Florence Rosina Furniaux was born on 21 October 1901, the eldest child of Joseph John Ferniaux (1880-1956) and Florence Lilian Furniaux née Lamy (1883-1957). Her birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1901 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London.
When her father completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 she was shown as aged 9 years and living in two rooms at 1 Peter Street, Brick Lane, Bethnal Green, with her parents and four siblings: Joseph John Ferniaux (b.1903); Henry George Ferniaux (1905-1968); William Alfred Ferniaux (1907-1975) and Esther Lilian Ferniaux (1910-2002). Her father described himself as a carman and his wife as a polisher.
On 13 November 1921 she married Henry James Button (1900-1960) in St Paul's Church, Bethnal Green, where she is shown in the marriage register as aged 20 years, a spinster living at 43 Orange Street (later renamed as Satchwell Road), Bethnal Green, the daughter of Joseph John Ferniaux, a carman, whilst her husband was described as aged 21 years, a bachelor and a wood turner residing at 65 Gibraltar Walk, Bethnal Green, the son of George Benjamin Button, a chair maker.
They were to have three children: Doris Rosina Button (1922-1940); Henry George Button (1926-2002) and Ronald Charles Button (1933-1940).
In the 1939 England and Wales Register, that confirms her date of birth, she is shown as on unpaid domestic duties and staying at Ash Farm, Tonbridge, Kent, with two of her children: Henry George Button and Ronald Charles Button, who were both listed as at school.
She died when a bomb was dropped on the Columbia Market air raid shelter on the night of 7th/8th September 1940 and her death was registered as aged 39 years in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London.
Her body was on 19 September 1940 in , Sebert Road, London, E7 0NP, together with two of her children, Doris Rosina Button and Ronald Charles Button who were also killed by the same bomb.
She is shown as 'Florence Button, aged 39 years' 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 , 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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