| Roger Hardingham |
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My Uncle, Martin Hardingham, and I had a couple of days in Stamford last week. It was quite a trip down memory lane for him as he was born in Cliffe Road and then the family took over the Sports and Toy shop in Ironmonger Street. He told me many things, but recalls the wartime period a lot as he was just 6 when it started. He remembers two aircraft crashing into one another over the meadows whilst on a test flight for the RAF. Also going in a communial air shelter underground in Ironmonger Street! Also when a german aircraft opened up with small gun fire across the Sports Shop and one shell went straight through the attic and through the roof. The hole it made is still there!
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| Dave Leishman |
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Speaking of WW2 damage. In the early 60's I was told that a bomb had penetrated a house on St Leonards St. The bomb failed to explode and had to be recovered by the bomb disposal group.
The house was about the 2nd or 3rd down from St Georges St on the left, close to where Mr Steele of Steeles Removals lived. I wonder if anyone can confirm this story and add some more details.
Regards
Kate: Thanks Dave - Anyone any info. on this?
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| David Griffith |
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The house was my grandfathers house!
Hi David - well spotted. Hope you can add some more details if poss. Thanks Kate
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| David Griffith |
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More Detail! My grandfather was Bill Griffith. It happened at 4.30pm on Oct 31 1940. A German bomber dropped a 500lb bomb which hit the chimney of No2 cornstall buildings. It deflected thro my grandfathers house (17 Cornstall buildings) and ended up in the coal bunker. My grandmother (Elsie) and my aunt (Doreen), who was a toddler, were in the house at the time. They were unhurt amazingly tho it would have been different had the device exploded! My father (Michael) was at school at the time and my grandfather at work but as he was a volunteer fireman at the time he was one of the first on the scene. It wasn't removed until nov3. There have been many occasions when this story has appeared in the Mercury along with a picture of the bomb and the man who disposed it,one article interviewed my grandfather about it when he was in his 80s. It has also appeared in several local books about Stamford. Hope this helps shed some light on the incident.
Kate: Thanks very much for that David. You have added to Stamford history on Stamford Memories Gateway - as well as to "Memories". What a shock for Bill!
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