Essex Fire Museum

Young visitor enjoying the All Fired Up! exhibition created with Fire Museum on display until 3rd July here at Saffron Walden Museum

7th April 1914, a fire broke out at Bordeaux farm in the parish of Littlebury. Newspaper reports at the time suggested that in high winds, sparks from a traction engine caught light to some dry thatch. The flames rang along the river path to Little Chesterford and then spread rapidly across the village, burning many of the thatched properties to the ground. Little Chesterford had only a small portable fire pump for estate purposes and the surrounding pumps took considerable time to attend.
Within 30 minutes of the fire starting it had already destroyed 2 farms, 2 pubs (The Crown and The Bushel & Strike) and 9 houses, leaving 43 out of 100 villagers homeless.
Photographs show the village roads strewn with salvaged furniture and crowds gathering shocked by the scale of the fire and how quickly it had spread. There was a national newspaper campaign to fundraise to support those who had lost their homes. Fire Museum
https://saffronwaldenmuseum.swmuseumsoc.org.uk/the-great-fire-at-little-chesterford/

The Museum’s ‘Object of the Month’ provides an opportunity to explore interesting and unusual objects from our stores.
April’s Object of the Month chosen by Jenny Oxley, Collections Officer (Human History) is a charred key fob discovered after the Rose & Crown fire in the town on Boxing Day 1969. It forms part of the museum’s new special exhibition, All Fired Up, by Essex Fire Museum, which charts the history of fire-fighting in Essex. Essex Fire Museum Saffron Walden Fire Station Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

https://saffronwaldenmuseum.swmuseumsoc.org.uk/object-of-the-month-april-2022/
https://saffronwaldenmuseum.swmuseumsoc.org.uk/new-temporary-exhibition-all-fired-up/

New exhibition opening Sat 2nd April .....on the history of fire-fighting in Essex.....why not come along to a talk themed around it by Mick Ford of Essex Fire Museum (EF&RS). Talk hosted by Saffron Walden Museum Society, Parish Rooms Saffron Walden Mon 4 April at 8pm. Tickets on the door, cash only. £1 members, £3 non members, Under 16 free.
Fire Museum

New Exhibition Coming Soon…All Fired Up…

Volunteers from Essex Fire Museum and Saffron Walden Museum staff have collaborated to create a unique presentation of the history of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, which will go on display here at Saffron Walden Museum from Saturday 2 April. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to explore some of the fascinating stories of fire-fighting across Essex.

The exhibits include a wide range of artefacts, photographs, uniforms and equipment which trace the history of fire-fighting from Victorian times to the present-day. It will also feature private and works’ fire brigades, which were particularly prominent in Essex during the 20th century.

Along with discovering some of the technological developments which have influenced fire-fighting, visitors will also be able to discover heroic stories of bravery and the human stories behind some of the major incidents which have occurred in the county’s history. The exhibition also touches upon some of the more obscure aspects of local fire-fighting history, including a troupe of fire-fighting scouts, a famous fire-fighting vicar and the story of how an obscure family pet caused a local mansion to go up in flames.
Fire Museum

We are still appealing for relevant archival information and items to display. If you have anything relevant please contact Jenny Oxley, Collections Officer (Human History) [email protected] 01799 510645

I cannot begin to express how grateful and thankful to Roger and Leigh me and my family are for a such memorable send off for my dad, a retired firefighter who served over 25 years as a member of the London Fire Brigade. You honoured him as if he was one of your own.

Thank you Roger and Leigh for everything you did, it was certainly a day that will stay with me forever and a day dad would have loved.

Rainham Fire Brigade

The Rainham Fire Brigade was established by Rainham Parish Council in 1904
In May 1904 the Parish Council accepted the tender of Messrs. Shand, Mason and Co. for the supply of

“One Stand Hose Cart
One Double Outlet stand pipe
Two copper Branchpipes
Six firemen’s hand lamps
Six firemen’s leather waist belts with axes and cases complete
Six hose and nozzle spanners
Six pocket lines
Four collapsible canvas buckets
Two hose clamps for stopping leakages in hose and one pair of ladders”

In March 1905 agreement was reached with the landlord of the Phoenix Inn, Mr. A.J. Taylor, for the storage of the equipment, a similar offer was made by Mr A.H. Deverson of the Bell Inn but the council thought there wasn’t enough space to store the various appliances etc.

At the Parish Council meeting held on 21st September 1905, the Lighting Committee reported

“that the following men had been appointed (from 3rd August 1905) to form the Fire Brigade, viz:-Messrs Ayres, G Holmes, Claxton, W. Fynn, Lazell, E Swann, Nicholls and Montgomery Auxiliaries:-Messrs Easterley, Breeds Whitby & Shellito

The Committee also recommended that Mr. G. Worns, Capt. Grays Fire Brigade, be appointed Instructor of the Rainham Fire Brigade, at a fee fixed by the Council.

That two additional sets of firemen’s appliances be purchased.”

In the first instance, Capt Worns was de facto first officer of the brigade whilst the new service was trained and established. In March 1906 the Lighting Committee reported to the Council “that Mr. Clayton had been appointed Captain of the Fire Brigade with Mr. Ayres Lieutenant and Mr. Holmes Engineer.”

