Between the Wars part 2

For some time the Council had been discussing whether to purchase a new fire engine. The two they had, a pump and a tender, had been in service for around ten years. When the subject was raised in 1926 it was decided that this would not be popular with the ratepayers; it had been the year of the General Strike, and there was unrest and unemployment in the district. Times were hard, and they had to look to their spending. For several months in late 1929 the question of a new fire engine was again under discussion. Expert opinion had been sought as to whether the existing engines could be brought up to date. As a result of this report, the Council decided to obtain quotations for a new engine. Merryweather & Dennis submitted prices, and on 21 February they gave demonstrations to the Council of the engines for which they had quoted.

Ever mindful of keeping its spending down, the Council decided that the firemen’s  disused overcoats were to be passed on for the use of the Council’s workmen. The firemen had to undergo a medical examination before the end of January; this is the first mention of this requirement that I have seen, so perhaps it was the first time it had been implemented.

1930: fire at Alderman’s Head, Langsett, 7 February

At around 10.30pm on Friday 7 February, farmer Mr. R. Rennie and his staff were attending to an ailing cow in the mistal. Whilst the farmhouse was empty a fire broke out in one of the bedrooms where a paraffin stove had been lit. As soon as the fire was discovered, a messenger was despatched on horseback to Stocksbridge to fetch the fire brigade, who turned out with two engines. However, whilst en route, one of the engines broke an axle, and the men riding on it narrowly escaped injury. The remaining engine carried on, but was unable to reach the farm because of the lie of the land. Water had to be obtained from a nearby pond, and buckets had to be used to carry the water to the fire. There had been a haystack fire in one of the fields at Alderman’s Head in 1926 and in that instance water was obtained from the river. The men were successful in preventing the fire from spreading to the other farm buildings, but the farmhouse was completely gutted. It was thought that the fire was caused by a paraffin stove overheating. The owner of the farm was Captain de Wend Fenton of Underbank Hall, and his tenant, Mr. Rennie, had only been at the farm for about four months. The damage was estimated at £350, but he was only insured for £200.

At their March meeting the Council resolved to apply for a loan of £1,100, payable over ten years, so that they could purchase the new fire engine. The Bank of England Inflation Calculator estimates this to equate to around £59,400 today. The committee recommended that they purchase a Merryweather 250 to 350 gallon per minute pump on an Albion 35/40 chassis, and the new engine arrived in April. The Council were undecided as to what to do with the old engines and they were moved out of the sheds behind the town hall to be stored at the sewage works in Deepcar. In 1934 someone offered 35 shillings for them but the Council declined to sell them. Originally, the new engine was to be given a name, “Beatrice,” following the usual custom of naming such vehicles after the wife of the chairman of the Council at the time of purchase. Beatrice (nee Walton) was the wife of Percy Schofield, the Chairman. Percy had been the landlord of the Flouch Inn since 1929. For some reason this didn’t happen, and the engine was named Daisie instead after Percy’s youngest daughter.

The “christening” of the new engine took place on Monday 5 May 1930 at the recreation ground, Deepcar [possibly the Don Field]. A large crowd gathered for the occasion, including members of the Council and its chairman, Percy Schofield. Percy’s wife Beatrice performed the christening with a bottle of champagne. Thirteen-year-old Daisie Schofield was given a ride in her namesake and was given a warm reception by the crowd. After the ceremony the engine was handed over to the care of the brigade.

The local paper reported on the great progress that had been made in fire-fighting in the district since the days of the old manual pump, an “ancient device” which took a dozen strong men to operate. “It is not many years since fires which occurred in the district could not be reached in time to quell the outbreak, owing to the tedious process of having to go and coax the necessary horses to draw the manual, which were probably grazing in a field. Such has been the case on several occasions.” It was reported that the engine had created a new feeling of confidence among the members of the brigade it was generally acknowledged that “there is not a town of the size of Stocksbridge better equipped at present.” Percy Schofield said they had got a fine body of firemen, who in the past had been held up to a certain amount of ridicule and criticism, although they were very proficient. He thought that the public should respect them and the work they did and that Stocksbridge could now rank with any town in the country of its size for its fire brigade and its equipment.  The brigade then gave a demonstration with the new engine, and First Officer William Henry Crownshaw presented Daisie with a poetry book. Later that day, Captain Louis Edward Charlesworth and his men were the guests of the Council at a dinner held at the Friendship Hotel.

Two weeks later the brigade turned out with their new engine and gave demonstrations in various parts of the district. For those who would like the technical specifications, this was reported in the Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, 03 May 1930, p16: “The new fire engine, supplied by Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., London, has a four-cylinder motor capable of 35/40 miles an hour. The change speed gear gives four speeds forward and one reverse in unit with engine. There is a main box for driver, officer and six firemen, and a large amount of equipment. The fire pump is one of the latest reciprocating models of gun metal, with two delivery outlets which will lift water from the greatest possible depth without any priming device or mechanical assistance for creating a vacuum. This engine is the first of its type with a two-speed gear pump drive. The novelty of this feature is the method of transmitting engine to pump crankshaft. Up to 390 gallons of water can be delivered at a pressure of 98lbs per square inch, equivalent to six jets of ½ in. diameter, to great heights. The engine has all the usual up-to-date devices necessary to efficient fire-fighting.” It was also fitted with first aid equipment and chemical extinguishers.

Later that month the Council discussed the amount of money that could be due to the men, who were still volunteers. It was decided that the retaining fees paid to each man be increased by 50%, and the payment for attendance at fires for the second and subsequent hours be at the rate of one half of the rates paid for the first hour. The brigade was divided into three sections of four men each, with one driver to each section, the men to act as follows: four on duty (not to leave home between 5.30pm and 7am); four to be standing by (to be within easy call of home); and four to be off duty (to be at liberty to leave home for five hours, but permission to be obtained if they required a longer period). It was also suggested that the men become members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

1930: fire at the Oughtibridge Silica Firebrick Company, August

The new engine got its first call-out one night at the end of August when they, along with the Wortley brigade, were summoned to Oughtibridge to attend a fire which had been discovered during a storm. