8.45pm December 22nd 1940.

Whilst reading last weeks letter pages in the Tameside Advertiser one letter in particular caught my eye... it concerned the night Hyde was the victim of a bombing. It is thought that a German Bomber had most likely missed it's drop zone and decided to drop what bombs it had left as it flew over our town.  As you will see below it is hard now to get details and facts from that time... but Ernie as been researching into that night and finding out about a family member who died as a result of the bombing.... Violet Doreen Gardner

I contacted Ernie who wrote the letter,  and offered our help...  if anyone out there as memories or heard story's about this incidence please write in or leave a comment.

   "List of Civilian Deaths Due to War Operations" copied from the archives.   It lists them:-

Doreen GARDNER, 3 Hawthorn Grove, Hyde. Hyde 22/12/40 relative Mrs. Gardner - mother - 35 Nelson St
Frank S SHARPE, 2 Green Street, Hyde. Hyde 22/12/1940. relative Mrs Sharple, 2 Green St
Ernest  H WADDINGTON, 328 Market St, Hyde. Hyde 22/12/1940/ relative Nellie Waddington, Widow, 328 Market St
John J SUDLOW, 124 Dowson Rd., Hyde. Hyde 22/12/1940. relative William J Sudlow - son - 11 Arnold Ave
Margaret A SUDLOW, 124 Dowson Rd. Hyde 22/12/1940. relative          "             "          "       "     "       "
Norman HINCHLIFFE, 56 Newton St., Hyde/ Hyde 22/12/1940. relative John M Hinchliffe - father - 56 Newton Street.

Ernie writes that:

Apparently a family story is that there was a bomb crater (confirmed by the Chief Constables report which mentions the Gas Board being called to attend to the gas leak) and that Violets father was seen in the bottom of the crater as the gas was escaping.  Not sure how true this tale is?

Below is a letter written by Albert Proctor. It describes the bombing that took place on Church Street on December 22nd 1940. Albert went to to be a very well respected photographer in Hyde.

"A short account of damage done by bomb dropped in Hyde December 22nd 1940

by Albert Proctor".

"Church Street , about 1/4 to 8 on Sunday, after the raid had been in progress 1 hour, the town of Hyde was suddenly arroused by the screaming of bombs, followed by a terrific explosion. Within half an hour I learned that it had scored a direct hit on some houses facing St Georges School and that several people had been killed. On visiting same on Christmas day was sad to see what harm the bomb had caused. The house on which the bomb had exploded was completely destroyed and both houses on either side were damaged far beyond repair. The wall round the schoolyard bears remaining evidence of the flying shrapnel in the form of large cranies and peices of stone chipped from the surface. At the time this happened,I was home in Nelson Street within 200 yds of the fatal spot. All except 2 of our windows remains. In an area of 300 yds practically all the windows were blasted out. The vibration was dreadfully terrific and at our house we thought it had only dropped a few yds from our house".

Here are 2 photos showing the marks left by that bombing raid almost 70 years ago.

Thanks to Paul all his help in this post.

Extra information on that fateful night.

War memorial to those who died located in St George's Church, Hyde, Cheshire.

 

Killed While Returning From Church

Incidents of Air-Raid in North West

While occupants of some houses which were struck by bombs during an air raid in the North-West of England during the week-end escaped uninjured, people who were returning from a church service were killed. When houses in the middle of a row received a direct hit two children named Harold Leah, aged 3 and his Brother Thomas Leah aged 5, were buried amid the debris and their bodies were not recovered till some hours afterwards. A little girl who had been in the house playing with them was uninjured

"The news item is not very informative. It mentions that people had been killed while returning from a church service, but it doesn't give their names or location, although it does give the names some children who were killed in a different unspecified location. That was all the newspaper was allowed to print. The Herald was printed a quarter mile from the scene of the tragedy. Its reporters would have known all the details, perhaps personally known those killed, but the censor did not allow them to print the information.

The censorship of the time was an attempt to deny information to the enemy, but, post-war, it makes it difficult to obtain details of air-raid casualties. Perhaps this is why only a small percentage of the civilian bombing casualties are mentioned on war memorials, in contrast to those who died on active service where a great deal of effort was made to ensure that all were recorded".  - Carl Rogerson.

The above information was found here .

 http://www.carlscam.com/hyde/georgemem.htm

Thanks to Carl Rogerson for his invaluble information.

Below are pictures From Tower Street that Dave took for this post.

Ernie writes that two little boys aged 5 and 6 years named LEAH did die that night in what appears to have been a separate bomb which fell on/or demolished  their home at 5 Tower Street, but the records show their deaths as the 23rd, as their bodies were not recovered until the next day.    Other members of the household may have been injured in some way, but they are not shown as having been so serious as to have resulted in their death.

 The burials of the deceased appear to have taken place on the 28th Dec; that of the boys was at St George's Church and was reported in The Reporter of 3rd Jan '41 in the column alongside that of Violet Doreen.

What I have found so far on Violet Doreen GARDNER, is that she was born at New Mills on 29^th March 1923, the daughter of James GARDNER¸ a native of North Lancashire and his wife Mary Catherine nee HIBBERT, formerly of Glossop, who had married at Ulverston in 1903. At the time of her death she was a Glove Maker, at Messrs R. Ollerenshaw, Hyde, and I was interested to read through the company logo/adverts on your blog but couldn’t see one for them.  The family appear to have been residing at 3 Hawthorn Grove, Hyde, although when identifying the body at the Mortuary her mother was shown as being at 35 Nelson Street, Hyde? 

I have found her grave in Hyde Cemetery – section 2-917 – but unfortunately all that remains is a large concrete cross which does not have any inscription.   Records of Tameside Burials on-line show that buried with her are both parents and an aunt.   Just too once again show what a small world we do live in, this aunt was recognised by my wife as a near neighbour of her family when she was growing up on the outskirts of Buxton during the 1950’s

All four of the team have pulled together on this posting, I hope others can add to it with there memories or stories told by parents. If anyone as memories of Violet Doreen, or any of the victims we'd like to hear from you...  

UPDATE
The following photo and information was sent to us by Vernon Handforth.

"With reference to the fatality of Violet Doreen Gardner. She was a bridesmaid at my parents wedding ie , Mr John Handforth & Miss Eva Beck on 7th December 1940. Violet was killed just a few weeks later in the bombing. She was a very good friend of my mum's who was also a glove machinist at Ollerenshaws. I attach a wedding photo which includes Violet and Raymond Armitage who was best man".

Thanks Vernon for sharing these with us. Much appreciated.