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The Times and Star News Article 2001
Fire crew in the 20s and 30s by Iris Walton
There’s something about a man in uniform which appeals to women - maybe it is the element of danger that surrounds their work!
That is why I was intrigued by two photographs submitted by David Robertson of Derwent Avenue, Maryport. A fortnight ago he and his wife were clearing out a cupboard when they cam across these two pictures of some of the town’s past fire-fighters.
David, 65, who worked at Corus in workington, immediately recognised one of the crew on each of the photographs as his late uncle Joseph Henderson. The pictures were taken 5 years apart, the first in 1926, the second in 1931.
On the earlier picture, uncle joe, who was then in his early 20s, is standing at the back second fron the right.
The later photo sees him, centre, on the back row.
David recalls few of the other names. “My uncles friend, Frank Johnston, is sitting in the middle row on the left of the first picture. He is also on Joe’s immediate left on the second, with a chap called Frank Hilton, who is sitting on the floor on the extreme left on the earlier photograph, and in the middle row in the later one is a man called Ned Bowness.”
Captain Langcake, the then Station Commander, looks suitably imposing, sitting middle, on both.
At that time the Maryport Urban District Council ran the Fire Service, which was, I believe, then based off High Street, behind the Golden Lion Hotel.
Uncle Joe, who lived in High Street, Maryport, remained a fire-fighter until about 1950, when he retired from the brigade to work with the long-gone Salmoor Salvage Company in the town, and later at RNAD, Broughton Moor.
They were a dedicated group, on the second picture proudly showing off their shield and cups for winning the 1931 best aggregated for the one-man, two-men, six-men and eight-men drills trophy.
But apart from Joe, Ned and the two Franks, can anyone remember who the others were on our two photographs?
Who, for example, on picture number one, was the man on the extreme left, back row, in the civvies?
A local dignity perhaps? And the good-looking young fellow, third from the left, who did not appear in the second picture but warranted a special insert, bottom right, on the second?
And what were all those medals for; surely just not for fire-fighting long-service? Were some of the gongs for world war 1 service in the trenches?
There has to be more of a fascinating story behind these two old pictures. Are some of our readers able to tell us more.
1931
1926