Forum Topic

Remembering the Night 81 People Died in Putney

Reading the story about the tragic night 81 people died off PHS by a bomb during WW2 and the call for a plaque to commemorate the lives lost. In Brewhouse Street on the building on the right hand side going down from what was the Laura Ashley shop (where the Cedar Tree Pub was) there is a plaque commemorating 81 lives lost from a bomb in WW2. Does anyone know if its the same bomb or a different one? a bit of a coincidence if not.

Jill Johnson ● 1707d17 Comments

I wonder if Jim Madden ever saw your communication. The Mayors secretary probably passed it on to the appropriate dept without it even going b4 the mayors eyes. I think the fault lies in the admin not tracking the request and ensuring a response had been sent either on the Mayors name or by the dept.Shame because Jim Madden would have pursued something like this I'm sure.

Andy Pike ● 1421d

Caroline, I used to seem him all the time in the High Street, even standing at the end of Chelverton Rd, as I was going to the shops he was standing with Boris Johnson. But such a same he did look extremely ill and lost so much weight in a picture of him, very sad. I'm sure he tried to keep Putney on the straight and narrow.

Barbara Stevens ● 1421d

Since this topic has come round again,a moving anecdote. A friend of mine George Rough(one time maintenance manager of Wandsworth Town Hall) went with his fiance to the dance hall that night. Two pals had to leave early to catch their ship at Chatham. He left to have a farewell drink with them in the Spotted Horse. While there the bomb fell and he lost his fiance. He later married her best friend,served in Italy and died in 2017. A rose he gave me still blossoms in my garden.

Hugh Thompson ● 1421d

Barbara: Yes Jim Maddan was Mayor twice.

Caroline Whitehead ● 1422d

James Slade, Caroline he said he contacted him when he was Mayor. As far as I know he died when he was Mayor. If he was Mayor twice I didn't know.

Barbara Stevens ● 1422d

Barbara: James Slade contacted Jim Maddan in 2006. Jim Maddan died in 2017, so had plenty of time to do something if he had wanted to.

Caroline Whitehead ● 1422d

Jim Madden, was made Mayor. But he died a few years ago now, strange the Council never told you.

Barbara Stevens ● 1422d

There is again, an interest in erecting a memorial to the victims of the Cinderella Dance Club that was destroyed by a high explosive bomb on the night of Sunday 7th November, 1943; the club being over several shops on the corner of Putney High Street and Putney Bridge Road. For the interest of readers who are not familiar with this WW2 Putney incident, I have set out a few details below.Although the Cinderella Dance Club was the worst bombing incident in Battersea and Wandsworth in WWII, there has never been a memorial erected to the 81 people killed. Most of those killed were young local people, a terrible blow to a number of Putney parents who had lost a child. Details below: 62% aged from 14 to 22 yrs.old- 50 killed and e 54 injured 17% aged from 23 to 39 yrs.old- 14 killed and e 42 injured 79% aged from 14 to 39 yrs.old- 64 killed and e 96 injured 21% aged from 40 to 58 yrs.old- 17 killed and e 52 injured*100% aged from 14 to 58 yrs.old- 81 killed and e248 injured* Most of these were probably killed in the street or in  the Bull and Star pub opposite.In July 2006, in view of a rumoured development to the corner of Putney High Street and Putney Bridge Road, the site of the Cinderella Dance Club, I wrote to Cllr Madden, The Mayor, regarding the possible erection of a memorial to the victims of this air raid. I received a brief email from his secretary thanking me for my letter and advising that   “…he will endeavour to contact the appropriate peoplein the council in order to discuss your suggestion”.As I should have known, I heard nothing further from the council or Cllr Madden. I subsequently telephoned the Town Hall,but no one was able to help me.Jim, Melbourne Australia.

James Slade ● 1422d

we need a plaque. maybe the Putney Society could provide one. I will happily contribute to any such memorial.

