Vivien Maud Castle
1939: shop assistant. 1941: employed as a progress worker at Ransome and Marles, Newark.
- Family History
- Extra information
- Photographs
Vivien Maud was the daughter of George and Ethel Castle (née Merrin).
George and Ethel were married in 1917 (reg. Southwell) and had seven children, six daughters and one son: Dorothy (1918), Ethel (1920), Vivien Maud (3 October 1922), Marjorie A (1923), Elsie M (1925), George W (1927) and Pamela R (1929).
In 1939 the family was living at 132 Bottom Street, Balderton, Newark: George a builder's labourer and ARP/Demolition, and his wife Ethel ARP/Red Cross and their children Dorothy a tailoress, Ethel a laundry packer, Vivien a shop assistant, Marjorie unemployed, Elsa described as not previously employed, George who was school age. There was also one other person, a closed record, possibly the youngest daughter, Pamela.
Vivien was killed on 7 March 1941 in an air raid on Newark when the Ransome and Marles factory was bombed. (See 'Extra information')
The CWGC record gives her parents' address as the Old Horse and Gears, Elston, Nottinghamshire. The pub, which was on the corner of Pinfold Lane and Elston Lane, had closed in 1936 but Vivien's mother ran a shop from the premises, which is now a domestic building. (www.elstonheirtage.org.uk)
www.ransomeandmarles.co.uk: (extract) 'Founded in Newark, UK, in 1900, Ransome and Marles, or R & M Bearings as many people know it, soon became the leading British manufacturer of Ball and Roller bearings. Their reputation for quality gained them world-wide acceptance in Aerospace, Defence and precision engineering environments.'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-35725950: (extract) 'The 75th anniversary of an air raid on a factory that played an important part in the World War Two effort is being marked.The Ransome & Marles bearings factory in Newark, Nottinghamshire, was so vital it was rebuilt in three weeks. The air raid on 7 March 1941 resulted in the deaths of 41 people and left 165 badly wounded. But many details were censored at the time and have only been uncovered in recent years.' (6 March 2016)
CWGC Additional information: 'Daughter of George and Ethel Castle, of Old Horse and Gears, Elston. Died at Ransome and Marles, Beacon Hill.'
CWGC: 'Buried or commemorated, Newark on Trent, Municipal Borough. Civilian War Dead'
Newark Advertiser, 11 March 1942: ‘Lest We Forget. A sincere Tribute from all Progress Workers to the Memory of William Dixey, Larry Senior, Winifred Cooper and Vivian Castle, who lost their lives through enemy action on Friday March 7th, 1941. We Will Remember Them.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Newark Advertiser, ‘In Memoriam’, 10 March 1943: ‘Castle. In loving memory of Vivien, killed by enemy action, March 7th, 1941, aged 18 years. In our hearts you are living yet, We loved you too much to ever forget. From Mother, Dad, Brother and Sisters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
No photos