Died: In a bomb blast at 19 Montrose Close, Welling
Address / Local links: 19 Montrose Close, Welling
Family / Relatives: Wife of Harold Leslie Davies
Reports recall March 19th 1941 as being “the worst bombing so far this year, with heavy damage from incendiary bombs”…
It was to be the date that saw the deaths of husband and wife Harold Leslie and Frances Maud Woodward – killed by a bomb blast on their home at Montrose Close.
The couple, originally from north London, had married in Edmonton in April 1931 before moving to the Welling area later in the 1930s. At the outbreak of war, Harold became an Air Raid Warden.
Harold was born in 1907 in Warwickshire, the son of William (a jeweller) and Elizabeth – by 1911 the family had moved to north London for business. It’s likely that there the couple met – Frances had been born there in 1904, the daughter of Albert Edward (a surgical instrument maker) and Florence Annie May Burkitt. Perhaps their two families similar business interests drew them together?
Further reports from March 19th 1941 tell us;
“The Luftwaffe has been ramping up its raids this month after essentially a two-month lull. Most of the attacks have been against secondary city targets such as Bristol and Glasgow. Tonight, the Luftwaffe returns to its primary target, London, in a major way. About 370-479 bombers drop 122,292 incendiaries.
The weekly Home Security Situation report states: On the 19th/20th March : Bombing was concentrated on East London and the London Docks, where there were more major fires than on any date since the 29th December, causing considerable damage”
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Poignantly, the Civilian Deaths Register lists some final details about Frances;
; RECORD OF CIVILIAN DEATHS (From Bexley Archives)
PARTICULARS PENDING IDENTIFICATION – “5ft 6ins. Well built. Brown Hair”
INVENTORY OF PERSONAL EFFECTS – “Brown skirt, blue pullover fawn stockings, brown shoes. 2 white metal rings 3rd finger left hand.”
Body identified by her brother, Frank Burkitt of Harrow
Cremated at Honor Oak Crematorium and ashes scattered there on 26th March.
Honor Oak Crematorium
Honor Oak Crematorium (pictured) was built in 1939 and was designed by William Ball and Maurice Webb, son of Sir Aston Webb, designer of the nearby Camberwell New Cemetery. It is part of the complex that includes Camberwell New Cemetery, and is now noted for its modernist design and stained glass windows…
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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
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Frances Maud Davies, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.