Person    | Female  Born 18/10/1913  Died 6/11/1940

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

Andrew Behan has kindly carried out further research: Auxiliary Firewoman Marjorie Winifred Davies was born on 18 October 1913 and her birth was registered in Rochford, Essex. She was a daughter of Percy Charles Thomas Davies (1887-1923) and Emily Sarah Davies née Wright (1889-1960). Her father was a plumber who also served as a private in the Royal Army Service Corps during World War One and the family lived at 104 North Avenue, Southend-on Sea, Essex. She was baptised on 20 December 1914 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Prittlewell, Essex. Her sister, Betty Joan Davies (1922-1990) was born on 27 March 1922. When her father died on 22 September 1923 the family was still living at 104 North Road, Southend-on-Sea. In 1932 her mother was remarried to a Frederick Joseph Henry (1902-1980) and electoral registers show them living at 10 Balham Park Road, London, SW12. Electoral registers from 1933 to 1935 show the family at 8 Balham Park Road, SW12, and those from 1936-1938 at 37 Balham Park Road, SW12. The 1939 England and Wales Register confirms them all still at 38 Balham Park Road, SW12. This register shows her occupation as a (Comptometer) Office Clerk, her step-father as a Chauffeur and her sister as an Office Clerk.

All four family members were shown as volunteers in the Auxiliary Fire Service. She died, aged 27 years, on 6 November 1940 as a result of 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. She is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey, London and her name appears on the National Firefighters Memorial at the junction of Carter Lane and Sermon Lane, London, EC4.

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