Thomas Arthur Godwin

A Civilian, Thomas died on 8th of March 1942 aged 62. 

Thomas was born at City Road, Shoreditch, London, on 26 August 1879, a son of Henry and Kate Godwin. In 1881 his family lived at 138 City Road. By 1891 they were living at 4 Conyer Street, Bethnal Green. In 1901 Thomas’ family lived at 36 The Green, West Ham, and Thomas was a van and cart builder. 

In early 1911 Thomas married Alice Victoria Hume, this was registered in the Saint Pancras district. They lived at 68 Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, and Thomas was a coach, bus and cab body maker. Alice died in 1915. 

By 1921 Thomas had moved to Lowestoft, lodging with the Jenner family at 46 Stevens Street. Thomas worked as coach body maker for the United Automobile Services Company at Laundry Lane. In 1936 the United Automobile Services works at Lowestoft became Eastern Coach Works Limited and was the largest full-time employer in the town. 

On 24 April 1926 Thomas married Laura May English at Saint John’s Church. Thomas was a coach body maker and both Thomas and Laura gave their address as 13 Laundry Lane. Laundry Lane was later renamed Eastern Way. In 1939 Thomas and Laura lived at 13 Eastern Way and Thomas was a vehicle body builder. In May 1940 Eastern Coach Works was closed for production and 950 staff laid off. Thomas then became a naval police warden. 

In March 1942 Thomas and Laura lived at 15 Eastern Way and this is where Thomas was killed. On 8 March 1942 an enemy aircraft dropped a number of bombs in the Essex Road area of Lowestoft. Thomas and Laura were at home and a bomb destroyed their house and Thomas was killed. Laura was seriously injured but was able to shout to her rescuers and guided their work and it took three hours to rescue her. In the raid Thomas was the only person killed and thirteen, including Laura, were injured.