Subject

Fireman killed as a result of an air raid on Old Palace School, Bow, E3 on 20 April 1941.

Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this man: Auxiliary Fireman Albert Victor Kite was born on 18 October 1904 in Tooting, the youngest of the four children of James Kite and Elizabeth Charlotte Kite née Beaumont. His father was a Government Clerk. On 11 December 1904 he was baptised at St Thomas Church, Telford Park, Streatham Hill and the family were living at 43 Midmoor Road, London, SW12. His mother died in 1911 and the census for that year shows him living with his grandparents Charles and Caroline Kite at The Kennels, Kennel Cottages, Birling, West Malling, Kent.

In 1933 married Gertrude Burnett in Croydon and they had two children, Victor Richard Kite who was born in 1936 and Sylvia J. Kite who was born in 1939. The 1939 England and Wales Register shows them living at 166 Village Way, Beckenham, Kent. His occupation was listed as a Printers' Reader. He joined the Auxiliary Fire Service and was attached to the Stanhope Grove Fire Station, Beckenham. He died when a German bomb landed on Auxiliary Fire Service Sub Station 24U, which was housed in Old Palace LCC School, St. Leonards Street, Poplar, aged 36 years, on 20 April 1941. He was buried at Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, Elmers End Road, Beckenham, BR3 4TD. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow and his effects totalled £1,556-1s-1d.