The idea of a village fire brigade arose in 1900 after a series of devastating fires in different parts of the parish that caused considerable damage. Questions were asked about the number of available fire hydrants and length of time for the Rainham Fire Brigade to reach the village to deal with the blazes.
The most serious fire took place at Otterham Quay in August 1900 when White Huts Cottages were razed to the ground in 45 minutes before the fire brigade even arrived. Later, in September, George Clark’s fruit store at Ham Green was burnt down causing £200 of damage. This led to discussions in the parish council about finding a solution.
The parish council agreed to have fire hydrants positioned at various points in the village. These were placed between the Lord Stanley and Three Sisters pubs in Otterham Quay, between Anne’s Cottages in Forge Lane and Holywell and between Forge Lane and The Street. A Fire Hydrant Committee was then established and led by Mr Tanner then by Mr Hubbard. The hydrants had to be tested by the Rainham Fire Brigade and Mr Fowler of the Rainham Water Company was made Superintendent of Hydrants and paid an annual salary of £4 by Upchurch Parish Council. This was followed by the placing of more hydrants in the village opposite Otterham Cottages, at Gore Bank and Holywell in May 1901.
On January 10th 1902 the hydrant committee proposed a volunteer fire brigade, fire-fighting equipment and a truck. Volunteers were requested and in response to this Tom Wraight, Edgar Fielder, Frank Golding and Arthur Bayley volunteered as firemen. Mr Fowler was elected Inspector of Hydrants. On the recommendation of Mr Fowler George Capeling from Gore Bank was made captain and Walter Golding from Otterham lieutenant. Mr Fowler also became instructor for the new village fire brigade.
During the course of 1902 parish council chairman Ernest Cozens tried to get permission from the managers of the Infant’s School to have a shed placed in the playground for the storage of the fire equipment and to use the school for drills and meetings. Although the managers allowed the fire equipment to be temporarily stored there they refused to allow a shed to be erected so the search for a permanent base continued.
Because they were unable to get sufficient funds from the parish council the firemen used their own initiative and held concerts to raise money for uniforms. In January 1903 they held a concert in the Infant’s School which proved very successful. Dr Tippett from Rainham also assisted by giving first aid lessons to the firemen who then had to take the Ambulance Certificate Examination which they all passed.
At the parish council Annual General Meeting of March 26th 1903, the council officially established the fire brigade and pledged to bring them up to a high standard, to supply them with a truck, a shed to store equipment and fire-fighting equipment. An agreement was made to fund them with £50. Ernest Cozens also allowed the brigade the use of an upstairs room at The Old Bakery in Forge Lane as an office.
The equipment was temporarily stored at the Infant’s School then Mr Kemp was approached to rent out a shed for the storage of equipment and the use of his yard in Forge Lane for fire drill and a truck. After a twelve month contract had been drawn up for £5 per year with notice to be given three months each side, the council terminated it on the basis that they did not have enough money to pay. Mr Kemp demanded that the parish council would still have to pay the rent for twelve months up to December 1903. The council refused so the fire captain George Capeling, lieutenant Walter Golding and firemen Gaskin and Fielder all resigned from the fire brigade in disgust at the lack of encouragement from the parish council and accused them of not managing their funds properly.
The arguments about storage continued then at the parish council meeting of January 15th 1904, Mr Fowler handed the fire equipment over to the council and resigned along with the remaining firemen because of lack of progress being made.
After the equipment had been stored in the Church Room, Ernest Cozens volunteered to store it at The Old Bakery on a temporary basis. After this it was moved to Mr Stevens’s barn at Holywell and eventually sold off and the money placed in parish council funds. The job of fighting fires in Upchurch then reverted back to Rainham Fire Brigade and there was no further attempt at forming a fire brigade in Upchurch.
David Wood
About David
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village. David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.
