Born Henrietta Clegg on the 6th March 1874, the
birth being registered during the June quarter
1874 in the Burnley R.D. - ref: 8e/200, the eldest
daughter of Stansfield & Ellen Clegg (nee
Emmott).

1881 Census - 97 Ardwick Street, Burnley,
Lancashire.    Daughter - aged: 7 - Scholar -
born: Burnley, Lancashire.    Head of household -
Stansfield Clegg - Married - aged: 31 - occ:
Cotton Weaver - born: Colne, Lancashire.   Also
Ellen Clegg - Wife - aged: 31 - born: Burnley.   
Plus 2 younger siblings.

1891 Census - Navigation Road, Altrincham.    
Daughter - aged: 17 - occ: Dressmaker - born:
Burnley, Lancashire.  Head of household -
Stansfield Clegg - Married - aged: 41 - occ: Cab
Proprietor - born: Colne, Lancashire.   Also Ellen
Clegg - Wife - aged: 41 - born: Padiham,
Lancashire.    Plus 6 younger siblings  and
according to the birth dates, the family had moved
to Altrincham by 1882.

Married William Barker at St. George's P.C.
Altrincham on the 15th March 1899, the marriage
being registered during the March quarter 1899 in
the Bucklow R.D. - ref: 8a/208.    

1901 Census - Hall Lane, Grappenhall, Cheshire.   
 Visitor - Married - aged: 27 - born: Burnley,
Lancashire.    Also listed - William Barker -
Visitor - Married - aged: 25 - occ: Upholsterer -
born: Altrincham.    Head of household was
William's mother, a widowed Farmer.

1911 Census - 87 Oakfield Road, Altrincham.    
Wife - aged: 37 - born: Burnley, Lancashire.    
Head of household - William Barker - Married -
aged: 35 - occ: Upholsterer - born: Altrincham.   
Plus 2 daughters and a son.

At the time of her husband's enlistment into the
R.G.A. on the 14th September 1915, they were
residing at "West View" 87 Oldfield Road,
Altrincham.

1939  National Registration - 87 Oakfield Road,
Altrincham.  William Barker - Married - born: 3rd
October 1875 - occ: House Fitter Heavy
Engineering.  Henrietta Barker - Married - born:
8th March 1874 - occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.

Just before 20.30 hrs during the second night of
the "Manchester Blitz", a bomb fell on the corner
of Oakfield Road & Moss Lane, Altrincham,
destroying six houses and killing 12 civilians. 

Aged 66, Henrietta was killed at 87 Oakfield Road,
Altrincham, where she lived with her husband
William Barker.   William, who survived the
explosion, was an Upholsterer/Cabinet maker.   
The ARP Rescue Services had to dig in the rubble
to locate Henrietta.    Her CWD Ref No.1 states
that she was buried by Masonry and was still in
her pyjamas when found at 06.00 hrs on the 24th
December 1940.   Her body was taken to A.B.
Brookes & Son's Mortuary, Stamford New Road,
Altrincham and identified by her husband, William
Barker.    Henrietta was buried in Bowdon (St.
Mary's) Churchyard.     Buried 28/12/1940 - Burial
No. 30/3198.

Although not individually named, Henrietta is one
of the 12 local residents killed at this site and
around the corner on Moss Lane who are
commemorated in the Memorial Garden on the corner
of Moss Lane and Oakfield Road.

On Friday 23rd December 2011 a group of local
residents, relatives of the victims and civic
dignitaries attended a wreath laying ceremony at
the memorial garden on Oakfield Road, Altrincham,
to the 12 civilians that died when a German bomb
landed at this site at about 8.30 pm 71 years ago
to the day.

The Sale & Altrincham Messenger sent a
photographer and a short report of the ceremony
appeared in the 5th January 2012 edition of their
newspaper.    The Hale, Sale & Altrincham
Independent Newspaper also reported the event in
their January 2012 edition.

As the articles attracted such interesting
feedback from relatives of victims and those
involved in their recovery, the Messenger's Chief
Reporter Chris Griffin,  researched the event
further and wrote a number of excellent articles
about it and the families involved.   He also
reported about the recent demolition of the nearby
Bridge Inn public house where one of the victims
was raised.    The articles were dated 12th
January, 26th January, 2nd February, 16th
February, 1st March and the 15th March 2012.  
Chris was able to obtain much unknown information
and personal photographs of a number of the
victims from their families.

Six houses were demolished in this incident - Nos.
83, 85, 97, 98 & 91 Oakfield Road, plus the first
house on Moss Lane.    No.43 Moss Lane was
situated immediately behind No. 91 Oakfield Road. 
These two dwellings suffered the greatest amount
of damage and was obviously the point where the
bomb struck.   The bodies from these two houses
were the last to be recovered at 1.0 pm on
Christmas Day.    The land where Nos. 83 to 91
Oakfield Road was sited is now the site of the
Memorial Garden and a builders merchants now
occupies the site of No. 43 Moss Lane.

Her CWD No.1 States that her body was taken to
A.B. Brookes' Mortuary and that he body was
recovered from 87 Oakfield Road at 6.00 am on the
24th December 1940 and that she was buried in St.
Mary's, Bowdon Churchyard - Grave No. 4021 on the
28th December 1940.


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