Ruby Legge

Rank:Civilian
Died:23/12/1940Age:28
Incident Date:23/12/1940
Incident Address.Springfield Hotel, High Street
Died Address:Springfield Hotel, High Street
Grave Photo:No
Cemetery or Memorial:Not Known
Town Memorial:Not Listed
Extra Information:
Born as Ruby Rider during the June quarter 1912 in
the Woolwich R.D. - rtef: 1d/2277,  the daughter
of Joseph Benjamin & Mary Elizabeth Rider (nee
Wood).

1911 Census - Not born until 1912, but her parents
were at that time residing at 29 Beechgrove
Terrace, Wesley Road, Farsley, Yorkshire where
Joseph was employed as a Foreman on Iron Bridges. 
Joseph Benjamin Rider - Married - aged: 33 - occ:
Foreman on Iron Bridges - born: Bramley, Leeds,
Yorkshire.   Mary Elizabeth Rider - Wife - aged:
35 - born: Battersea, London.  Plus 4 children and
1 domestic servant.

Kenneth Legge and Ruby Rider were members of the
Garden Suburb Tennis Club.  In June 1939 Ruby and
her future husband - Kenneth Legge paired up to
play mixed doubles in a Tennis tournament.    They
were beaten 6-2 and 6-1.

1939 National Registration - 3 Cyprus Avenue,
Finchley, London.   Ellen R. Beust (???) - Widow -
Born on the 21st June 1887 - No  occupation given,
but was a member of the W.V.S.   Next is one
redacted record at this address.    Ruby Rider -
Single - Born on the 21st February 1912 - occ:
Senior Personnel Clerk at Marks & Spencers Ltd -
also a member of the Women's Voluntary Service.   
Philip M. Spencer Married - Born on the 31st may
1904 - occ: Chartered Civil Engineer at Finchley
Borough Council and Representative of Borough
Engineers A.R.P. Finchley.  Was Ellen a family
member or Ruby & Philip's Landlady ???

Married Kenneth C.S. Legge during the December
quarter 1939 in the Hendon R.D. - ref: 3a/1958.   
According to the local newspaper they were married
on the 2nd September 1939.   The Finchley Times
dated the 3rd November 1939 stated that they were
married the week before at St. Mary-at-Finchley
P.C. which means they were married on the 28th
October 1939.   The latter seems more likely to be
the correct date as a December quarter
registration is not in line with an early
September marriage.

CWGC - of 24 Village Road, Finchley, Middlesex.
Daughter of Mr. J. B. Rider, of Mitcham, Surrey,
and of the late M. E. Rider.   Wife of L.A.C. K.
C. S. Legge, R.A.F. Died at Springfield Hotel,
High Street, Manchester.   The Manchester Bomb Map
Map for that area shows that only one bomb fell on
the High Street and that was on the 23rd December
1940.  It destroyed six semi-detached houses, one
of which must have been the Springfield Hotel.

24 Village Road, Finchley was the home of Ruby's
in-laws.

Her husband - Flying Officer Kenneth Charles
Seymour Legge 571 Sqn RNVR was killed on
06/02/1945 - aged: 31.   He has no known grave and
is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.    He
was piloting a Mosquito Mk. XVI - No. MM115 8K-X
on a bombing mission to Berlin.  He took off at
021.15 hrs from RAF Oakington and was lost without
trace.  He was the son of William Ward Seymour
Legge & Mary Elizabeth Legge MBE of Finchley,
Middlesex.

Why Ruby was staying at the Springfield Hotel,
High Street at the time of this incident remains a
mystery.




District:
Manchester (City of Manchester)
Memorials found on:
C.W.G.C.
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