70 Grove Street Pitsmoor Sheffield - December 1940

Many years ago I posted an article to the site listing thoae persons who had died in the Pitsmoor district of Sheffield as a result of enemy action in World War 2. Sadly the list was a large one.

In February 2016 I received this mail from a person in Australia whose family had experienced the full horrors of an air attack

" I just came across your article on the blitz in Sheffield and recognised 3 names I am sure are from my mothers family. Annie (Dutton) Bailey , Arthur Bailey and George Dutton. I know my mum told me her gran lost her son, daughter and husband in the Blitz …  the girl was Annie Dutton. I was trying to find where they were on Google Maps , but the street no longer exists. Do you have any idea where Grove St. Pitsmoor was? I can’t find any record of it.

I know my mum was bombed out of 3 houses , her step -sister told me she thought they were in Bedford St Sheffield and I have found that bomb marking on your map. It is amazing to actually make some
sense from all  the strands of information I have. I live in Australia and my mum died 16 yr ago , so filling in the gaps is not easy! I came to Sheffield two years ago and contacted my mums’ younger sisters for the first time … they don’t have a lot to go on. They had a different father and were a lot younger , so could not help much.

I couldn’t help but feel a terrible dread driving into Sheffield … the stories my mother told me were just so bleak and awful. She lost other family with the war as well - her cousin Ron (?) was an only child and went to the pictures. There was an air-raid and he took shelter at the theatre … his parents had just built a new shelter and all the neighbours went there for safety. It took a direct hit … he found his mothers' finger with her wedding ring intact .  My mum was about 12 at the time , she said everyone was terrified and people didn’t come home for days , as they had to take shelter wherever they were. The sky was on fire and they just kept coming , night after night.  I wish I had written down her story , I am so glad you have posted this .thankyou"

I replied that

"The family are buried together in Sheffield's Burgreave Cemetery. Here is the burial record from The Sheffield Indexers site for their grave

BAILEY, Annie (Wife of Arthur, age 37).
     Died at 70 Grove St. Air raid; Buried on December 21, 1940 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister: G L Vigar: Removed from Sheffield
     Parish.
 
BAILEY, Arthur (Labourer, age 41).
     Died at 70 Grove St. Air raid; Buried on December 21, 1940 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister: G L Vigar: Removed from Sheffield
     Parish.
 
DUTTON, George (Labourer, age 32).
     Died at 70 Grove St. Air raid; Buried on December 21, 1940 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister: G L Vigar: Removed from Sheffield
     Parish.

DUTTON, Thomas (Labourer, age 65).
     Died at The Mental Hospital; Buried on April 10, 1947 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister, GW Naylor: Removed from Sheffield
     Parish.

STOKES, John (Carriage Finisher, age 76).
     Died at 32 Brittania Rd; Buried on October 30, 1903 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: ~ Officiating Minister, C G Holt.

STOKES, Mary Ann (Wife of Jno Stokes, age 67).
     Died at Darnall; Buried on February 11, 1889 in General ground;
     Grave Number 45, Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
     Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: S.

A map of the cemetery is here

I am attaching a photo I took in Oct 2009 - Section R1 of Burngreave Cemetery (General Ground) is towards the back of the photo

Have a look at http://www.friendsofburngreavecemetery.btck.co.uk/

Here are the family in October 1939, just 14 months before the tragic events of December 1940

Bailey Household (4 People)
70 Grove Street , Sheffield C.B., Yorkshire (West Riding), England
 Start free family tree View original image
FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS

SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
George Dutton 03 May 1909 Male Railway Goods Porter Married 124 4
Arthur Bailey 18 Feb 1899 Male Permanent Wag Labourer Married 124 1
Annie Bailey 20 Jan 1903 Female Kitchen Help Married 124 2
Ronald Bailey 02 Sep 1927 Male At School Single 124 3
Ref: RG101/3527D/012/32 Letter Code: KIJN

I've attached the original from the 1939 Register for you

Also attached a photo taken in the late 1950's of 42 Grove Street - No 70 would have been similar. Th e houses were demolished circa Nov 1960

Grove Street no longer exists but when it did ran off Marshall Street and Fowler Street. Both of these streets ran off Pitsmoor Road. Grove Street was very close to Christ Church, Pitsmoor. I believe Fowler St is now Fife St. Have a look at this link