Annie Victoria Roberts was born on 1 February 1899, a daughter of James John Roberts (b.1845) and his second wife, Jane Ann Roberts née Bradley (1853-1910). Her birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1899 in the Whitechapel Registration District, London. On 15 February 1899 she was baptised in All Saints Church, Stepney, London, where the baptismal register confirms her date of birth as 1 February 1899, that her family were living at 5 Winthrop Street, Brady Street, Whitechapel, and that her father was a warehouseman.
When the census was compiled on 31 March 1901 she was shown as Annie Roberts, aged 2 years, and living at 47 Buxton Road, Mile End New Town, Stepney, London, with her parents, her two sisters: Ethel May English (1893-1973) aged 9 years and Rose English (b.1896) aged 5 years, her three step siblings: George William Power, aged 22 years and a shop assistant; Bertie Charles Power, aged 16 years and a shop assistant and Rebecca Maud Power, aged 15 years who was also a shop assistant. Her father was described as a carman.
The census that was undertaken on 2 April 1911 shows her as aged 11 years and a schoolgirl who together with her two sisters: Ethel May English - a rag sorter and Rose English - a photographic chemical assistant, were living in three rooms at 30F Cheshire Street, Bethnal Green, London, the home of her maternal uncle, Allen Matthew Nicholson (1863-1921) - a carpet planner and his wife Mary Ann Jane Nicholson née Power (1875-1937) and their two sons: Allen George Nicholson (1896-1990) and Robert A. Nicholson (1911-1913).
She was aged 21 years when, on 15 February 1920, she married George William English (1894-1966) in St Mary's Church, Hoxton, London, where in the marriage register she is shown, incorrectly, as aged 22 years, a spinster and tailoress, living at 76 Britannia Street, Hoxton, whilst her husband is described as aged 25 years, a bachelor and a packer also residing at 76 Britannia Street, the son of George William English, a deceased cabinet maker.
They were to have five children: Leslie George English (b.1920); Ernest John William English (1922-1990); Kenneth Stanley English (1925-2002); Joyce A. English (1929-2016) and Reginald Charles English (1931-1940).
When she completed her census return form on 19 June 1921 she described herself as aged 22 years, 5 months, and currently out of work. She stated her last employment had been in the tailoring trade when she had been working for Lockwood & Bradley at 190 Old Street, London. She was living in one room at 76 Britannia Street, London, N1, with her 10 months old son, Leslie George English. Her husband was recorded separately on the census as a Lance Corporal, serving in the 8th Battalion, The London Regiment (Defence Force) at the British Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock, Middlesex (now Greater London).
Electoral registers from 1933 to 1936 show her and her husband listed at 79 Goldsmith Row, Bethnal Green and from 1937 to 1939 at 17 Mansford Street, Bethnal Green. When the England and Wales Register was constructed on 28 September 1939 she was still listed at this address but confusingly her date of birth was recorded as 2 February 1896. She was show as married and on unpaid domestic duties, and living with her husband - a porter employed by the General Post Office and three of their children: Ernest John William English - bedding and taping machinist; Kenneth Stanley English - a bedding mattress filler and Richard Charles English who was shown as at school.
She was injured on the night of 7th/8th September 1940 in the Columbia Market Air Raid Shelter, Bethnal Green, which took a direct hit from a bomb and died on 10 September 1940 at Bethnal Green Hospital, Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9NP. Her in City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Aldersbrook Road, London, E12 5DQ. Her death was registered incorrectly as aged 43 years, (she was aged 41 years), in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London.
She is shown as "ENGLISH ANNIE 43" on the Columbia Market air raid shelter memorial in the Rose Garden, Old Market Square, Ravenscroft Park, London, E2. She is also commemorated on the , which gives her address as 21 Scawfell Street, Shoreditch, London, on the and in that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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