Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Tottenham Fire Brigade Memorial - a question
Had my interest piqued by this memorial in Tottenham Cemetery. Anyone know anything about the people named on it or the fires in the 1920s that killed the four firemen? I've looked up Tottenham Fire Brigade in History Online but searches on the Times Archive don't throw up any reports of fires in this area on those dates. Bottom date is July 27th 1922. Any snippets of info would be of interest.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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I've passed that memorial many times.. but have no knowledge of those incidents... BUT, why don't you try HOL member Paul Wood...? I'll try him via flickr..
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Oh and if you're reading this (and you're not Steve) did you know we have a picture of the Harringay Branch of the Tottenham Fire Brigade in 1903 here ?
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and Paul has come up with the goods. Many thanks to Paul Wood for the following related to the 1922 plaque.
Fireman Douglas Hillier, 29 and Fireman Wilden Hewitt, 27 were killed when thier fire appliance was involved in a collision with a tram on Tottenham High Road on July 27th 1922.
Their appliance, from Tottenham Fire Station in Town Hall Approach N15 was one of two fire engines attending a call. The other engine was from Coombes Croft Fire Station in Bromley Road N17.
As they approached Ruskin Road a Ford lorry pulled into the centre of the road causing the appliance to cross the tram tracks, colliding with the tram.
Their deaths were recorded as accidental by the Cororner sitting at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Fireman Hillier died at the scene of a fractured skull and Hewitt, who was concious when he arrived at hospital later died from a fractured pelvis and shock.
There was a huge public funeral.
On April 29th 2008 a firefighter was cut free from his fire appliance when it collided with a lorry just a few yards from the fatal crash in 1922.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Wood on
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Here is some information about another fireman named on the memorial.
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Thanks Paul.
That's a really sad story. Clearly William was suffering from a severe depression which probably wasn't something people acknowledged in those days.
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Permalink Reply by Peter William Thomas on
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I have a photograph my grandfather, William Thomas Camper Atkinson, took of the funeral procession from 13 Church Road, Tottenham.
I now live in Western Australia, but lived the first 20 years of my life at 13 Church Road.
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Peter.
Would it be possible to get a copy of the photo. We have a large display wall in the main corridor at Tottenham Fire Station which tells the stories of the four firemen listed on the memorial. Would love to add your photo to the display.
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Paul,
Sure; do you have an email address I can send it to please?
Peter
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