Information has recently come to light about an underground public toilet located at the junction of Spellow Lane, County Road, and Carisbrooke Road, Walton. The toilet was being used as a public shelter when it took a direct hit by a bomb on 3rd May 1941. It was full with people at the time and one report suggests that some of the bodies were never recovered. It is assumed that in time the family, friends or work colleagues of these unidentified casualties would have reported the fact that they were missing to the authorities. I would welcome any information about the organisation and procedures used for recording the names of people missing as a result of the bombing and the existence of any files. I am trying to find out what happened to my Great Grandfather, William Henry COWLEY, born in 1869 and living at 30 Spellow Lane in 1939. Dunelm
Hello Dunelm I am sure a forum member will be along soon to assist. do you have his death certificate. do you have the further information that has come to light? have a look at the links below http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/27534-liverpool-blitz/ http://www.ww2talk.c...-liverpool.html http://www.ww2talk.c...blitz-dead.html http://www.ww2talk.c...itz-1941-a.html http://www.ww2talk.c...blitz-70-a.html http://www.ww2talk.c...pool-blitz.html http://www.ww2talk.c...-transport.html
Re UK Civilians About UK, WWII Civilian Deaths, 1939-1945 This database contains seven volumes listing civilians in the British Commonwealth and Empire who died during World War II and are commemorated on Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorials or buried in CWGC cemeteries. The Commission explains these records as follows: “These volumes contain the Roll of Honour of those civilians, citizens of the Commonwealth and Empire, who were killed in the United Kingdom by enemy action during the 1939–1945 War, while engaged in household or in business activities, or at their posts as members of the Civil Defence Services. Their graves are scattered throughout the country.” While most of these records are for the United Kingdom, they do include civilian deaths from around the world, including many lost at sea. What You May Find in These Records Entries vary, but they may include name age residence date and place of death parents spouse Please note that the information in these registers reflects what had been reported to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission up to the date of publication. Since then further information may have come to light. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established in 1917 by Royal Charter to honor the men and women of the British Commonwealth who died in the World Wars. Cemeteries and grave headstones are erected by the Commission as part of that memorial. There are currently over 2,000 Commission cemeteries in about 150 countries. For 3 May 1941 there are 675 recorded deaths for Liverpool, however as I have found from recent dips into this area there were many people injured on this night and other nights that died a while later. I would suggest that the number above is purely for those that were found on that night that had died. There are no Cowley's recorded as having died on that date in Liverpool. If you have more information on your relation then please post it. TD edited to add: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/62033-remembering-today-31741-civilian-thomas-brennan/ as an example this man was injured during the blitz on 3 May 1941, yet died 31 July 1941, along with others under similar circumstances.
Would this be your relation?? William Henry Cowley in the England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 Name: William Henry Cowley Registration Year: 1869 Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar Registration district: West Derby Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District Inferred County: Lancashire Volume: 8b Page: 515 TD
"one report suggests that some of the bodies were never recovered." Be careful with this report. It was often put about during and since the war as a ghoulish/trouble-making rumour that bodies were just left where they were. The ARP retrieved all bodies for the coroner - they didn't just leave them there. If the bombed building was dangerous, it would be demolished/made safe, then the retrieval process would take place. The only time bodies were not recovered was if there was nothing left of them/blown to bits - and even then, individual body parts were often still retrieved.
Dear Clive, Thank you for you reply. The links were most useful, especially the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Blitz Cronology. On Page 16 there is a reference for 03/04 May - Carrisbrooke Road,Parachute Mine. Having checked the Liverpool Blitz map I think this may be a different incident. The search continues. Dunelm
Dear TD, Thank you for your replies and the trouble that you have taken in checking the CWGC database for 3rd May 1941. It may be that the date for the bombing of the gents urinal at the end of Carrisbrooke Street will need to be corroborated. The general lack of information makes me think that William Henry COWLEY was an "unidentified civilian casualty", registered as an "unknown Male" and possibly buried in a mass grave in Anfield Cemetery. For this reason I am keen to explore the procedures used in 1941 for the reporting of 'missing persons'. The situation is not helped by the fact that his two sons were living abroad, one in Canada and the other in America. His brother Robert COWLEY died on 27 May 1940. According to his birth certificate William Henry COWLEY was born on 12th January 1869 at 13 Ashley Street, West Derby. This confirms the date given on the 1939 Register when William and his wife Elizabeth were living at 30 Spellow Lane. kind regards Dunelm
Dear ARPCDHG, Thank you for the word of caution. I can only say that I am full of admiration for the work carried out by the Merseyside's Civil Defence and Voluntary Services during those difficult times, kind regards Dunelm
