London/Tooting - factories?

[Anna_C]

Hi,

I'm hoping this is the right place to ask this...

My grandmother lived and worked near London during WWII and I am trying to find information regarding the area/what she might have been doing during those years. The story we have is as follows:

She married her second husband in Colchester in June 1940 and her address is given as 43 Arnold Rd, Tooting on the marriage certificate. Family rumour has it that she was working in/near London in a factory checking blueprints relating to field telephones, and her occupation is given as factory hand.

Any information regarding where she might have worked or what a member of the armed forces would be doing there for them to meet in the first place would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Anna

[Jeuel]

No idea what her job involved. I think it would be quite difficult to find out where she worked without knowing whether there were many or few factories doing this. Why do you think she was a member of the armed forces? Or do you mean her husband was? He could have been on leave in London.

[Mutley]

https://www.colchestermuseums.org.uk
has a pdf file headed
Life in Colchester during WWII

If you google
Colchester in 1940
there are several hits that may fill in the social history of the times.

Wikipedia has a very short bit about field telephones, I cannot quite figure why blue prints would be necessary, but what do I know.

Good Luck.

[Kerrywood]

Hi Anna, and welcome to the forum

She married her second husband in Colchester in June 1940 and her address is given as 43 Arnold Rd, Tooting on the marriage certificate. Family rumour has it that she was working in/near London in a factory checking blueprints relating to field telephones, and her occupation is given as factory hand.

It might be worth emailing the Wandsworth Heritage Service (at Battersea Library), which is the local studies library that covers Tooting. The archives staff there are extremely helpful. They may well have some information about what type of factory work was being done during the war years on their "patch".

They may also be able to check the 1939 electoral roll for you to establish who else was living at the Arnold Road address in that year (I believe there was no roll published for 1940).

[Anna_C]

Thanks for the suggestions and information, I will check them out!

And sorry Jeuel, meant that her husband was serving in the military (he was in the Grenadier Guards until 1941 when he transferred to the East Surrey Regiment) not that she was.

Thanks again,
Anna