Are there any Sealey Willingham or Cardy people in Bures

[isis]

I am descended directly from the Sealey Cardy and Willingham families which lived in Bures since at least 1700.
My grandmother Lily was born there in 1902 along with her twin sister Violet but the family moved to Chingford and Woodford about 1910 or so.
I believe some of the older siblings may have stayed in the area.
I visit Bures quite often and I have seen relatives graves in the cemetary up Cuckoo Hill
My family once lived up Cuckoo Hill, Angel Yard and water Lane.

[alan]

Yes, there is a Cardy family living in Bures St Mary, related to Wes Cardy the Country and Western singer.
In his childhood days he lived up Cuckoo Hill adjacent to the Alms Houses.

The Willingham family suffered a devasting loss during WW2 as a German bomb made a direct hit on their house in Nayland Rd.
More info on the Web site:- category War.

[isis]

yes the Willinghams were part of my grandmother's family. The 90 year old was her father's sister and Florence was her cousin.

[alan]

So are you any relation to the Cardy`s who lived up Cuckoo Hill, the village side of the Almshouses. Wes Cardy lived there in his younger days.

Willinghams - I once visited a Mavis Sadler in Colchester (nee Willingham) and interviewed her about the bomb incident.

[isis]

I dont know if I am related to the Cardys as I havent traced that far forward and there were lots of them!!

The lady you spoke to in Colchester was a cousin of my grandmother's I believe.

[Audreywillingham1]

I spent some time in Bures last summer and found the monuments within the church in Bures of the Willingham family that died due to enemy action: since then I have realised that they are members of my husbands family and thanks to your very helpful website have put the pieces of the jigsaw together, I have a small request, the newspaper clipping has limited information on the other people injured on that dreadful day, can anyone please help? Albert Willingham was my husbands First Cousin 2x removed and Ellen was his Great Grand Aunt.

[laroc]

This is a report by Mary Anderson on the Willingham Bomb

It was a wet November evening in 1940 at about 5 o'clock. My father was just home, and we were about to have our tea. We were one hour earlier then so it was still light. We heard the plane, which we knew was German as their planes made a different noise to ours. It was on its own. I stood at the back door with my father and saw the plane come over from the Claypits way, turn and start to dive. My father pushed me indoors and shouted "Get indoors! He's going to drop a bomb!" Well, I shot indoors, and my father, who was in the Home Guard, did not shut the door, but just stood there and held it. I think he was counting the bombs as they came down. Then I heard the awful screeching noise -1 had never heard bombs before. Thud! Screech! Thud! The ground shook. I was so frightened because I wondered where the next one would fall and whether it would hit us. If only I could see the plane and know where the bombs were going, I would feel safe; but as it was I felt trapped and just gave out one terrible scream. Mother told me "Stop that girl! Don't be so stupid!" After the bombs had ceased to drop, my father opened the back door and I went out behind him. There was smoke coming up from the other side of the school. My father went over to the shed, put his Wellington boots on and went off down the road. I put on my hat and coat and followed him. He saw me following him and told me to go back; so I fell back a little while, thinking he would not see me, but still kept following him. He turned round again, but I still would not go back. When I got there, there was a big hole in the ground and the house was demolished. The first bomb had hit the house, then one fell in the middle of the road and the others fell in the field opposite. My father went over to see what was left of the house, but I think Mr. Jack Aldous got there before him. They were both throwing off bricks and rubble and I saw them get a woman out, possibly Florrie Eldred, but I could not be sure. She was laid away from the house near the road. They sat her up, but I was not sure whether she was already dead or not. I think she must have been thrown out by the bomb. I thought, "Well, I have had enough of this, I'm not watching them get everyone else out and I am going home". It was raining and I was getting really wet standing there. There were no other children there: I was the only one. Not many people came. I remember seeing water and the broken dyeworks conduit in the crater. I saw Dr. Smith arrive later in his little car and also Mr. Creek, the chief Air-Raid Warden.
Not much was said about it at school next day. We all knew the Willinghams. Their daughters were the school cleaners and most likely were still in the school when the bomb dropped on their parent's house. They were both killed as well as an old lady of 90, most possibly Mrs. Willingham's mother, and Florie Eldred, my cousin or niece, a few years older than me. The son, George Willingham, was badly injured but survived for several years. Eva was also badly injured but survived. Kate Willingham survived and lived next door to Freddie Staples until a few years ago. Edie is dead, but Doris is still alive. Apart from Eva, who was maid at Dr. Smith's, they all lived in the house that was bombed. Stephen Block lived next door: that house was damaged but no one was hurt.

[Audreywillingham1]

Thank you, a very moving account of those dreadful events, it does put the night into context with the events of the war.

[David]

Hello

My nan's maiden name was Minne Cardy she married a Walter Austin, and lived in the last council house on the Nayland Road, I can remeber the plot where the Bomb fell on Nayland Road because of the gap in the houses, I traced her to London 46 Osbalderton Road Hackney, she was 16 and in the down as a nursemaid.

I have not gone any further back as yet.
David.

[laroc]

There is still a Cardy (widower)who lives in the last house along Nayland Rd.
Unfortunately cannot recall her first name but I have spoken to her on several occasions.
She is related to Wes Cardy who is the local Country and Western singer

[B.Boop]

Wasn't there also a Kate Willingham who lived in Nayland Road? She used to be housekeeper for a time at Abram Constables I believe. She moved to Bergholt.

[macca]

Hi, I keep in touch with a Dulcie Cardy widow of Edgar Cardy she lives in woolpit downs and has 3 sons Dana, Brian, Vernon hope this is a help.