Dunelm The situation re the 'unknown male' is a possibility for your man. In the same vain someone has him in a family tree but I have a feeling the details have been mixed up with another William Henry Cowley William Henry Cowley Birth: 12 Jan 1869 - Lancashire, England Death: Mar 1945 - Gloucester shire, England F: Robert Cowley M: Sarah Pritchard This being the one who died in Gloucester, but a copy of his death cert should tell us his middle initial and his actual birth date Name: William H Cowley Birth Date: abt 1869 Date of Registration: Mar 1945 Age at Death: 76 Registration district: Gloucester City Inferred County: Gloucestershire Volume: 6a Page: 530 Thats why, as ever we need to step carefully TD
Well, stepping fresh into this, there are casualties recorded for the bombing of the shelter in Spellow Lane on 21 December 1940 EDWARDS, THOMAS SAMUEL. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 21/12/1940. Age: 53. Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH. Additional Information: of 58 Eldon Place. Died at Spellow Lane. McCONNELL, JOSEPH. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 21/12/1940. Age: 50. Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH. Additional Information: Son of Rose Ann McConnell, of 46 Taylor Street, and of the late George McConnell. Died at Spellow Lane. SPENCER, ALAN ROBERT NORMAN. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 21/12/1940. Age: 16. Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH. Additional Information: Son of Norman Reeves Spencer, and Lilian Mary Spencer, of 25 Nixon Street, Walton. Died at Spellow Lane. There is also a record for his next door neighbour TODD, SAMUEL. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 18/09/1940. Age: 33. Reporting Authority: WEST LANCASHIRE, RURAL DISTRICT. Additional Information: of 28 Spellow Lane, Walton, Liverpool. Husband of Mary Todd. Died at Green Lane, Thornton. and this may be a relative, as neither his full names or his wifes age and name tallies with your information... COWLEY, CATHERINE. Rank: Civilian. Date of Death: 12/11/1940. Age: 53. Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH. Additional Information: of 35 Sidney Place. Widow of William Patrick Cowley. Died at 35 Sidney Place. I don't know enough about the street maps of Walton to know if Spellow Lane and Sidney Place are close, but I had to post if this might assist in any way. TD seems to have your man, but if W H Cowley did marry an Elizabeth you could discount my findings...... This website has a photo of Spellow Lane and the public toilets entrance seems to be central, located on a traffic island at the junction. Might have been alright back then, but probably impossible to get there in modern traffic conditions! http://www.liverpoolpicturebook.com/2014/09/Picsoftheday.html (approximately 1/4 the way down....)
"Death Index - Cowley William H, age 76, Gloucester City, 6a 530 Mar 1945" Dear TD, I looked into this last year and came to the conclusion that the reference relates to another family. On a similar subject. Elizabeth, the wife of William Henry COWLEY, was born in 1874. They were married in 1904 and for many years they lived in Leven Street, Kirkdale. In 1939 they were living at 30 Spellow Lane. The following reference fits the facts but a copy of the death certificate shows that this is also a different family: Death Index - Elizabeth Cowley, age 79, Liverpool N, 10d 205 Mar 1953. As you say we need to step carefully. Thank you for your assistance. Dunelm
Dear Kevin, Thank you for your most helpful reply and for confirming that the bombing of the shelter/public toilet at the end of Spellow Lane happened on 21 Dec 1940 when hundreds of houses were struck. Although the photograph has the title "Spellow Lane" the latter it is actually behind the photographer and the view is looking up Carisbrooke Road with Barlow Lane to the left and County Road to the right. I think I may have identified another two civilian casualties: SARSON William. death 21st Dec 1940, Age 22, 52 Ireton Street, Walton, s/o George & Margaret SARSON. Died at Junction of Spellow Lane and Barlow Lane. MONK Gerard, death 21st Dec 1940, Age 30, 8 Roxburgh Street, s/o H & E MONK. Died at Barlow Lane. I understand that the mortuary reports were given to the IWGC and have since been destroyed. I wonder if the missing persons reports suffered a similar fate? Thank you for your assistance. Dunelm
Despite my Dad being born in Liverpool, he rarely went back since joining the Army pre WW2 and only went back twice as far as I know. So I have little knowledge of the street layout of Liverpool, so I'll bow to your expertise on where that photo was taken. As to Catherine and William PATRICK Cowley, seems like another red herring I've found - sorry!
Dear TD, I am new to this forum and still finding my way around. Should there have been an attachment to your last message? Dunelm
Dunelm, Are there any family tales about how or when your relative died?.I just feel some context would help
I will try and put this into some sort of context. I have a photograph of my grandmother's cousin, Henry McCarthy (aka Harry), born Liverpool on 18th December 1883. On the reverse there is a note: "believed killed in air raid shelter at the bottom of Spellow Lane, Walton, Liverpool" There is no other information. Despite extensive searches, including CWGI WW2 list of civilian casualties, I have been unable to find details of his death or burial but I was able to confirm that in 1939 he was living at 34 Gorst Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. To my surprise and quite by accident I discovered that Henry had not been killed. He married Alice Ruth Smith in Crosby in 1944 and died in West Kirby on 12 May 1957. So who was killed in Spellow Lane? For many years my great grandfather, William Henry Cowley and his second wife Elizabeth lived in Leven Street, Kirkdale. In 1939 they are living with a family named Mann at 30 Spellow Lane. Again I have been unable to find any death or burial details. Could this be the answer? That there has been some sort of breakdown in communication and that they were unidentified civilian casualties and buried in the communal grave in Anfield Cemetery. There seems to be some doubt about the date of the bombing. The details above indicate 21st December 1940 but others suggest 3rd May 1941. There are other emails which state that the public toilet took a direct hit and that many of the body parts were left in situ and the bomb crater sealed. The limited number of identified casualties would seem to support this idea. There is a lot of information about Durning Road and Blackstock Gardens but very little about Spellow Lane. Any information or advice would be most welcome. Dunelm
