Killed in the Moorgate tube disaster. Father of the writer Laurence Marks, who with his partner Maurice Gran has written TV shows such as Birds of a Feather. His son wrote an article for The Guardian on 13 February 2025.
Bernard Marks was born on 10 January 1907 in Mile End, London, one of the six children of Phillip Marks (c.1876-1950) and Leah Marks née Jacobs (c.1879-1948). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1907 in the Mile End Old Town Registration District, London.
On the 1911 census return form completed by his father he was shown as aged 4 years and living in three rooms at 8 Cleveland Buildings, Cleveland Street, Mile End, with his parents and four of his surviving siblings: Henry Marks (1902-1995); Sydney Marks (1904-1992) and twins Miriam Marks (1908-1998) and Marcus Marks (1908-2003). His father described himself as a boot clicker and his mother was a tailoress buttonhole hand. The form also shows that his mother had given birth to six children but that only five were still alive.
On the 1921 census return form he is shown as aged 14 years, 6 months and in part-time education, living in a six roomed property at 192 Devonshire Street, Mile End Old Town, with his parents and three siblings: Sydney Marks, aged 16 years, 11 months, whose occupation was given as tailoring, employed by A. Goodman & Sons, Wholesale Clothing of Commercial Street, London; Miriam Marks and Marcus Marks, both aged 12 years, 5 months and in whole-time education. His father described himself as in the boot trade, employed by Mindel & Co, wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers at Casson Street, Whitechapel.
He married Lily Goldberg (1907-1969) in the 2nd quarter of 1931 in the Cardiff Registration District, Glamorganshire, Wales.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a fur cutter and War Reserve Police Constable, living at 11 King Edward's Rd, London, E9, with his wife.
He was killed, aged 68 years, on 28 February 1975 in the Moorgate tube disaster and his death was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1975 in the London City Registration District. These records confirm his date of birth as 10 January 1907. His body was buried on 2 March 1975 in Section 9, Row M, in the Waltham Abbey Jewish Cemetery, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3QT.
Probate records show that his address had been 74 Broad Common Estate, Osbaldeston Road, London, N16 and that when administration of his estate was granted on 9 July 1975 his effects totalled £3,061.
He is shown as 'MARKS, BERNARD' on the Moorgate tube disaster memorial in Finsbury Square, London, EC2.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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