Harold Victor Sheehy was born on 16 October 1900, his birth being registered in the 4th quarter of 1900 in the Reading Registration District, Berkshire.
On 6 August 1922 he married Ellen Louisa Adlrich (1901-1961) at St John the Evangelist Church, Kilburn, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 21 years, a bachelor and an assistant engineer, living at 145 Cambridge Road, Kilburn, the son of Mary Sheehy (b.1867), a charwoman, whilst his wife was described as aged 21 years and a spinster also residing at the same address, the daughter of Albert Edward Aldrich, a horse keeper.
They had three children: Violet Mary Sheehy (1924-1997); James Victor Sheehy (1928-2019) and Jean Norma Sheehy (b.1934).
Electoral registers in 1934 show him, his wife and his mother listed at 14 The Greenway, West Hendon, Middlesex (now Greater London) and in 1938 the registers list him, his wife and his mother at 16 Gainsborough Gardens, South Stanmore, Middlesex (now Greater London).
His date of birth of 16 October 1900 is confirmed in the 1939 England and Wales Register that shows him as a doorkeeper at the Central Criminal Court, still living at 16 Gainsborough Gardens, with his wife, their daughter Violet M. Sheehy who was a coil winder, their son James V. Sheehy who was shown as at school and his mother.
Probate records show his address as 16 Gainsborough Gardens, Edgware, Middlesex (now Greater London) and that he died on 11 May 1941 at the Central Criminal Court, London. Administration of his estate was granted on 23 October 1941 to his widow and his effects totalled £869-10s-0d. His death was registered as aged 40 years in 2nd quarter of 1941 in the London City Registration District.
He is shown as 'HAROLD SHEEHY' on the Old Bailey WW2 tablet inside the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, London, EC4. This shows his date of death as 10 May 1941. We believe that the German enemy air raid took place on the night of 10th/11th May 1941 and this has lead to the confusion regarding his date of death. We have opted to use the 11 May 1941 date. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Register of Memorials website and his name is recorded as 'SHEEHY, HAROLD VICTOR, age 40; Firewatcher' in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey, London.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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