Died: At Messrs Young’s Glue Factory, Grange Road
Address / Local links: 7 Welling Way, Welling
Family / Relatives: Son of Mr and Mrs W. Lewis of 7 Cannon Road, Bexleyheath, Kent. Husband of L M Lewis of Welling
The old B Youngs & Co ‘Glue’ factory in Grange Road in Bermondsey was remembered by locals due to the “powerful and pungent smells” emitted from the works. In 1926 the Company became part of British Glue & Chemical, and the works expanded into producing other chemical products – all highly inflammable.
Industrial Bermondsey was a natural target for Luftwaffe bombers in the Blitz – in late 1940 alone , Bermondsey experienced 395 air raids – and one of these had tragic consequences for the ‘glue factory’ and its workers – one of these workers was Frederick David Lewis…He would probably have travelled to work there daily from his home in Welling.
Frederick was born on 5th January 1901 and grew up in Plumstead. His father, William George Lewis was a gas stoker and the 1911 census finds young Frederick as one of 8 children living at 41 Burrage Grove, Plumstead. Interestingly, Frederick’s mother is not listed on this census – Amelia Kate (nee Gloster) was to be found at [Miss] Scott’s Memorial Home of Rest in Bognor as a visitor. (The 1939 Register shows Amelia living with a daughter- Elsie – in Barking, but she later moved to Cannon Road in Welling)
It was in Welling, too, that Frederick married – on 23rd June 1934 at St John the Evangelist Welling, to Lilian May Hayhoe (1898-1963). Their address was given as 76 Darwin Road Welling. His occupation “Trimmer”, Lilian is a “Printer’s feeder”. (After the war Lilian remained living in Bexley & did not marry again). They had two children, Anthony David in 1935 & Joan Patricia in 1937 (Joan, it seems, died tragically young in the mid 1960s after the death of her husband).
In 1937 the Lewis family were living at 9 Maxwell Road, and the 1939 Register lists Frederick’s profession as ‘Process worker glue & fertilisers’…
We now know Frederick’s fate, “Believed to have been killed on 12 October but remains not found until 30 October 1940”…He is remembered on the Civilian War Memorial at Camberwell New Cemetery (pictured)… However, his name does not appear on the cemetery burial registers, so it’s presumed he is buried elsewhere, or perhaps that only remains of his body were discovered?…(Pictures show firemen at the factory site)
Probate records state that Frederick, of 7 Welling Way, left £108 6s 6d to Lilian May Lewis, widow.
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If anyone is able to add any extra information, provide more family details, or suggest any corrections, please let us know – also, if anyone has any more photos of this individual listed on our memorials, please get in touch. Thank you.
Commemorated
- St. Michael’s East Wickham Church Memorial Tablet
- Bermondsey Borough Civilian Records
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Frederick David Lewis, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.