Plaque
Bomb Site at 101 High St.
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Inscription
IN MEMORIAM 101 HIGH STREET 8 APRIL 1941 R.I.P.
Further Information
In his book "Portsmouth City of Gallant Hearts" Bob Hind records that the shop and flat at 101 High Street received a direct hit in the air raid of 10/11 January 1941 and subsequently caught fire. He lists those present in the building who lost their lives as Isaac Thomas Baker, Gertrude Maud Baker, George Barnes, Richard Thomas Clemens, Mary Elizabeth Clemens, Peter Edward Halson, John Albert Morris, Elsie Morris, John Morris, Charles Ridge, Annie Ridge and Ruby Ridge.
In the pamphlet "Portsmouth Cathedral in the Blitz" it is reported that a high explosive bomb fell on the corner of High Street and Pembroke Road on the night of 10th January 1941. It then goes on to say that on 8th April 1941 incendiaries fell on 101 High street which had been damaged in the raid of 10th January and that the inhabitants were trapped in the basement and died.
The Portsmouth Cemetery Manager confirms that Isaac and Gertrude Baker both died on 10 January 1941 and were buried on 17th in the common grave for civilians on the west side of Kingston Cemetery. Richard and Mary Clemens were buried on the 20th January. The other names do not appear in the cemetery records within a week or two of the incident. This could just mean that they were buried outside Portsmouth.
It would appear therefore that the Cathedral has mistakenly followed the date on the plaque. It is not known why the plaque gives the date as April 8th 1941, who placed it in it's current position and when that happened.
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