Person    | Male  Born 20/2/1912  Died 6/11/1940

Auxiliary fireman killed in the bomb attack on Henry Cavendish School, Balham.

Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this man: Auxiliary Fireman Henry Herbert Butcher was born on 20 February 1912 in Streatham, the son of Henry George Butcher and Blanche Butcher née Bicknell. His father was a Court Warrant Officer, who in December 1915 enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery and served for a time with the 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment during World War One. The family address for this period was 17 Derinton Road, Tooting. On 18 April 1934 he married Dorodea Maria Grassi at St Anselm's Church Tooting, and they had two children Michael John Butcher, born 1934 and Brian M Butcher, born 1938. Electoral registers from 1937 onward show they were living at 3 Langroyd Road, London, S.W.17. The 1939 England and Wales Register shows his wife, Dorodea, registered at the home of his brother-in-law & sister-in-law, Lorenzo & Florence Grassi, at 10 The Meads, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey, whilst he is listed with 25 other Auxiliary Fire Service personnel at Balham Fire Station.

His normal occupation was shown as a Collector Salesman (Hardware). He died, aged 28 years, on 6 November 1940 from injuries resulting from enemy action at AFS Fire Station 86W, that was located in the Cavendish Road School, Balham. The school was rebuilt after the war following the bomb damage and is now the Henry Cavendish Primary School, Hydethorpe Road, Balham. He is buried in Wandsworth Cemetery, Magdalene Road, London, SW18 3NP.

March 2020 we were contacted by Brian Butcher “(Son of H H Butcher). The detail relating to where H H Butcher is buried is incorrect. He is in fact buried in Streatham Cemetery Tooting SW17, in Grave number 98 Plot 17. I Have the burial details.” Our information came from Find a Grave which is normally reliable but everyone can make mistakes. We thank Brian for the information.

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