Mabel Rose Runacres

A Civilian, Mabel died on 12th of May 1941 aged 54. 

Mabel was born at Peckham, Surrey, on 12 December 1886, a daughter of Daniel and Roseanna Barton. In 1891 her family lived at 6 Brookdale Road, Lewisham. By 1901 Mabel’s father had died and her family had moved to Lowestoft, her mother’s home town, and lived at 38 Raglan Street and Mabel worked as a dressmaker. 

On 24 November 1906 Mabel married John Runacres at Saint Margaret’s Church. John was a rigger living at 61 Haward Street and Mabel lived at 56 Crown Street. In 1909 they lived at 52 May Road. By 1921 they were living at 32 Norwich Road and by 1939 at 18 May Road.  

During the night of 11 to 12 May 1941 an air raid took place and houses on May Road were badly damaged. Alfred J. Turner said that there was a crater in the middle of the road with four houses flattened on one side and the houses on the other side of the road were shattered. He said it was the worst damage that he had seen. 

Mabel, and two of her children, died at their home, 18 May Road, during the air raid. Her grandaughter Jean was also there and died with them.