Civilian casualty of WWII.
Daughter of William and Ann (née Wells) of 29 Wessex Street, Stepney.
In 1911 family lived at 14 Cressy Place, Stepney East.
Married William George in 1918 in Bethnal Green, they had 6 children.
The family lived at 31 Wessex Street, Stepney.
Annie died with daughters Frances, Rosina and Pauline in the worst civilian disaster of WWII.
stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
On 3rd March 1943 the siren sounded at 8.17pm. People made their way in the pitch dark of the blackout to file in an orderly manner down the steps to the unfinished Bethnal Green underground station, which had been used as an air-raid shelter since 1940. At 8.27pm the searchlight went on and 3 buses unloaded their passengers at the shelter entrance. Suddenly those waiting to enter the single, narrow doorway heard the unfamiliar, deafening sound of a brand new anti-aircraft rocket battery firing nearby. Never having heard it before they assumed it was deadly enemy bombs exploding. At that same moment a woman with a child fell at the bottom of the wet, slippery stairway pulling an elderly man down with her. Before they could get up others fell on top of them. The crowd above continued pressing forward, unable to see what was happening below in the dark. With more people falling on top of them a complete jam of about 300 people, five or six deep, built up within seconds between the floor and ceiling. People couldn't move, pinned down by the weight of those above them – and then they couldn't breathe. It was 11.40pm before the last person was pulled out. By then 173 were dead – 84 women, 62 children and 27 men. Over 90 were injured. Many more suffered life-long trauma, particularly the rescuers, from the dreadful experience.
Daughter of William and Ann (née Wells) of 29 Wessex Street, Stepney.
In 1911 family lived at 14 Cressy Place, Stepney East.
Married William George in 1918 in Bethnal Green, they had 6 children.
The family lived at 31 Wessex Street, Stepney.
Annie died with daughters Frances, Rosina and Pauline in the worst civilian disaster of WWII.
stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
On 3rd March 1943 the siren sounded at 8.17pm. People made their way in the pitch dark of the blackout to file in an orderly manner down the steps to the unfinished Bethnal Green underground station, which had been used as an air-raid shelter since 1940. At 8.27pm the searchlight went on and 3 buses unloaded their passengers at the shelter entrance. Suddenly those waiting to enter the single, narrow doorway heard the unfamiliar, deafening sound of a brand new anti-aircraft rocket battery firing nearby. Never having heard it before they assumed it was deadly enemy bombs exploding. At that same moment a woman with a child fell at the bottom of the wet, slippery stairway pulling an elderly man down with her. Before they could get up others fell on top of them. The crowd above continued pressing forward, unable to see what was happening below in the dark. With more people falling on top of them a complete jam of about 300 people, five or six deep, built up within seconds between the floor and ceiling. People couldn't move, pinned down by the weight of those above them – and then they couldn't breathe. It was 11.40pm before the last person was pulled out. By then 173 were dead – 84 women, 62 children and 27 men. Over 90 were injured. Many more suffered life-long trauma, particularly the rescuers, from the dreadful experience.
Civilian casualty of WWII.
Daughter of William and Ann (née Wells) of 29 Wessex Street, Stepney.
In 1911 family lived at 14 Cressy Place, Stepney East.
Married William George in 1918 in Bethnal Green, they had 6 children.
The family lived at 31 Wessex Street, Stepney.
Annie died with daughters Frances, Rosina and Pauline in the worst civilian disaster of WWII.
stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
On 3rd March 1943 the siren sounded at 8.17pm. People made their way in the pitch dark of the blackout to file in an orderly manner down the steps to the unfinished Bethnal Green underground station, which had been used as an air-raid shelter since 1940. At 8.27pm the searchlight went on and 3 buses unloaded their passengers at the shelter entrance. Suddenly those waiting to enter the single, narrow doorway heard the unfamiliar, deafening sound of a brand new anti-aircraft rocket battery firing nearby. Never having heard it before they assumed it was deadly enemy bombs exploding. At that same moment a woman with a child fell at the bottom of the wet, slippery stairway pulling an elderly man down with her. Before they could get up others fell on top of them. The crowd above continued pressing forward, unable to see what was happening below in the dark. With more people falling on top of them a complete jam of about 300 people, five or six deep, built up within seconds between the floor and ceiling. People couldn't move, pinned down by the weight of those above them – and then they couldn't breathe. It was 11.40pm before the last person was pulled out. By then 173 were dead – 84 women, 62 children and 27 men. Over 90 were injured. Many more suffered life-long trauma, particularly the rescuers, from the dreadful experience.
Daughter of William and Ann (née Wells) of 29 Wessex Street, Stepney.
In 1911 family lived at 14 Cressy Place, Stepney East.
Married William George in 1918 in Bethnal Green, they had 6 children.
The family lived at 31 Wessex Street, Stepney.
Annie died with daughters Frances, Rosina and Pauline in the worst civilian disaster of WWII.
stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
On 3rd March 1943 the siren sounded at 8.17pm. People made their way in the pitch dark of the blackout to file in an orderly manner down the steps to the unfinished Bethnal Green underground station, which had been used as an air-raid shelter since 1940. At 8.27pm the searchlight went on and 3 buses unloaded their passengers at the shelter entrance. Suddenly those waiting to enter the single, narrow doorway heard the unfamiliar, deafening sound of a brand new anti-aircraft rocket battery firing nearby. Never having heard it before they assumed it was deadly enemy bombs exploding. At that same moment a woman with a child fell at the bottom of the wet, slippery stairway pulling an elderly man down with her. Before they could get up others fell on top of them. The crowd above continued pressing forward, unable to see what was happening below in the dark. With more people falling on top of them a complete jam of about 300 people, five or six deep, built up within seconds between the floor and ceiling. People couldn't move, pinned down by the weight of those above them – and then they couldn't breathe. It was 11.40pm before the last person was pulled out. By then 173 were dead – 84 women, 62 children and 27 men. Over 90 were injured. Many more suffered life-long trauma, particularly the rescuers, from the dreadful experience.
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