Memorial

Plaque Bombing Wilkinson’s 1941 Beacon Centre

North Shields

Memorial Name: Plaque Bombing Wilkinson's 1941 Beacon Centre (N34.56)

NEWMP Ref No.: N34.56

Parish: North Shields

Original Location:

Beacon Shopping Centre. Northumberland Square entrance.

Which War:

1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled 4th May 2003 by Chairman of North Tyneside Council.

Materials Used:

Stainless steel in medium oak surround.

Who Commissioned:

North Tyneside Veterans, North Tyneside Council and North Tyneside Challenge.

Inscription:

This memorial plaque was commissioned by the
North Tyneside Veterans, North Tyneside Council
and North Tyneside Challenge.

In memory of the men, women and children
who lost their lives during the air bombing of
North Shields on Saturday, 3rd May 1941.

We remember with pride the bravery and dedication
of the Emergency and Voluntary Services.

This was the worst bombing incident in
North East of England during World War Two.

Memorial Description:

Plaque in medium oak frame.

Lettering is incised and blackened using Roman lower case.

Names:

None.
103 names and ages taken from Unveiling Programme

Notes:

1. There are 102 Mortuary Records which survive for the 103 people who died in the Shelter (2 died later in hospital from their injuries). The victims are buried at Preston Cemetery, North Shields.

2. The bomb hit the Wilkinson’s Lemonade Factory which contained an air raid shelter where 195 people were staying during the air raid. Others were killed in a house at 3 George Street.

3. George Newstead and Clarence Burdiss both received the George Medal for their rescue attempts. Norman Darling Black was awarded the British Empire Medal.

4. Among those attending the unveiling was Ellen Lee, who helped to rescue 32 people.

External Links:

A website on the bombing

Sources:

Photo: Jim Winter; Tony Harding

Shields Evening News
05/05/1941 reports incident.

Additional Research Documents

N34.56 Unveiling Programme 2003

Download

N34.56 Notes on Names

Download
Research Acknowledgements:

Jim Winter;
Tony Harding;
Staff at North Shields Library;
Janet Brown

Research In Progress:

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

Photo: Tony Harding
Provide Details

If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.

Names Documents:

NORTH SHIELDS     Beacon Shopping Centre.  

 

Names taken from front cover of Dedication programme.

 

 Clarence Beavers (25)   Joseph Goodwill (31)   Ethel Livesley (55)

 John Cowan Bennett (34) Joseph Gray (53)       Margaret Logie (73)

 William Brown (19)      Margaret Gray (50)     Margaret Logie (40)

 Edith Chater (7)        Mary Gray (21)         Margaret Lough (10)

 Henrietta Chater (11)   Alfred Hall (2)        William Lough (38)

 Henrietta Chater (35)   James Hall (5)         William Mather (19)

 John Chater (4)         John Hall (9)          James Mavin (9)

 Mary Chater (9)         Martha Hall (31)       Margaret Mavin (30)

 Alfred Chater (42)      Shirley Hall (4)       Rosalie Mavin (12m)

 Audrey Craig (11)       Sydney Hall (7)        Mary McGuire (27)

 Ethel Craig (31)        John Harman (4)        John McPhillips (32)   

 John Craig (37)         Mary Harman (38)       Eliza Nesbitt (65)

 George Cummings (13)    Richard Harman (3)     John Nesbitt (76)

 Roland Cummings (9)     Thomas Harman (6)      Edward Nicholson (34)

 George Cummings (50)    James Henderson (60)   Emily Nicholson (34)

 Emma Curran (80)        Phyllis Henderson (61) Ivy Nicholson (9)

 William Curran (23)     Lilian Herrett (4)     Mary Nicholson (57)

 Henry Dale (60)         David Hewson (24)      Christina Oliver (45)

 Mary Dickson (54)       Alexena Hodgson (26)   Elizabeth Patterson (52)

 Elizabeth Donkin (11m)  Elizabeth Hodgson (5)  Isabella Pearson (65)

 Elizabeth Donkin (22)   Henry Hodgson (23m)    Edith Phillips (14)

 Anthony Elliott (17)    Violet Hodgson (19)    Richard Potts (63)

 Anthony Elliott (43)    John Howard (18)       Isabella Robson (8)

 Mary Ferguson (56)      Ernest Hull (15)       Margaret Rowntree (12)

 Alexander Frankland (16)Evelyn Hull (17)       James Sanderson (20)

 Edwin Germain (6)       Doreen Kay (33)        Hilda Shearer (22)

 Ethel Germain (4)       Ernest Kay (3)         Norma Shearer (2)

 Ivy Germain (10)        George Kay (2)         Robert Shearer (2m)

 Robert Germain (56)     Hylton Kay (8)         Agnes Smith (36)

 Elizabeth Gibson (60)   Sydney Kay             Maureen Smith (8)

 Ethel Gibson (32)       Amy Kirby (56)         Veronica Smith (13)

 John Glynn (58)         Alexander Lawson (64)  Kathleen Sutherst (32)

 Margaret Glynn (29)     Jean Liddle (12m)      Maureen Ward (6m)

 Edward Goodwill (7)     Margaret Liddle (21)   James Weldon (50)

                                                William Woolford (35)

NamesN34.56      

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