Hello there,
I have just found this thread by accident, and I just had to sign up so that I can ask a question. I have just been trying to find out about a pub call the Jolly Gardeners. which was at the Borough end of Union street, it was either damaged or destroyed by a V1 on 19th June 1944, (My father's Uncle was killed there along with two other people). I have been told by the Southwark Local history library, that there was a great deal of people killed in Union Street that day, also another pub to suffer was the King Henry VIII. Could you please tell me if the bomb to which you refer to in your discussions is the same one also could you tell me if either of these pubs still exist.
The maps don't have dates on them, so it is impossible to say what was damaged when - indeed damage in one area can be as a result of several separate incidents.
That being said, the bombs I referred to above are at the other end of Union Street.
What I can confirm is that a V1 rocket landed at the junction of Union Street and Great Guildford Street (i.e. the other end - the Borough end), and that during the war two buildings on the north west corner and one on the north east corner were completely destroyed and that the other buildings close to the junction were damaged beyond repair.
I guess one of them was probably the pub and it is a reasonable guess that the damage was done by the V1.
I don't know if the pubs were there - if they still are and sell cider, I am sure you will get responses (see other threads or search for cider to see what I mean!).
Anyway, got to go, as my wife appears to be starting to be going into labour (and no, I'm not joking...!).
The Three Jolly Gardeners was in Union Street but was demolished I suppose in the last five years or so. There is a block of flats on the site now, I believe is called Ciba Apartments or something like that. Will find out for definate and post it later.
I dont know the other pub the King Henry VIII.
Further to my previous posting. The three Jolly Gardeners was on the corner of Gt Guildford Street and Union Street, opposite the Tyre Depot, so this would tie up with the V1 that landed here.
It was demolished within the last 5 years or so and is now occupied by a block of flats called Ciba Apartments.
I have asked about the other pub the King Henry VIII but no one knows of it, or can remember it so can only assume it was demolished many years ago. I will continue asking around.
Hello there, I came across your piece by chance today re the Jolly Gardeners Pub, and was interested to see that your father's uncle lost his life there on June 19th 1944, my own uncle was killed that day too.
Hi Pauline,
That's a coincidence. My Dad's uncle's name was George Coates. His daughter Maggie (Margaret) also lost an eye at the same time. I don't suppose it could be the same person. ????. But it is a one in three chance.!!
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