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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Brant81uk on Saturday 22 May 10 01:50 BST (UK)

Title: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Brant81uk on Saturday 22 May 10 01:50 BST (UK)
My 2x Great uncle was the Chief of the Evesham and Pershore Fire Brigade in Worcestershire. I am wondering if there is anyway of tracing this? He was a PC with the Metropolitan Ploice and he had left the force by 1920 for reasons I do not know.

I found a document somewhere on Google that says Benjamin Hitchcock was fighting fires in Bristol, Coventry, London and as far south as Southampton during the 2nd WW.

Please let me know if you needmore details...thanks

p.s. I do have two photos of Ben Hitchcock sat and stood by fire engine's off of google.
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Morganllan on Saturday 22 May 10 02:11 BST (UK)
Found a picture with Ben Hitchcock in with fire brigade!

http://broadwayfire.co.uk/photos_1930s/pershore_fire_engine.htm
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: acorngen on Saturday 22 May 10 03:26 BST (UK)
Brant,

The Met police have an amazing archive and museum.  I am sure a quick search of Google will provide you with the details, likewise I know the LFB have an amazing archive and museum, also other Brigades have museums etc so a letter to the county fire deaprtment may help you

Rob
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: coombs on Saturday 22 May 10 18:28 BST (UK)
Was he a Chief before or after he was a policeman?
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Brant81uk on Saturday 22 May 10 20:09 BST (UK)
Hi Coombs,

he was a fire chief after the police and left the force in 1920. He served the brigade right through the 2nd WW.

thanks.
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: kev1n on Monday 24 May 10 21:50 BST (UK)
My Grandfather was called Leslie Wyatt Ford, he served with the Newbury fire Brigade during ww2. On the 11th March 1941 he was killed fighting a fire at Portsmouth harbour by a bomb. is there any way we can find more details about his death, or that nights action? Thank you
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Valda on Tuesday 25 May 10 08:24 BST (UK)
Hi

The records the Metropolitan police retain on police officers date from 1932 onwards. All previous records are held by The National Archives.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=104&j=1


I would check with Worcestershire Record Office for the whereabouts/survival of fire officer records for the county.

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/community-and-living/records.aspx


Record Offices tend to know about records whereas people employed in present organisations don't tend to know much about where long past records may have been deposited. Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service don't seem to have any links to information about historic records or museums

http://www.hwfire.org.uk/


Record Offices usually have bomb maps for where bombs fell in their area during the Second World War and can supply further information about bombing raids.

http://www.portsmouthrecordsoffice.co.uk/

Newbury was in Berkshire so again contacting Berkshire Record Office for the whereabouts of Fire Officer's staffing records may be the quickest route if there is nothing apparent about a Berkshire Fire Brigade museum on the web.

http://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists all military as well as civilian casualties in the First and Second World War

http://www.cwgc.org/

Casualty Details
Name: FORD, LESLIE WYATT
Initials: L W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead
Age: 28
Date of Death: 11/03/1941
Additional information: Fireman, Newbury A.F.S. Son of Francis James and Elsie Ford, of 38 Jubilee Road, Newbury, Berkshire; husband of Irene Ford, of 16 Adey's Buildings, Stroud Green, Newbury, Berkshire. Injured at Portsmouth Dockyard; died same day at Royal Portsmouth Hospital.
Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority: PORTSMOUTH, COUNTY BOROUGH


Regards

Valda
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: kev1n on Tuesday 25 May 10 21:09 BST (UK)
thank you. that is a great help.
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Redwoodmazza on Saturday 29 August 20 17:44 BST (UK)
Hi there. Benjamin Hitchcock was my Grandfather! I came across this thread while searching on Google to find out when he died - I was only about 5 at the time...
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Girl Guide on Sunday 30 August 20 07:42 BST (UK)
Welcome to Rootschat Redwood  :D

Brant was last active in November 2019.  Provided he still has the same email and is still receiving notifications of posts, he may well get back to you.
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Redwoodmazza on Sunday 30 August 20 07:50 BST (UK)
Cheers - thanks for that. Let's hope so. :)
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: Brant81uk on Monday 07 December 20 17:01 GMT (UK)
Hi Sorry for late reply I tend to come here every 12 months. Benjamin was my Nans uncle I believed Ben died in the 60’s around 1968. I was born in 1981 some years later. I don’t have much info on Ben sorry only what I have on my Ancestry tree.
Title: Re: Fire Brigade Records
Post by: barryd on Monday 07 December 20 19:27 GMT (UK)
My one and only Fire Dept. Record

Chief of London Fire Dept.
Eyre Massey Shaw
born
17 January 1828
Ballymore, Cork, Ireland
died
25 August 1908,
Folkstone, Kent, England