Mr Alfred Vellacott

On 18 October 2015 The Odiham Society commemorated the five civilians who lost their lives as a result of the bombs which fell at the junction of High Street and Church Street 75 years ago, with a blue plaque and an exhibition in the Cross Barn. 

Alfred Vellacott was born on 8 November 1883 in Clapton Middlesex [i].  He was the son of Walter, a bank official, and Emily Vellacott and in 1881 the family, which included his two older sisters, Emily and Clara, at 6 Laura Place, Hackney[ii].  Ten years later, Alfred, aged 17, had left home and taken up a builders’ apprenticeship at Exeter, Devon[iii]

On 12 July 1900 Alfred, aged 26, married Florence Bevan, aged 21, at St James Parish Church, Westminster.  They had been neighbours Jermyn Street and Alfred’s occupation was recorded as ‘Fruit Grower’[iv].  The following year Alfred, still a fruit grower, and Florence were lodging at Norfolk Lodge, St Peter Port, Guernsey[v] By 1911 the couple had moved to Folkestone where Alfred had changed occupations again. He was now employed as an Agent for Roofing Engineers[vi]. 

It seems probable that Alfred continued his employment as a Roofing Engineer, for in 1939, when he was 66, he was recorded as ‘Roofing Engineer (Retired)? Growing Farmer’ and living at 10 Connaught Place, Weston-Super-Mare[vii]. 

Alfred Vellacott was a member of Avery Fathers’ extended family and she recalls that Alfred and his wife Florence came to stay in Odiham to escape the feared German Luftwaffe bombing campaign, which included Weston-Super-Mare as a target. They were living in the White House in the High Street at the time of the Odiham bombing and Alfred was unfortunate enough to be caught up in the devastation caused by the explosions.  He was taken to Park Prewett Hospital, Basingstoke, where he died three days later[viii].

Alfred’s widow, Florence, remained in Odiham having moved to Strathcona, Colt Hill.  She died on 28 August 1941 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading[ix].