley & Company. He died at The R.A.F Yard, Gartside Street
Gartside St, Bomb Damage m 08573 – G. R. Hinks
James Richardson:-
James resided at 54, Corwen Avenue, Harpurhey, Manchester where he traded as a newsagent. He was born in the village of Read near Burnley in 1887, and was baptized in the church of St. John the Evangelist on 27th December, 1887. His father was William, a cowman, and his mother Sarah. James was a proficient batsman for the village cricket team and later stood as a well respected umpire in the Ribblesdale Cricket League. He was also a prominent member of the Constitutional Club where he regularly enjoyed a game of billiards. He married Alice Maud (née Harwood) in the September quarter of 1909 and the couple had three daughters Eva, Nellie, and Elsie. Sadly Elsie died in 1913 aged just two. Around 1933 the family moved to open a business in Manchester. James also died on Gartside Street at the premises of J Duncan.
James Gerard Wynne:-
Resided at 91, Dudley Road, Whalley Range, Manchester. He was born in Manchester in 1911 to James Wynne, a boot maker, and his wife Lilian (née Hallion). He married Irene (née Kerr) a ladies hairdresser in the September quarter of 1936.
Frederick Gerard Lund:-
Lived with his parents and sister, Clare Monica at 237, Bury New Road where he was a hardware dealer. He was born on the 19th August, 1899 in Blackburn, Lancashire. His parents were James Thomas, a joiner, and Elizabeth Alice (née Bolton).
Frederick Augustus Penn:-
A near neighbour of the above, he lived at 219, Bury New Road where he kept a butcher shop. He was born in the St. George district of Manchester in the December quarter of 1893. His parents were both born in London. His father, also named Frederick Augustus worked as a glass beveller and his mother was Mary Ann (née Gilder) He married Annie Gladwyn Powel in Prestwich, North Manchester in the December quarter of 1914. Their daughter, Mary Freda, was born on 3rd January, 1916.
Walter James Bull:-
The oldest of these seven men Walter was born on 20th January, 1868. Known as “Jim” he was working as a builder’s labourer and living at 21, Waterloo Street, Lower Crumpsall, Manchester. He died at 53, George Street.
Albert Henry Bowers:-
The last of the seven was a textile designer and the only one to reside in Chorlton-cum-Hardy at 40, Cavendish Road (2) He was born in Salford, Greater Manchester on 3rd October, 1874. His parents were William Henry a builder and Sarah Ann Perolz from Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Albert didn’t marry till late in his life marrying Annie Maud Craig in the September quarter of 1922. He died at 80, Cumberland Street, Deansgate, Manchester.
Tony Goulding, © 2019
Cumberland St. Bomb Site m 08574 G. R. Hinks.
Location; Chorlton & Manchester
Pictures; memorial on the site of a mass grave of 122 of Manchester’s Second World War civilian dead located in Southern Cemetery and Manchester’s Civilian War Dead Memorial Tree: - Piccadilly, 2019, Tony Goulding, Gartside Street, Bomb Damage, 1941, m 08573, G. R. Hinks, Cumberland Street, bomb site, 1941, m 08574 G. R. Hinks, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
NOTES:-
1) Another firewatcher is named on the Southern Cemetery civilian memorial, Charles Harfield, but he died on the 12th March, 1941 at Withington Hospital, Manchester having been injured the previous day at Yapp’s Laundry Ltd., 922, Chester Road, Stretford. His story I hope to tell at a future date
2) Cavendish Road was the old name of Corkland Road.
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| Memorial in Southern Cemetery, 2019 |
Almost half of these heroic individuals (13 men and 1 woman) lost their lives on the night of Whit Sunday / Monday, 1st - 2nd June, 1941; the second heaviest bombing raid over the Greater Manchester area during World War 2. To make this post more manageable I have arbitrarily divided these 14 into two groups. The first seven are recorded below. I intend to include the other seven histories in a follow-up post.
The body of the last of the seven men, James Richardson, was returned to his home village for burial there. He was laid to rest in St. John’s Churchyard in Read , Nr. Burnley, Lancashire.
