HUTCHINSON, Gertie
Aged 42
Civilian War Dead
Died in bombing raid on Tuesday, 18th February 1941
Gertie was born in Freckenham in 15th February 1899 (Mildenhall Q1-1899 4A:885), daughter of Samuel and Sarah Ann RAYNER (née PLUMMER).
1901 census...Age 2, she was at Elms Road, Freckenham with her father Samuel RAYNER [39] horse keeper; her mother Sarah Ann [39]; sisters Laura [11], Bertha [10], Angelina [9]and Emily [3]; brothers Ernest [7] and Edwin [6]. All were born in Freckenham. 1911 census...Aged 12, she was at Rectory Farm, Freckenham with her parents; brothers Ernest John [17] domestic stable groom, Edwin James [16] farm labourer, Arthur William [9] and Frederick Walter [6]; sister Emily [13]. Her father died in 1912 and brother Edwin James died in France on 22nd May 1916. see here She married in William Henry HUTCHINSON in 1930 (Mildenhall Q2-1930 4A:2381). In the 1939 register she was at Fairfax House, Mildenhall with her husband William H [12-2-1899] a solicitor's managing clerk (Bendall's). With them were her widowed mother Sarah A RAYNER [11-2-1862] and 3 lodgers. She died at Sturgess, Hairdressers, Eaton House, High Street, Newmarket It was her first visit to this hairdressers since the birth a few months earlier of her daughter Dianne (later Mrs SIMPKINS) |
Gertie as a teenager Gertie and the baby (Dianne) mentioned in "One afternoon in February" Maybe her headstone can still be found but as you can see from the photo, the cemetery is badly neglected Gertie is buried in Mildenhall, Kingsway Cemetery click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
the book about the bombing of Newmarket High Street
The Bury Free Press of 1st March 1941 reported :-
or possibly allowed to become a "natural environment zone"
She is commemorated on the Mildenhall St Mary's Church Roll of Honour
and on the Mildenhall War Memorial