"Some early history of 154 George Lane"

A review of Lebas by Ralph Smith written on Thursday 5th of October 2006

The row of shops with flats above which includes #154 was built about 1931 on what had been the garden of a large country house long ago demolished. Number 154 carried the name “Maison au Figaro” being a barbers and lady’s hairdresser. On one side was a cobblers and on the other a bicycle shop. It’s proprietor was a Dutchman man named Hobson who was more English than an Englishman who lived with his wife and four offspring in the flat over the business. His youngest son, Douglas, was a friend of mine who attended Churchfields School and later served in the Royal Tank Corps in Italy. On the 7th September 1940 during the first night of the London blitz an incendiary bomb penetrated the roof of 154 and fell on to the bed of the youngest daughter, burning her legs. However she recovered completely. An examination of the roof space will probably still show traces of that unpleasant episode on a night when a lot of explosive devices fell near the station! Later in the war a frightening experience when on leave was to get a military haircut from Mr.Hobson who shaved one’s neck with a cutthroat razor on days when a German rocket could arrive nearby at any moment! I hope things are quieter these days!

Ralph Smith Canada ralphsmith1561@shaw.ca

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