Incredible lucky escape revealed of worker as bombs rained down on Sheffield's Marples pub during Blitz 80 years ago

The Marples, although never an officially designated air raid shelter, people took refuge in the large cellars during the bomb raids thinking they would be safe. But tragedy struck on Thursday December 12, 1940 and the hotel was hit killing more than 70 people. One grandchild tells of his nan’s lucky escape on that fateful night.
Sheffield Marples Hotel rescuing people trapped in the  rubble Dec 1940Sheffield Marples Hotel rescuing people trapped in the  rubble Dec 1940
Sheffield Marples Hotel rescuing people trapped in the rubble Dec 1940

Grandchild Alex Bingham, grew up hearing her nan’s stories about the war and in particular the Sheffield Blitz.

Her nan, Mable Gardner, nee Crow, worked at Martin’s Dry Cleaners, Fitzalan Square at the age of 17 and on Thursday, December 12 was working half a day so left the dry cleaners early and made her away across town to visit her brother Harry who lived at Frechville.

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Alex, 35 from Eckington, said: “The half day and early finish turned out to be a stroke of good luck for her.

Rescue work at Marples Hotel after the BlitzRescue work at Marples Hotel after the Blitz
Rescue work at Marples Hotel after the Blitz

"If she had stayed at work for her normal hours, she would have taken refuge in the shelter at Marples Hotel, which during the Sheffield Blitz took a direct hit and was completely demolished.

The Marples took a direct hit at 11.44pm. The bomb probably plunged through the upper floors of the building, only detonating on floor-level impact right above the cellars.

Mable, who died four years ago recalled standing in his back garden and watching the bombs fall over the city, was unable to get home and had to stay at her brothers for two days and left only when it was safe for her to make her way home to Shiregreen through the rubble of Sheffield city centre.

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Alex said: “She talked about passing trams that were laying on their sides and the amount of devastation that had be caused. I cannot imagine what my great grandparents would have been thinking, not hearing anything from her in two days.”

The Marples was destroyed during the Sheffield BlitzThe Marples was destroyed during the Sheffield Blitz
The Marples was destroyed during the Sheffield Blitz

Seven men inside the cellar had miraculously escaped serious injury. Everyone else hidden beneath the Marples must have died instantly, crushed in the collapse. It took many weeks to excavate the site, and an accurate number of casualties will never be known. The bodies of sixty-four people were recovered, as well as the partial remains of six or seven others.

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