Cannon Street and The Blitz
Cannon Street is one of the oldest and most historic streets in London. It runs from St Paul’s Cathedral to London Bridge, passing through the heart of the City of London. The street has witnessed many events that shaped the history of London and Britain, especially during the 1940s when World War II raged on.
The Blitz
One of the most devastating periods for Cannon Street and its surroundings was the Blitz, a series of aerial bombings by Nazi Germany that targeted London and other British cities from September 1940 to May 1941. The Blitz aimed to destroy Britain’s morale and infrastructure, and to pave the way for a German invasion.
Cannon Street was hit hard by the bombs, as it was located near several strategic targets such as railway stations, bridges, banks and government buildings. Many historic landmarks were damaged or destroyed, such as St Mary Abchurch, St Swithin’s Church and Mansion House. The street was also filled with rubble, debris and fire.
The Resistance
Despite the destruction and danger, Cannon Street was also a place of resistance and resilience. Many people continued to work and live in the area, risking their lives to keep the city running. Some of them were involved in underground activities that helped Britain fight back against Nazi Germany.
One example was Hugh Dalton, who lived at 34 Cannon Street. He was a Labour politician who served as Minister of Economic Warfare from 1940 to 1942. He was responsible for coordinating Britain’s covert operations against Nazi Germany, such as sabotage, propaganda and espionage. He also supported resistance movements in occupied Europe.
Another example was William Stephenson, who had an office at 54 Cannon Street. He was a Canadian businessman who served as Britain’s chief intelligence officer in North America from 1940 to 1945. He was known by his codename “Intrepid” and he played a key role in establishing cooperation between British and American intelligence agencies. He also helped persuade President Roosevelt to join the war against Nazi Germany.
The Legacy
Cannon Street survived the war and underwent reconstruction in the following decades. Many new buildings were erected along the street, such as Cannon Place and Cannon Bridge House. Some historic buildings were restored or rebuilt, such as St Stephen Walbrook and St Mary Aldermary.
Today, Cannon Street is still a busy and important street in London’s financial district. It is also a reminder of London’s history and spirit during one of its darkest times.
One result of Germany’s fire blitz on the night of December 29th, 1940, when St. Paul’s Cathedral was ringed by fire, and of bomb explosions four months later, was this clearance on both sides of Cannon Street.
Here is the street before the blitz and after subsequent clearance of ruins, seen from the same spot in the Stone gallery of St. Paul’s.
The long black, skeletonised roof of Cannon Street Station is discernible, top right, with the unmistakable outline of Tower Bridge showing behind it.
Images from East London showing the destruction from German bombs during World War Two. Images scanned from a genuine copy of The London Evening news magazine, handed down to me from my grandfather.