Aircraftman 2nd Class George William Rhodes (1916-1940) - Commonside Sheffield

Photograph taken 25th April 2012

Sec. J.J. grave 5603, Sheffield (Crookes) Cemetery.]

The memorial inscription reads

RHODES. Sacred to the affectionate and happy memories of George William Rhodes, 996999, AC2, RAF, only son of William and Amelia Rhodes, killed on active service August 1st 1940, age 24.
"He shall never grow old."
Also the above William, who died June 24th 1963, aged 73 years.

George William Rhodes appears identical to Aircraftman 2nd Class 996999, Royal Air Force Volunteer reserve, died Thursday 1st August 1940, age 24. Son of William & Amelia Rhodes, Commonside, Sheffield. 

And this is how George died. He was based at RAF Upper Heyford with the  16 OTU (Operational Training Unit). There were satellite airfields at RAF Barford St Michael, RAF Croughton and RAF Hinton in the Hedges

On 1 August 1940   a Hereford L6067  Training plane crashed near Souldern which is 7 miles north west of Bicester in Oxfordshire

On board the aircraft were the following personnel - all four died in the crash

Sergeant (Pilot) Oswald George DAY   RAFVR No. 742004

Age 24 and the son of Harold Johnson Day and Gertrude Day of Leicester. He is buried in Sec V Grave 126 Gilroes Cemetery, Leicester

Flying Officer (Pilot) George Holland THEVENARD  RAFVR No. 70668

Age 33, the son of Ernest Frank and Margaret Montgomery Thevenard and the  husband of Jeannie Thevenard of Hull. He is buried in Plot 1 Row B Grave 14 in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Middleton Stoney

Sergeant (Wireless Operator) Sydney Nevil BAKER  RAF No. 645894

Age 21 and the son of S G and Annie Baker of Dordon.  He was the foster son and nephew of Mr H E Thorpe of Dordon. He is buried near the south boundary of the churchyard of St Leonard’s Church, Dordon, Warwickshire

Aircraftman 2nd Class George William RHODES  RAFVR No. 996999 Age 24 and the son of William and Amelia Rhodes of Commonside, Sheffield. He is buried in Sec JJ Grave 5603, Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield

One source states that George was a passenger on the aircraft.

Head Office of D North Homes Ltd 63 - 73 Commonside Sheffield.

In the previous blog I posted a photograph of Commonside, Sheffield dated October 2012

In the centre of the photograph is the Head Office of D North Homes Ltd 63 - 73 Commonside Sheffield.

But whilst the building was there, the company had ceased to exist. I am unsure as to why the firm packed up but pack up it did.
But by July 2015 even the building had gone. It was demolished and replaced by a private residential development that are all the rage in Sheffield at the moment.

Photograph taken July 2015

Photograph of a Sheffield Family Commonside Sheffield

I came across this photograph last week that shows a family at the door of a house in Commonside, Sheffield. Unfortunately there are no details on the postcard but given the decorations on the house it must have been for some celebration. Date-wise I would guess circa 1930.

I believe that the house was demolished many years ago. It is difficult to place where the house actually was on Commonside apart from it being on the flatter part. There were some houses demolished at the bottom of Hands Road where it joins Commonside. There is a photograph of the derelict land on Picture Sheffield and that is dated 11th November 1971. And so possibly the demolition took place earlier in the 1960's

If anyone can help please let me know.  

Photo taken October 2012

231 Crookes Sheffield - Paranormal Activity June 2018

Many years ago I posted an article on the Crookes Laundry Murder that took place in 1922 and was to quote the Sheffield Independent

"one of the most sensational crimes Sheffield police have ever investigated"  

Photo taken 2004

In June this year I received this e-mail. It is something I did not expect

"what a fascinating website! I stumbled across it because of a strange occurrence yesterday. I went up Crookes with my friend Sue to browse the charity shops. We started down at the Age Concern shop and made our way up to St.Lukes. When we arrived at the Barnardo.s shop I found a couple of tops I like so decided to try them on. There was a blue vest top and a light chiffon top both on separate hanger so I carried them both into the changing room and hooked them on the inside of the changing room. I tried them both on together, one over the top of the other, then opened the door to show my friend. We both decided it wasn’t me so I proceeded to take them off. I got the hanger and put the chiffon top back on it then picked up the vest top and looked for the hanger but found it had completely vanished I looked all over the 4 ft square changing room but it was just not there. I went to the rail where I had got it from and there were no empty hangers. I told my friend and she agreed how very odd. 

This morning I started thinking about it again and then seemed to remember a story about a murder on Crookes so I googled it and came across your site. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it was that shop. I text a friend of mine who volunteers in several of the charity shops in Crookes and asked him if he’d heard of anything and this was his reply

“Hi, yep the shop is haunted. Think its something to do with the cellar. The manager is called Kim, i used to help out at weekends on till when she was short of volunteers. She mentioned odd goings off in shop. I've seen items fall off rails still on hangers, thats impossible. Weird spooky stuff. I'll pop in after work & get some stories from her. Wouldn't it b eerie if that hanger turned up in ur wardrobe!! “

Have you heard anything about strange goings on?"

I have not heard of anything re paranormal activity at the shop and it does not appear in Valerie Salim's "Ghost Hunters Guide to Sheffield" which is really the standard work on the subject. And so if anyone can throw any light on the matter I would be grateful