My little mystery solved… my Dad’s neighbour was killed the same night as the relatives. A small footnote in history – but how sad….

ROWSON, Civilian, THOMAS HERBERT, Civilian War Dead. 30th August 1940. Age 48. of 1 Woodcock Road, Woolton. Husband of Mary Agnes Rowson. Died at 1 Woodcock Road.

My Dad told me both parents were killed but the daughter survived.

Got this record from this new site:

http://www.liverpoolatwar.co.uk/

A book called “The Liverpool Firebobbies” by Frank O’Reilly has a lot of quite detailed information on the type of ordnance and the damage it caused by location in Liverpool during the war. The information is taken from the Fire Brigade Divisional Logs.

Thanks for the replies guys, I’ll try and obtain that book. I have read ‘Liverpool, A city at war’ by Bryan Perrett but that’s more broad brush than exhaustive detail IIRC.

I keep pestering my Dad to write down the family history – he remembers bits and pieces from the war, seeing a Halifax towed out from Rootes onto the airfield, a Blenheim roaring over the bridge at Hunts Cross at low level and he thinks he saw a Condor (Fw-200) on one occasion – I’d love to confirm that sighting!

I’d love to hear any more Liverpool war stories (shame they missed Goodison, eh 😉 )

I have managed to find the details of my mum’s relatives (as below), if I can now find the Rowson’s that may help me tie in whether it was the same raid:

3 WADE , CLAUDE JAMES Civilian * 30/08/1940 46 Civilian War Dead United Kingdom * LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

Name: WADE, CLAUDE JAMES
Initials: C J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 46
Date of Death: 30/08/1940
Additional information: of 97 Grant Road, West Derby. Husband of Mary Wade. Died at 97 Grant Road.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

11 WADE , MARY Civilian * 30/08/1940 47 Civilian War Dead United Kingdom * LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

Name: WADE, MARY
Initials: M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 47
Date of Death: 30/08/1940
Additional information: of 97 Grant Road, West Derby. Wife of Claude James Wade. Died at 97 Grant Road.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

Interesting.

My Mother (GRHS) was in her Anderson shelter with my two elder brothers on Manor Way, Woolton that day I would guess.

Moggy

Small world Moggy! Do your family have any memories of the events?

Incidentally, my Uncle states that the stick of bombs that hit Woodrock Road and killed the Rowsons, also hit Old Swan and killed two of my mother’s relatives – not quite sure how he can be so certain – but it’s an old family chestnut!