Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

My latest area of research concerns the gallantry awards given to members of the emergency services for the Blitz in May 1941. One of those whose gallantry was recognised was Harold Frederick Claydon, a Sergeant serving with Liverpool City Police.

He received the George Medal and the citation appeared in the London Gazette on the 6th June 1941

"Harold Frederick Claydon, Police Sergeant, Liverpool Police Service.
Bombs demolished houses and several people were trapped. Sergeant Claydon tunnelled twenty feet through debris and rescued two women. He then shored up the tunnel with wood and masonry and after strenuous efforts, succeeded in releasing another woman who was buried beneath the rubble. The sergeant, owing to his exertions in a gas laden atmosphere, was overcome and had to rest. he recovered and, though warned of the dangerfrom gas, returned to the tunnel and continued his rescue work.
A large piece of wood was wedged blocking the passage. Claydon obtained a saw, crawled into the space again, and, lying on his stomach, sawed through the block of woodand was able to relaease two casualties. Removing more debris he freed a child and a man and cleared a space so that others could effect the rescue of those remainin. Claydon showed exceptional courage in extremely dangerous circumstances and by his efforts ten people were released."

My initial line of research is to try and establish exactly where in the city this incident occured; I do not know if such records exist. I would also like to try and locate a photo of him and any information concerning his police service. are Liverpool City Police records available?

Any help would be welcome.

Mark[/b]

His birth reg

Births March qtr 1908
Harold Frederick Claydon Camberwell 1d 960

Death reg

Harold Frederick Claydon
Birth Date: 30 Dec 1907
Date of Registration: Mar 1991
Age at Death: 83
Registration district: Liverpool
Volume: 36
Page: 763

He married in Liverpool in 1937 and his wife Minnie only died in 2002. They had a son born in 1944 who may still be living - no death up to 2005

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/awards1941.html

Well done Carole, great finds

Hi Mark in the 19@@ census Harold Frederick is 3 yrs old in Croydon Surrey
with Charles 39, Minnie Louisa 36, Charles Henry 12, Stanley Francis 10, Jessie Kathleen 5yrs.

Couldn't find Harold Claydon in 1938 Directory, I did find a Chas & a Stanley both confectioners in W Dby and a Chas Hy clerk.

Good luck Mark

Tina

ps Chas snr in 1901 if needed

Carole and Tina

Very many thanks for you help ladies. This is proving a very interesting research project!

From the information provided, it would appear that Harold's father worked in the pharmacutical industry as his occupation on the 19** is shown as a "Medical Lozenge Maker". I wonder when the family moved up to Liverpool?

I must admit to some confussion (not difficult with me!) as it would appear that both Harold's mother and wife were call "Minnie"! Military research is so much simpler than FH!

Tina, do you have an address in West Derby for Charles and Stanley?

Carole, Harold died in 1991, is there anyway of finding where he is buried? I know St Helens has an excellent site for searching local burials/cremations; is there anything similar for Liverpool?

I believe that Harold's son has sadly passed away.

Katie has very kindly contacted me, as she has found an article and photograph of Harold in the Liverpool Evening Express and this includes the names of some of the people he rescued! Thank you Katie.

I look forward to posting more as this develops and many thanks to all.

Mark

The list of commendations Carole gave include some in December 1941 referring to an ammunition ship. This was the Malakand which happened May 3 1941. I was hoping this might date your incident but you probably know that now anyhow.

Forgot to say that Liverpool Police records are very sparse. All they had on a great uncle who was serving at the same time was a note of when he went to pension. I was told I would have to search the Watch committee books to see if he was mentioned there. It's be very time consuming.

Hi Mark
2 Minnie's seems a bit strange but he did marry Minnie Southern in 1937 at St James W.Dby.
Minnie was a popular name perhaps?
Chas snr married Minnie Louisa Williams at St Olave 1897

1938
Chas. Claydon confectioner 6 Alfriston Rd W.D
Stanley confectioner 22 Alvanley Rd W.D
Chas Hy clerk 9 Circular Rd West, W.D

Tina

Tina
You said 'Minnie was a popular name perhaps? '

The Disney effect?

D

Richard

That's just too cheesy!!!

Liverpool Sergt's G. M

"On the night of Wednesday, March 12 last, when he rescued 6 persons from a mass of debris. Two Corporation tenements had collapsed during an air raid and he was told that the occupents had been trapped. Relying mostly upon his hands, and using a torch, he commenced to tunnel at great risk to his own life, through the debris.

After working for some time he reached two young women Nellie Walsh and Lissie Dow - whom he brought to safety. Making the hole through the debris more secure by means of pieces of masonary and wood, he proceeded with his tunnelling reached Mrs. Fagerass, a 70 year old woman, who was lying semi-conscious with her left arm fastened in the debris and a piece of wood across her chest. He suceeded in releasing her and despite her weight of 16st dragged her to safety. To do so he had to cut away part of her clothing.

By this time Sergt Claydon was suffering from the effects of escaping gas, but after being given a drink of water he continued to tunnell through the debris.

