Highgate Cemetery

[healdav]

When I was in Highgate cemetery recently I found a Fire Brigade memorial listing various names.

There was nothing on the memorial to show which period the memorial covered and there were obviously not enough names (in fact, small individual plaques in the ground) for WW2. The only name I recognised was that of Hamish Petit who died in the Wolseley Hotel fire in 1973.

Does anyone know this memorial and exactly what it commemorates?

[Guest Hill 60]

If I remember, Hamish (Red Watch, Paddington Fire Station) was still a proby when he was killed in Room 13, on the night of Friday 13th December 1974 during the 30 pump fire.

Hamish, 2 other Firemen and a Station Officer, were trapped when the roof fell in on them. He was suffocated under the rubble and was dead by the time he was released.

My old Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Neil Wallington, was his Station Officer.

Not long after the fire at Maida Vale, a hotel worker was arrested for arson.

As for the Memorial - I can't remember if it commemorates the men of the LFB who died in service before, during or after WW2. I know there is a dedicated WW2 memorial to London's Firemen and Women who died between '39-'45 elsewhere in Central London.

There used be a service held at the Highgate Memorial every Rememberance Sunday.

D.O. Clisby was detailed to break the news to Hamish's wife in Rochester, Kent.

Ironically, the late Divisional Officer Charles Clisby (from HQ Staff and a poet) had written a poem entitled 'Breaking the News', and Paddington's Red Watch were chosen for a 30 minute TV documentry about Clisby's fire poetry 10 months before the fire.

I spoke a calmly as I could,

'Do please sit down, I've brought your mum',

At this the girl then understood.

'Oh No!' she cried, 'Oh God, Oh God!'

Picked up their infant from its cot.

'He's dead,' she said. I simply nod.

'By how? A fire?' I nod again

Her thoughts are for the little one.

'The roof fell in, he felt no pain.'

The fewest words, two moves of head.

My task is done, her's has begun.

The going's hard, tears will be shed.

Edited 18 November , 2004 by Lee

[paul guthrie]

Are large parts of Highgate still overgrown? It and the Glasgow Necropolis where there seemed to be a competition to outdo your neighbor are among the most interesting I've seen. It had been quite vandalized, a rough part of town near the Cathedral, but was being restored 10 years ago. is that done? Thanks.

[healdav]

Lee,

I knew the story of the Wolseley Hotel fire as it happened just before I left England and I have the book RED WATCH as I'm sure you do.

It just puzzled me that his name is on a plaque there as are, what a dozen others? No more. The woman who took the money at the entrance didn't have a clue! - so much for the Friends of Highgate, although she said the Fire Brigade came and tidied it up quite regularly.

Unfortunately, I didn't pass a fire station as I walked to the Tube or I would have gone in and asked.

My service was AFS only for the Duke of Edinburgh's although I did do the full training as I hate doing bits of things. I've had an affection for the service ever since. Indeed, I often think I should have joined as a regular. I did ask, but it was me glasses wot did for me.

[Myrtle]

The woman who took the money at the entrance didn't have a clue! - so much for the Friends of Highgate, although she said the Fire Brigade came and tidied it up quite regularly.

I've found that the people at Highgaste Cemetery entrance who take the money don't seem to know much about the place but the groundsmen who look after the cemetery have more knowledge regarding the occupants.

[Guest Hill 60]

It just puzzled me that his name is on a plaque there as are, what a dozen others?

healdav - Try contacting the LFB museum, they have been brilliant whenever I've been doing research into Victorian London Firemen, and even my dad's career (NOT a Victorian ). A word of warning though, their records can be misleading. Ken's records state he joined the London Fire Brigade in the 50's, he didn't. He joined the Middlesex Fire Brigade and only became an 'LFB man' after the 1965 amalgamation!

The person I have been dealing with is Esther Mann, whose e-mail is esther.mann@london-fire.gov.uk

She may have moved on, if that is the case try - museum@london-fire.gov.uk

If there are only a dozen or so names on the memorial then I'd say they are the men who have died on service since WW2.

If that is the case then there should be the addition of two more names, Firefighters Bill Faust and Adam Meere who were fatally injured at a fire in Bethnal Green Rd on the 20 July 2004.

I did have the Red Watch book, but lost it in a house move recently.

[paul guthrie]

There was a slightly stooped man who guided us around, extremely knowledgeable but he was elderly 10 years ago. A real find.

[healdav]

OK, thanks for all that.