| Last updated : 26/4/2008 |
| Hughes Mansions consisted of three tenament style blocks which had been built in the 1920's in Vallance Road Stepney. In the mid 20th Century many areas of East London still had high concentrations of Jewish famillies and Hughes Mansions was no exception to this. On the 25th March 1945 at 07.20 a V2 Rocket struck the buildings. This was the day before the Jewish Passover festival. In the devastion which followed 134 people died. This was the second worst V weapon tragecy with a fatality rate only exceed by the devastion at New Cross the previous November. What makes this tragedy particulary poignant is that it was the last day of the V2 attacks, although not the last missile. The last one fell the same day in Orpington killing one person. The concentration of Jewish famillies in the flats can be seen at The Jewish genealogical society web site. This list the names of all the Jewish people who died. As can been seen from this whole famillies were wiped out. I wonder if some of them had previously fled the Nazi terror in Europe only to be killed here ? Hughes mansions was not re-built and today the site remains undeveloped as a childrens playground Link to site with recollections of a survivor |
| Hughes Mansions |