- Annie Dibden nee Barter
- Kenneth Henry Doswell (d. Sept 1940)
- Stanley Walter Dunn (d. Sept 1940)
- Evan Eiryn William Evans (d. Sept 1940)
- George Fuller – ” The Rivet Boy”
Annie Dibden nee Barter
Images courtesy of Sue Wyatt and The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust
Annie Dibden (nee Barter) born 12th September, 1917 and died 13th September, 2010
We heard of Annie Barter, from her daughter, Sue, who told us about her in June 2020.
“My Mother, whose maiden name was Annie Barter at the time (Annie Dibden was her married name) worked in the factory at Testwood, Totton during WW2 making parts for Spitfires on a tungsten lathe (and 1 other war aircraft).
It was something that always meant so much to her in doing her bit.
The premises were owned by the local Croll Family – and later became Testwood Motors owned by Bill Street. It is now a Van Sales.
She cycled in each day from West Wellow, with minimum lights because of the black-out.
Last year my son gave me a flight in a Spitfire as a birthday present, an emotional and incredible experience because of mum.
Mum passed away ten years ago at the age of 93, and it would mean a lot to her, as it also would to me, (for her) to be remembered in this way.”
“She frequently spoke of working at Croll’s making the Spitfire parts. I am fairly sure that must be the same Croll’s as Millbrook Healthcare. I have tried to look up the history but have been unable find any. I have asked younger members of the Croll family if they were aware of it but not heard anything in reply. Probably Mark Croll would be the best person to ask. I think it was where the Breeze Van Centre is now along Salisbury Rd (formerly Testwood Motors) Maybe others here that live or lived in Totton may know more.”
“The two photos show Mum as she was as a young lady in her early 20’s which would have been about the time (when she worked at Croll’s) and Mum on her 90th birthday.
Others have written to let us know of their involvement with Croll’s and, although memories may have faded, it would seem that there may well have been more than one building along Salisbury Road, Totton, which was owned by them.
“My Mum used to work there sewing the leather Spitfire seats.”
“… there were some lathes and other machines turning out precision parts but I worked on making toys… water pistols, potato guns, little cannons that when you turned a handle they would fire half inch wooden balls with a magazine on top holding 6 balls.”
“Crolls was in a big building behind South Hants Builders next to the Baptist Church. I worked there April to December 1946 when they transferred to New Milton as SHB wanted the building.” Philip Arnold, Old Totton Facebook.
Local information has led to identifying three possible sites. Most refer to the one where the flats of Old Dairy Close, off Salisbury Road, now stand:
- “ ‘The shed’ was on the site of what became the Unigate Dairy, now flats in Old Dairy Close”, Totton, Southampton, next to 263 Salisbury Rd, Totton, Southampton. SO40 3GH
- Site of Testwood Baptist Church, 283A Salisbury Rd, Totton, Southampton, SO40 3LZ
- “It became the Testwood Motors premises and is now the site of the Breeze Van Centre”, 331 Salisbury Rd, Totton, Southampton, SO40 3ZU
Kenneth Henry Doswell (d. Sept 1940)
Image courtesy of The Supermariners and The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust
Kenneth was a Shop Boy at Supermarine. He was 14 years of age when he was killed in the bombing raid on the 26th September 1940. Kenneth is buried in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.
Stanley Walter Dunn (d. Sept 1940)
Image courtesy of The Supermariners and The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust
Stanley was an Aircraft Store Keeper at Supermarine. He was 25 years of age when he was killed in the bombing raid on the 26th September 1940. Stanley is buried in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.
Evan Eiryn William Evans (d. Sept 1940)
Image courtesy of The Supermariners and The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust
Evan was employed by Supermarine in an unknown role. He was 29 years of age when he was killed in the bombing raid on the 24th September 1940. As we were not able to find the location of Evan’s grave, floral tributes have been laid at the Commonwealth War Graves Memorial in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.
George Fuller – ” The Rivet Boy”
The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust 