A display commemorating the victims of the first air raids in Norwich will be on display in Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum in the Royal Arcade from 5 July to 14 July.
The display marks the 70th anniversary of the first air raids on Norwich by the Luftwaffe during World War Two which killed five women who worked at Colman’s factory, 22 other civilians in Norwich and which injured many more. On 9th July 1940 bombs were dropped on targets across the city including Barnard’s Iron works on Salhouse Road, Thorpe station and the Boulton and Paul works at Riverside. The final bomb was dropped on Colman’s Carrow works, exploding in mid air immediately above a group of women workers as they made their way up Carrow Hill on their way home from work, killing five of them. They were: Maud Pamela Ballam; Bessie Gladys Upton; Bertha Rose Playford; Gladys Rose Sampson; and Maud Ethel Burrell. Their names are recorded on the memorial at the Carrow works to those who lost their lives in the Second World War.
The Colman’s factory also suffered again in April 1941 when it was hit by four oil bombs which fell on the oats and flour mills, setting them alight. Despite the efforts of the works fire brigade, assisted by the Norwich Fire Brigade and the Auxiliary Fire Service, both buildings burned for five hours before being brought under control. Both were gutted but there were no casualties.
The display has been put together by Nick Williams, volunteer co-ordinator at Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART), which owns Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum. Nick said: “Like the others killed and injured on the 9th July 1940 the Colman’s women were caught unawares as there had been no air raid alarm. These first air raids on Norwich were responsible for many deaths and caused great damage to buildings across the city. They brought home the brutal realities of war to the city, marking the end of the ‘phoney war’.”
The display is free to view at Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum in Norwich’s Royal Arcade from 5 until 16 July. There will also be a service commemorating the victims of the first air raids on Norwich at St Peter Mancroft Church at 11am on Friday, 9th July which is open to the public.
Norwich HEART is grateful to Norman Bacon for permission to use his research in the preparation of this display, to Norfolk County Council Library and Information Service for permission to use the photographs of wartime damage and to Jonathan Plunkett for permission to use his father’s (George Plunkett), photographs.
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Notes to editors
For more information please contact Christina Lister, Communications Manager at Norwich HEART on 01603 599570 or email christinalister@heritagecity.org; or Sophie Harrison, Communications Officer at Norwich HEART on 01603 599578 or email sophieharrison@heritagecity.org.
About Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum
The Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum was opened in 1973 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Colman’s, with premises on Bridewell Alley. It moved to the historic art nouveau Royal Arcade in 1999, where it has been based ever since in a careful replica of Victorian trade premises.
The shop stocks an extensive range of powder and prepared mustards, including a number of specialities made exclusively for the shop. In addition, there are a wide selection of mustard pots and spoons, together with tea towels – not to mention a broad range of Colman’s memorabilia. It also contains many items on loan from the archives, covering all aspects of the history and production of Colman’s mustard.
About Norwich HEART
Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is a private, charitable trust set up to act as an umbrella organisation for all of the heritage on offer in Norwich. We strategically plan, regenerate, manage and promote Norwich’s heritage and act as a best practice model internationally for developing heritage as a social and economic regeneration vehicle.