Mrs. Fagerass on recovering consciousness said 14 other people had been sheltering in a small place. After next rescueing a man who had lost consciousness, he returned to the tunnel and heard a child's voice say "I am here, mister; can you see me?"

He found the child lying with a piece of timber across his body.Sergeant Claydon had to use a saw to cut through wood to rescue this child and aferwards a man who had been trapped in a chair, which he had to break before he could move him.

Sergeant Claydon after working for two hours in this tunnel collapsed with the effects of gas and had to be removed to hospital.

According to Air Raids on Liverpool a brieflist of Air Raids this is what is recorded for 12/13th March 1941

No incidents during first alert. During the night the City was heavily attacked, and 125 fires were dealt with by the Fire Brigade and A.F.S. Serious fires at head Post Office, Victoria Street, South John Street Telephone Exchange, Municipal Annexe, Dale Street and numerous other buildings in the centre of Town. Assistance was rendered by outside fire brigades.

Further information and location of the incident that Sergeant Claydon was awarded the George Medal for will be found in 352 BUI 8/4 Situations reports Air Raid Damage Dec 1940 - May 1941. This record has details of the attacks and who was deployed to the scene and how many rescued.

A good few years back I was asked to find out about property in Wavertree being hit during the Blitz and that is how I discovered these records. Spent hours looking at them and I have also recorded pictures of those awarded the George Medal from the Evening Express.

Katie

Thank you so much! the 12th March is my wife's birthday!

Just to build a picture of his background etc - here's his parents marriage details

21st August 1897 at St James Bermondsey

Charles Claydon 25 confectioner - father also Charles occ brewers servant

Minnie Louisa Williams 22 - father Samuel Henry - occ Police Sergeant

Witnesses S H Williams and Emily G Claydon

Carole

Thank you for this.

Mark

I notice from Katie's post that one of the people rescued by Harold was a "Nellie Walsh".

I have searched the CWGC - "Civilian Dead" for the surname "Walsh" and have come across a number who died on 13th March 1941, :-
WALSH, HENRY
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 70
Date of Death: 16/06/1941
Additional information: of 9 Lace Street, Liverpool. Husband of the late Mary Walsh Injured 13 March 1941, at 9 Lace Street; died at Emergency Hospital Annex.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: SOUTHPORT, COUNTY BOROUGH

WALSH, CHRISTINA
Initials: C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 26
Date of Death: 13/03/1941
Additional information: of 92 Bispham Street. Daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. O'Hare; wife of Thomas Walsh, R.N. Died at Adlington Street.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

WALSH, JULIA
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 53
Date of Death: 13/03/1941
Additional information: of 8 Adlington Street. Widow of Thomas Walsh. Died at Lace Street.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: LIVERPOOL, COUNTY BOROUGH

I wonder if any of these are related to Nellie?

Merseyside's secret blitz diary by Arthur Johnson which he wrote at the time says of this incident

The worst land mine incidents were at lace St (Gt Crosshall St ) annds St Anne's School Chatham Place Edge Hill. At Lace St tenements of the older type received a direct hit and scores of families were buried. To make matters worse fire broke out among the top debris while rescuers were crawling beneath shattere walls to rescue trapped and injured. The death roll here was particularly heavy and many harrowing storeis were told of the heroism and fortitude of the ordinary working class people in the most difficult circumstances

Hilary- thank you.

This is developing into a very interesting project. What is so interesting is that I knew very little about the blitz in Liverpool.

Having done some more digging, I note that the Fagerass family lived at 6 Adlington Street between 1910 and 1912. Katie's post revealed that Harold rescued a Nellie Walsh.

The CWGC site show that members of the Walsh family lived at 8 Adlington Street.

Is a reasonable assumption to conclude that the two buildings referred to are in fact 6 and 8 Adlington Street?

A sincere "thank you" to all have helped. I would still welcome any additional information.

Mark

Adlington St and Lace St were side by side, or back to back, off Fontenoy Street, near Marybone.
Adlington seems to have gone, but part of Lace may remain.
D

From what I read I would have said it was Lace Street. One of the people with an Adlington Street address died at Lace Street.

Can anyone confirm that

WALSH, JULIA
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 53
Date of Death: 13/03/1941
Additional information: of 8 Adlington Street. Widow of Thomas Walsh. Died at Lace Street.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead


Is related to Nellie Walsh.

I am struggling!

Is "Nellie" short for "Eleanor"?

http://liverpoolremembrance.weebly.com/ ... treet.html

Does anyone have a photo of Adlington Street?

Richard, looking at Google Maps, it would appear that you are right, Lace and Adlington Street backed on to one another.

"Forgot to say that Liverpool Police records are very sparse. All they had on a great uncle who was serving at the same time was a note of when he went to pension. I was told I would have to search the Watch committee books to see if he was mentioned there. It's be very time consuming."

Hilary, where do I find the Watch Committe books and the Liverpool City Police records?

Thanks

Mark