Family Photos Annie (top left), Millicent (top right, Emily (bottom left) and Susan Bielby (bottom right). Source: SGCT Archive.
The Sheffield bombing raids which took place between 12th and 15th December 1940 were calculated to demoralise the population as well as inflict serious damage to the steel industry. In some cases, entire families were killed. Among these were the Bielbys, whose family gravestone is in the shape of an open book, near the Cemetery Road entrance. Susan Bielby, 84, and her daughters, Millicent, 54, Emily, 51, and Annie, 45, died when their house at 74 Nether Edge Road was bombed on 12th December. They were identified by Susan’s son Ernest, who lived with his family at 87 Mount View Road, and were buried on 20th December in X 120 in the Anglican area of the Cemetery. In the burial registers Millicent, Emily and Annie are described as spinsters and no occupation is given for them. In fact we know that both Millicent and Emily were headmistresses and Annie was a costumier.