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Fascinating insight into The Bethnal Green Disaster

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  • Fascinating insight into The Bethnal Green Disaster


    I have just been reading this must say although I had heard of it , I had no idea what it must have been like living down there.

  • #2
    A very moving article Val.
    Margaret

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    • #3
      Very moving, indeed. I think there was a TV programme about this a year or so ago?

      Christine
      Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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      • #4
        There are inaccuracies in the article, I think. I first read about it yonks ago in "Rails Through the Clay", a history of London tube railways. At that time the Central line stopped at Liverpool Street. The eastern extension tunnels including the station tunnels were completed just before war broke out. The tunnel under Eastern Avenue was converted into a Plessey electronics factory.

        Bethnal Green station was converted quite late on into a shelter. There were no escalators so they built a wooden staircase in the escalator shaft. On the day of the disaster there was no air raid warning but people panicked when they heard ack-ack guns being fired. There was a rush for the shelter. Someone tripped on a step near the bottom and everybody piled in on top.
        Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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        • #5
          my lot came from around Bethnal Green so it was even more interesting reading for me , thats so sad Uncle John it must have been horrendous .

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          • #6
            My husband's family come from all around that area, in fact I'm surprised it hasn't ever been mentioned by anyone.
            Margaret

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            • #7
              I had heard of it Margaret but not read such a detailed article ,

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              • #8
                Very close to home for me, my parents were bombed out in Oct 1940 & moved out to my Dads brother in West London or they could have been in that lot!
                Vivienne passed away July 2013

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                • #9
                  There is now a plaque at the entrance to the station

                  And there is a campaign to build a memorial.


                  Uncle John's right, the Liverpool Street - Stratford part of line didn't open until 1946.
                  Phil
                  historyhouse.co.uk
                  Essex - family and local history.

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                  • #10
                    I understand this tragedy was downplayed at the time, so as not to damage morale. That might explain why is wasn't widely known or talked about.
                    ~ with love from Little Nell~
                    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Little Nell View Post
                      I understand this tragedy was downplayed at the time, so as not to damage morale. That might explain why is wasn't widely known or talked about.
                      It wasn't just downplayed, it was kept completely secret until after the end of the war.
                      Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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                      • #12
                        Thanks for sharing this Val, I had never heard of it before.

                        Remembering: Cuthbert Gregory 1889 - 1916, George Arnold Connelly 1886 - 1917, Thomas Lowe Davenport 1890 - 1917, Roland Davenport Farmer 1885 - 1916, William Davenport Sheffield 1879 - 1915, Cuthbert Gregory 1918 - 1944

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                        • #13
                          hi Tom I have been googling hoping to find a list of the victims names ? but it seems a lot were never identified ? wondered if any were mine ?

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Val wish Id never started View Post
                            hi Tom I have been googling hoping to find a list of the victims names ? but it seems a lot were never identified ? wondered if any were mine ?
                            They're listed on this site I referred to.


                            Originally posted by Uncle John View Post
                            It wasn't just downplayed, it was kept completely secret until after the end of the war.
                            Not quite. There's references to it in The Times of July 1944 following a civil case in the High Court. Then there were a few letters to editor. Presumably by 1944 the authorities thought that discussion of it would not injure civilian morale.
                            Phil
                            historyhouse.co.uk
                            Essex - family and local history.

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                            • #15
                              one of the first names of the injured is an Arthur Miller that was my Fathers name ? surely just coincidence?

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                              • #16
                                There's plenty on the disaster in the National Archives including applications from the injured for compensation. Perhaps those applications may include more details including dob and address. You would have to go to to TNA to see them.
                                Phil
                                historyhouse.co.uk
                                Essex - family and local history.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  There used to be a plaque about this on the staircase where it happened. When I first found out about this disaster, about 38 years ago, I couldn't bear to use that particular staircase, it seemed like walking over the dead, always had to use another entrance. I haven't used BG tube since I moved from London, but think I would still avoid it.
                                  Sue x


                                  Looking for Hanmores in Kent, Blakers in Essex and Kent, Pickards in East London and Raisons in Somerset.

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                                  • #18
                                    Although the actual incident was kept secret, the government took immediate steps to improve the lighting at deep shelters.
                                    Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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