Harriet Beck was born on 18 March 1886, the fifth of the seven children of George Frederick William Beck (1850-1916) and Sarah Jane Beck née Norman (1857-1896). Her birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1886 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London.
When the census that was undertaken on 5 April 1891, she was shown as aged 5 years and a scholar, living at 119 Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green, with her parents and six siblings: George Frederick William Beck (1878-1953) - a scholar; Elizabeth Grace Beck (1879-1964) - a scholar; Sarah Mabel Beck (1881-1916) - a scholar; Thomas Beck (1882-1899) - a scholar; Eva Victoria Beck (1887-1958) and Brigitter Louise Beck (1889-1961). Her father was described as a pork butcher.
On the census form that was completed on 31 March 1901 she is shown as aged 15 years and living in three rooms within 46 Northampton Street, Bethnal Green, with her widowed father and three of her siblings: Elizabeth Grace Beck - a spice pickler; Eva Victoria Beck and Brigitter Louise Beck. Her father was shown as butcher's salesman and a British Subject who had been born in Germany.
She is shown on a census return form that was submitted on 2 April 1911 as Harriet Scott, aged 25 years and a grocer's assistant who had been married for two years. She was visiting, together with a Frederick Scott, also aged 25 years, the home of John and Sarah Dennis at 33 Bale Street, Stepney.
However, it was not until 14 June 1915 that she married Frederick Scott (b.1886) in St Simon Zelotes Church, Morpeth Street, Bethnal Green, where in the marriage register she is shown as aged 29 years, a spinster and a tuft antler, living at 9 Bonwell Street, Bethnal Green, the daughter of George Frederick Beck, a butcher, whilst her husband was shown as aged 29 years, a bachelor and a soldier, also residing at 9 Bonwell Street, the son of Edward Scott, a lamp fitter.
Her husband completed his census return form on 19 June 1921 and she is shown as aged 35 years, 3 months and a charwoman employed by a Mr Walters at Rowton House, Whitechapel, London. She was living in one room within 60 Pereria Street, Bethnal Green, with her husband who described himself as also aged 35 years, 3 months, a casual dock labourer employed by the Port of London Authority.
In the England and Wales Register, that was compiled on 29 September 1939, her date of birth was confirmed and she was shown as on unpaid domestic duties and living in rooms at 14 Georgina Gardens, Bethnal Green, with her husband, who was described as a general labourer.
She was still residing at this address when she was killed by a German bomb that was dropped on the Columbia Market air raid shelter on the night of 7th/8th September 1940. Her death was registered, aged 54 years, in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Bethnal Green Registration District and her body was buried on 17 September 1940 in Grave R4519 in the City of London and Tower Hamlets Cemetery, Southern Grove, London, E3 4PX.
She is shown as SCOTT Harriet 54' 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.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them