May Mary Barnett was born on 14 September 1903, one of the seven children of John Henry Barnett (1865-1918) and Sarah Elizabeth Barnett née Hornsey (1869-1935). Her birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1903 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London. On 18 October 1903 she was baptised at St John's Church, Bethnal Green, where in the baptismal register, her date of birth is confirmed, that her family were living at 10 Stainsbury Street, Bethnal Green and that her father was a labourer.
When her father completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 she was shown as May Barnett, aged 7 years and living in three rooms at 16 Sidney Street, Bethnal Green. The form shows that her mother had given birth to seven children, but that only four were still alive. Residing at the house were her father, who claimed he was aged 49 years and a Borough Council labourer; her mother, aged 39 years, together with her three surviving siblings: John Henry Barnett, aged 15 years and a cork cutter; Sarah Lily Barnett (1899-1975), aged 11 years and Hilda Alice Barnett (1905-1979), aged 5 years.
The census return form dated 19 June 1921 was completed by her widowed mother who described her as aged 17 years, 9 months and a wholesale stationery and envelope maker employed by Wesley, 85 Worship Street, London, EC. She was living at 16 Sydney Street, London, E2, with her mother, aged 52 years, 2 months and her three siblings: John Henry Barnett, aged 25 years, 7 months, who was in the army but visiting on the night of the census; Sarah Lily Barnett, aged 22 years, 7 months and Hilda Alice Barnett, aged 15 years, 9 months, a textile worker employed by Howard Wall at 25 Hackney Road, London, EC2.
On 20 August 1933 she married Henry John Hallam (1894-1957) in St James the Less Church, Bethnal Green, where in the marriage register she is shown as aged 28 years and a spinster residing at 16 Sidney Street, Bethnal Green, the daughter of John Barnett a deceased dustman, whilst her husband was described as aged 28 years, a bachelor and an electrician living at 22 Sidney Street, Bethnal Green, the son of John Hallam, an instrument repairer.
They were residing at 59 Guinness Buildings, Columbia Road, Bethnal Green and her husband was serving as a Private in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, when she was killed by a German bomb that fell on the Columbia Market air raid shelter on the night of 7th/8th September 1940. Her death was registered, as aged 36 years, in the 3rd quarter of 1940 in the Bethnal Green Registration District, London. It is not known where her .
She is shown as 'HALLAM May 36' 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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