Plaque | Civilian war dead | WW2

Ewer Street bomb shelter

Erection date: 2014

Inscription

Ewer Street Shelter
On 10 September 1940 the Ewer Bomb Shelter was hit during an air raid and 20 lives lost, including two wardens.
2014

We found each of these civilian casualties in the CWGC database and the make up is interesting: two children (aged 12 and 16); 12 women; only 6 men, of which 3 were air raid wardens. Of the 18 adults only 5 were below 50. All but 1 lived in the Union Street flats, which, looking at the buildings in that street, probably don't exist any more.

Site: Ewer Street burial ground (2 memorials)

SE1, Ewer Street

Current maps show Ewer Street shaped like a T on its side - very unusual. An 1862 map shows an L-shaped Ewer Street (without the northern branch), immediately to the north of the railway, whereas currently the east-west section is to the south of the line. All a good indication of the disruption brought by the railway.

A 1746 map shows the L-shaped "Euers Street" with a "Qu M" in the L's corner, and a "Burying Gr" adjacent, to the west.

The railway line must have used the land occupied by the east-west section of Ewer Street and by the buildings, and burial ground, on its southern side. And a replacement means of travelling east-west was provided by creating a new Ewer Street alongside the line, on the south.

We are pleased to have found the Quaker Meeting House on a map. Presumably the Baptist Church occupied the same site, possibly the same building, and we are disappointed not to have found a picture of it.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Ewer Street bomb shelter

Subjects commemorated i

The Blitz

During WW2 Britain came under heavy bombing from Germany for 8 months, 1940-1...

Read More

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

Read More

Civilian deaths in London caused by enemy action

This page brings together all the memorials that we have for civilians killed...

Read More

Joan Rosemary Lillian Bentley

From CWGC: Civilian of 1365 {sic} Union Street flats. Daughter of Lilian {sic...

Read More

Rosina Sarah Cooper

Rosina Sarah Cooper was born on 4 March 1906, a daughter of William Henry Coo...

Read More

Show all 23

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Ewer Street bomb shelter

Also at this site i

Ewer Street burial ground

Ewer Street burial ground

Ewer Street Burial Ground {On the small information board:} Site of Ewer Str...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Arthur Rackham

Arthur Rackham

NW3, Chalcot Gardens, 16

The plaque is set back from the pavement behind a high wall, and can only be photographed from a difficult angle.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Miriam Moses

Miriam Moses

E1, Princelet Street, 17

The ODNB gives her birth year as 1884 not 1886.

1 subject commemorated
Collins Music Hall

Collins Music Hall

N1, Islington Green, 11

A square 'Blue Plaque' - a novelty.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Cooks' Hall - blue plaque

Cooks' Hall - blue plaque

EC1, Aldersgate Street, 10

2022: A London Inheritance drew our attention to the stamp and the text below.  Very few plaques credit their creators, so this on a City...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Devon Mansions bombing

Devon Mansions bombing

SE1, Tooley Street, Devon Mansions, Block 12

Bermondsey Street Back Stories says three people died in this raid.

2 subjects commemorated