Manchester’s Civilian War Dead Memorial Tree: - Piccadilly
 |
| Manchester's War Memorial Tree, Piccadilly, 2019 |
Arthur resided at 17, Clifton Drive, Higher Crumpsall, Manchester. Arthur was born in Manchester on 23rd February, 1881. He was married to Mary Eliza (née Millar) in the September quarter of 1908. He worked as a wages clerk for 42 years at the offices of the Manchester cotton merchants Frederick Cawley & Company. He died at The R.A.F Yard, Gartside Street
Gartside St, Bomb Damage m 08573 – G. R. Hinks
James Richardson:-
James resided at 54, Corwen Avenue, Harpurhey, Manchester where he traded as a newsagent. He was born in the village of Read near Burnley in 1887, and was baptized in the church of St. John the Evangelist on 27th December, 1887. His father was William, a cowman, and his mother Sarah. James was a proficient batsman for the village cricket team and later stood as a well respected umpire in the Ribblesdale Cricket League. He was also a prominent member of the Constitutional Club where he regularly enjoyed a game of billiards. He married Alice Maud (née Harwood) in the September quarter of 1909 and the couple had three daughters Eva, Nellie, and Elsie. Sadly Elsie died in 1913 aged just two. Around 1933 the family moved to open a business in Manchester. James also died on Gartside Street at the premises of J Duncan.
 |
| Gartside Street Bomb damage, 1941 |
Resided at 91, Dudley Road, Whalley Range, Manchester. He was born in Manchester in 1911 to James Wynne, a boot maker, and his wife Lilian (née Hallion). He married Irene (née Kerr) a ladies hairdresser in the September quarter of 1936.
Frederick Gerard Lund:-
Lived with his parents and sister, Clare Monica at 237, Bury New Road where he was a hardware dealer. He was born on the 19th August, 1899 in Blackburn, Lancashire. His parents were James Thomas, a joiner, and Elizabeth Alice (née Bolton).
Frederick Augustus Penn:-
A near neighbour of the above, he lived at 219, Bury New Road where he kept a butcher shop. He was born in the St. George district of Manchester in the December quarter of 1893. His parents were both born in London. His father, also named Frederick Augustus worked as a glass beveller and his mother was Mary Ann (née Gilder) He married Annie Gladwyn Powel in Prestwich, North Manchester in the December quarter of 1914. Their daughter, Mary Freda, was born on 3rd January, 1916.
Walter James Bull:-
The oldest of these seven men Walter was born on 20th January, 1868. Known as “Jim” he was working as a builder’s labourer and living at 21, Waterloo Street, Lower Crumpsall, Manchester. He died at 53, George Street.
 |
| Cumberland Street bomb site, 1941 |
The last of the seven was a textile designer and the only one to reside in Chorlton-cum-Hardy at 40, Cavendish Road (2) He was born in Salford, Greater Manchester on 3rd October, 1874. His parents were William Henry a builder and Sarah Ann Perolz from Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Albert didn’t marry till late in his life marrying Annie Maud Craig in the September quarter of 1922. He died at 80, Cumberland Street, Deansgate, Manchester.
Tony Goulding, © 2019
Cumberland St. Bomb Site m 08574 G. R. Hinks.
Location; Chorlton & Manchester
Pictures; memorial on the site of a mass grave of 122 of Manchester’s Second World War civilian dead located in Southern Cemetery and Manchester’s Civilian War Dead Memorial Tree: - Piccadilly, 2019, Tony Goulding, Gartside Street, Bomb Damage, 1941, m 08573, G. R. Hinks, Cumberland Street, bomb site, 1941, m 08574 G. R. Hinks, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
NOTES:-
1) Another firewatcher is named on the Southern Cemetery civilian memorial, Charles Harfield, but he died on the 12th March, 1941 at Withington Hospital, Manchester having been injured the previous day at Yapp’s Laundry Ltd., 922, Chester Road, Stretford. His story I hope to tell at a future date
2) Cavendish Road was the old name of Corkland Road.
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