George Brook Fire brigade superintendent Leeds and Yorkshire

[dobfarm]

Hi all.

Just a general interest.

I came across this grave Tomb Flatstone epitaph in the St Paul church yard now part of the Huddersfield university complex. George Brooke was fire brigade superintendent in 1876 at the time of his death for Leeds and Yorkshire fire service and had been in the fire service since 1830. I wonder if anyone has come across his history or know of the history fire service in Yorkshire at that time

Dobby

[Reidragon]

Hi. I suggest you contact the Yorkshire Fire Service HQ they may be able to help you.

[dobfarm]

Thanks

Its always the case with interesting Epitaphs but if it was Fred Smith cart cleaner from upper no-where! there would be 100's who would know something.

Dobby

[Reidragon]

I was in the Kent F B for 30 years, now retired and I know they carried quite a lot of Kent memorabilia, if you contact Yorkshire F B or even the local Fire Station you may even get photo's.
Andy

[dobfarm]

Hi

Thanks

I'll make enquires when weather gets better but someone may see this thread one day (so nothing lost) who may be in his decendants.

Marry Xmas 

[jksdelver]

Just to say at the time of his death there wouldn't be a 'Yorkshire Fire Service'. County Brigades didn't start until 1948 after the National Fire Service. Then it would was the West Riding County Fire Service. Leeds , Bradford, Huddersfield had their own brigades until April 1974 when it became West Yorkshire Fires Service  Before that they were local towns and city brigades if there was one at all. I would think that Leeds Library would be the best port of call.  The Leeds and Yorkshire Fire Brigade may have been an insurance company or similar

[dobfarm]

Hi

Thanks

Each post we lean a little more! Until I read this epitaph! my knowledge of old 19 th century firebrigades was in old cowboy films and some sort of horse drawn pump.

[jksdelver]

Hi

Thanks

Each post we lean a little more! Until I read this epitaph! my knowledge of old 19 th century firebrigades was in old cowboy films and some sort of horse drawn pump.

No problem. Certainly horse drawn pumps and even ladders at the corner of the streets. If you were insured they supplied you with a 'Fire Mark' (look them up on the internet) you then attached them to a wall on your house. If you weren't insured by them you didn't get the fire put out.  The famous ones were The Sun and Phoenix insurance companies.

[dobfarm]

This is the only bit of info I can find online in 1864

scroll down to (Index  surname first >Barber) Barber, Henry Jocelyn

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/b.html#b581