In 1909 the Council received notice that the shed that all of the equipment was stored in at the Phoenix would no longer be available as their “Fire Station” from April 30th 1910. Instead, an agreement was made for an annual rent of £5. In 1914 it was decided to erect a fire shed and a site in Upminster Road, which would much later become the corner of Parkway, was found.

By July the work was complete, though not without a dispute with Romford Rural District Council who had not received plans in advance and found that the line of the shed didn’t comply with their regulations and wanted it set further back. Approval for alterations was granted in December 1914 and the work completed in 1915.

The Rainham Fire Brigade were soon successful in competitions. At the Grays Fire Brigade Fete in 1906 a team consisting of Firemen Swann, Montgomery, Lazell and Easterfield under Captain Claxton.won the Four Men Hose Cart Drill. In June 1914, “having won the Grays Challenge Cup in open competition, and this being the third successive win the cup became the absolute property of the Brigade”. The photograph here shows one of the winning teams from the years 1912-1914, and probably 1914. The teams in 1912, 1913 and 1914 were

1912
G J Holmes, J Reed, J Swann, W Deacon

1913
J Nicholls, J Reed, J Swann, W Deacon

1914
J Swann, J Reed, W Deacon, W Whitby

The trophy was eventually passed on to a museum, presumably the Essex Fire Museum in Grays.

The first Captain of the Rainham Fire Brigade, J.H. Claxton resigned on June 16th 1910. His replacement, George J Holmes remained as Captain until resigning in 1913. He emigrated for Canada, leaving from Liverpool on 21st March 1913, eventually arriving in Cobalt.

Before Holmes left he held a meeting with the Brigade members to “consider who was to succeed him as Captain, and found that the Firemen would not agree to Fireman Nicholls, who was the senior officer, being appointed Captain. Fireman Lazell who came next to Nicholls in seniority would not accept the post”

An inspection of the Fire Brigade and equipment was called for 6th March 1913 to discuss the matter with the firemen. After the opinion of the members of the Brigade was taken it was unanimously resolved to appoint Fireman Nicholls as Captain, Fireman Lazell as Lieutenant and Fireman Shellito as engineer.

This didn’t resolve matters. At the Rainham Parish Council meeting held on 21st May 1914, all of the Fire Brigade, other than the Captain (Nicholls) and the second officer (Lazell) “attended and complained that they were not satisfied with the manner in which the Captain was conducting the business of the Brigade, and having made specific complaints, it was unanimously resolved that a Special Meeting of the Council in Committee be held on Monday 25th instant at 7.45 pm and the Captain be asked to attend that meeting with a view to his version of the matters in question being obtained”

The Council Meeting of 19th June 1914 learned the outcome of the meeting held on 25th May.

“The Committee interviewed the Captain of the Fire Brigade and heard his version of the complaints made against him by other members of the Brigade. They then interviewed the remaining members of the Brigade who intimated that they could not in future work with Nichols as their Captain. Nicholls having expressed his willingness to resign the captaincy of the Brigade, the Committee unanimously resolved to recommend the Council to accept his resignation”

The second officer Lieutenant Lazell was appointed acting Captain. The permanent appointment of the Fire Brigade’s captain was repeatedly postponed until, on 19th November

“Mr Henry James Smith of The Cauliflower, Rainham attended (the Council meeting) with the second officer G. Lazell, and made application for the post of Captain to the Brigade. Mr Lazell reported that the firemen were willing to serve under him”.

The appointment of Captain Smith was duly agreed. Smith served until Captain A.J. Farrow was elected on 1st July 1919, he served until 1922 when G Lazell finally took on the role of Captain. He saw the arrival in 1933 of the Brigade’s “motor-propelled vehicle. A Merryweather, coming from another part of London, and presented to the Brigade by Mr. C. Walker of the Silverline Garage, New Road.”

Lazell continued in his position, after the Parish Council was incorporated in the Hornchurch Urban District Council from 1st April 1934, with Rainham part of the Hornchurch Fire Brigade, and he resigned on 31st December 1936 when the Rainham Fire Brigade was disbanded and a new Hornchurch Fire Brigade established.

The Rainham “Fire Station” as the old shed was latterly referred to, was demolished in November 1964, having spent its final years as a store room for the carts and brushes of the Hornchurch UDC road sweepers.

Information for this post is taken from the following items in the Havering Local Studies Library and are available for all to carry out research in.

“Rainham Parish Council Minutes” – these detail the development of the Fire Brigade in Rainham and include reports of some fires attended, personnel changes and new equipment purchased.
“Rainham Parish Council Fire Brigade Drill Register” – this register includes details of all those who served in the Rainham Fire Brigade as well as occasional notes on fires and competitions entered.
“Frank Lewis – A History of Rainham with Wennington and South Hornchurch “(1965)
“Frank Lewis Scrapbook No 2” – Newspaper articles by Frank Lewis in 1961 and 1964. The Frank Lewis collection of scrapbooks is a fantastic resource for anyone exploring the history of Rainham.