Hugh Thompson ● 1701d

The Cedar Tree pub is at 231, Putney Bridge Road, Putney, and not in Brewhouse Lane, and wasn’t, fortunately, ever bombed. The plaque in Brewhouse Lane commemorates the bomb that destroyed The Castle in Putney Bridge Road, late in the evening of Saturday 19th April 1941, killing 48 and injuring 14The bomb that killed 81 people happened in the evening of Sunday 7th November 1943. The Air Raid warning  sounded at about 8.40 p.m. with few people going to air raid shelters. At 9.02 p.m. a lone aircraft released a single 500 kg Stabo high explosive bomb that hit No.35 Putney High Street, which is opposite the end of Felsham Road, causing great damage on the east side of the high street and starting the serious fire in Perrings bedding shop opposite.The Black and White Milk Bar was on the ground floor of No.35, and upstairs over two shops was the ‘Cinderella Dance Club’, a very popular venue in Putney, at the time, for young people. In addition to the many casualties in the dance hall and milk bar, there was a number killed and injured in the High Street, who had been walking or standing at bus stops, and three being killed in the Bull and  Star pub opposite on the southern corner of Felsham Road. This was the worst incident of the war in the two boroughs of Battersea and Wandworth 62%  aged from 14 to 22 years old  - 50 killed and    e154 injured 17%  aged from 23 to 39 years old  - 14 killed and    e  42 injured        21%  aged from 40 to 58 years old  - 17 killed and    e 52 injured      100%                                                        81                    e248For some time afterwards, a number of women who had lost children in the Dance Club would not walk past the site because of their grief.In July 2006, in view of a rumoured development of the corner of Putney High Street and Putney Bridge Road, the site of the Cinderella Dance Club, I wrote to Cllr Madden, The Mayor, regarding the possible erection of a memorial to the victims of this air raid. I received a brief email from his secretary thanking me for my letter and advising that                 “he will endeavour to contact the appropriate people within the                   council in order to discuss your suggestion”.I heard nothing further from the council or Cllr Madden. I subsequently telephoned the Town Hall, but no one was able to help me.As far as I know, only two green plaques have been put up on the sites of places in the Borough of Wandsworth, which were bombed in WWII, sustaining heavy casualties:            19th April, 1941, The Castle, Putney Bridge Road - 48 killed.            19th November, 1944, Hazelhurst Road – 28 killed. I hope that sometime a memorial can be erected to remind local peopleof this the awful tragedy - the worst event in Putney’s long history.Jim,Melbourne Australia.

James Slade ● 1701d

You may be interested to note that the Castle pub bombed on 19th April 1941 had been open only two years, having replaced the 18th century Castle (a 17th century building) demolished for road-widening in 1938. In order to keep the licence, the Castle operated in a shed which functioned as a pub for much of the period until the last Castle was opened in 1959. That was demolished in 2003.

Philip John Evison ● 1704d

Yes indeed, the plaque in Brewhouse Lane commemorates the bomb that hit the old Castle pub on a Saturday night in 1941. Estimates of the number killed vary widely but it was certainly around fifty. The plaque which used to be in the public bar of the last Castle pub was placed in the Boathouse pub, but I haven't been in there since the last refurbishment, so don't know if it's still there.It is not, of course, a competition, but I have nevertheless always felt it was unfair there was nothing to the CDC victims and am pleased at the news.

Philip John Evison ● 1705d

My parents delayed their wedding when my father's sister, Joan was killed in the dance hall.

Lyn Clark ● 1706d

I think the plaque is/was inside the new pub on the river.  Not been in there for a few years so it may have been moved

Andy Pike ● 1707d

My old friend George Rough(1922-2017) was with his fiance in the upstairs dance hall on the night of 7/11/43. Two of his mates had to leave early to catch their ships at Chatham. They had a farewell drink in the White Lion opposite. While there the bomb struck and George lost his fiance. He later married one of her friends, served in Italy and became maintenance manager at Wandsworth Town Hall. He had so many near escapes he earned the nick name Lucky Roughy.

Hugh Thompson ● 1707d

I believe that plaque is to commemorate the destruction by bombing of the old Castle pub, not the one that was demolished when the Wharf was redeveloped but the previous one on that site. There used to be a memorial inside the pub itself. I don’t know what happened to that.

Catherine Schade ● 1707d

Correction - Where The Castle Pub was!

Jill Johnson ● 1707d