Genealogy Chat

Hi Everyone, I have just discovered that my great uncle was killed by a bomb during WW2 while working at the New Cross Tram Depot. I have located his details under the civilian section of CWGC site, which is well worth a look, and the date of the incident was December 27th 1940. Does anyone know where I can find any reports on the incident as I have exhausted all the usual methods that I use. I am hoping to track down a newspaper report but cannot find any mention of it anywhere. Does anyone think that the local County Council would still hold information and which one would cover the area? Thank you for any suggestions.......Janine

The History of Telegraph Hill and Hatcham Haberdashers' Estate in 1618 New Cross Gate was, until fairly recently, known as Hatcham. The village is still remembered in the name of the local schools, the parish, the Liberal Club and Hatcham Park Road. Hatcham is first noted in the Doomsday Book of 1086 where Haecci’s homestead is recorded as having 11 households, some pigs, cattle and crops. The railways came to the area in 1839 and, with their coming, the Haberdashers’ land had huge development potential. By the 1860s majority of the land on the north side of A2 was under development and the large houses, such as Hatcham Park, which previously sat amongst the fields, were demolished. One, Fairlawns, remained until 1904. The site of the house and its gardens which then became the New Cross Tram depot, now the bus depot, and ran as far south as Ommaney Road gives some indication of the size of these properties in comparision to the terraces and semi-detatched house which were replacing them.

Try the South London Press if you haven't already

Thanks for the replies Carol and Brenda.....Much appreciated....Janine

I would try to find out what records have been inherited by Transport for London.

Here is the address of the London Transport Museum http://www.ltmuseum.*co.*uk/ (delete the asterisks) Now select the Photo collection. The fifth picture has caption Second World War Shelterers - click on that and you will see page 1 of the collection which are in date order. Select Page 6 and you will see 28 December 1940 click on the picture and you will then see some details of the bomding. As you may know the depot closed in 1951 and re-opened in 1952 as a bus garage.

Thank you so much Joe for the advice. Much appreciated...Janine

The Kentish Mercury is the local South East London free paper that has been going since, so I'm lead to believe, the late 1800's Lin

Janine try www(.)flyingbombsandrockets(.)com/V1_summary_se14 Remove () You might find info or you could email them for info. Lin

Many thanks for adding that site Lin. I have just found some information on another bomb at New Cross Woolworths which my grandmother was lucky enough to escape by a few minutes. Louise

I don't know whether the Woolworths Bomb was the same as the Tram Depot bomb. My Mum lost quite a few Friends in the Woolworths bomb, she was working there until she good called up for Service. Linda

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I shall investigate further. I am so appeciative of all the time that you have spent to help me.....Janine