Victim of the Druid Street arch bomb, aged 49.
The unusual spelling of this forename sent, Andrew Behan, our genealogical consultant, off on a trail which just raised more questions. He wrote:
I first went to the Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey Register of WWII Civilian Deaths 1939-1945. This listed three entries for the Wilcox family, who are all shown on the Druid Street arch WW2 bomb 2 plaque. The register reads:
WILCOX ALFRED JAMES, age 52; of 41 Monarch Buildings, Abbey Street. Husband of Katherine Wilcox. 25 October 1940 at Druid Street Billiard Hall.
WILCOX KATHERINE, age 49; of 41 Monarch Buildings, Abbey Street. Wife of Alfred James Wilcox. 25 October 1940 at Druid Street Billiard Hall.
WILCOX SALINA MARY, age 20; of 41 Monarch Buildings, Abbey Street. Daughter of Alfred James and Katherine Wilcox. 25 October 1940 at Druid Street Billiard Hall.
With this information you think we have discovered a 'normal' spelling of her forename BUT, when I checked the Civil Registration Death Indexes held at the General Register Office, London, I found her death recorded in Bermondsey, aged 49 years, as Catherine Wilcox.
So we now have a different spelling of her forename, so I went to the 1939 England and Wales Register and found the following entry:
2 Monarch Buildings.
Alfred Wilcox. Born: 11 September 1890. Occupation: Window Cleaner & Waterside Labourer.
Catherine Wilcox. Born: 24 October 1891. Occupation: Charwoman.
I tried to find a record of the marriage of an Alfred Wilcox to either a Catherine, a Katherine or a Kathrine, but the best I could do was a marriage that took place on 23 March 1913 at Christ Church, Bermondsey between a Alfred John Wilcox, 22 years, a labourer of 45 Marine Street, Bermondsey whose father was a Thomas Charles Wilcox, a Carman and a Catherine Mary Betts, 21 years, of 17 Aberdour Street, Bermondsey, whose father was a John Christopher Wilcox, a Leather Dresser.
Their ages would agree with the dates of birth of the two people on the 1939 England & Wales Register.
One of the witnesses to the marriage was a Salina Wilcox. (Did our Mr & Mrs Wilcox name their daughter, Salina, after whoever was a witness at this marriage? If so this could well be our couple, but it raises the question was the father Alfred James Wilcox as shown on the WWII Register of Civilian Deaths or Alfred John Wilcox, as shown on this marriage register? Also was the plaque's Kathrine Wilcox really Catherine Mary Wilcox née Betts?
An Alfred John Wilcox was also baptised on 28 September 1890 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Bermondsey. His parents were Thomas Charles and Eliza Wilcox and they were living at 16 Wilds Rents, Bermondsey. No date of birth is given on this baptismal record but if it is our Alfred Wilcox, who is shown on the 1939 England & Wales Register and who was born on 11 September 1890, being baptised 17 days after being born would seem to be quite normal and this could probably be the same man.
2020: Our thanks to Rebecca Bowden who, via Facebook, has told us that these are her relatives and that our comments are correct, except that Salina should read Selina.
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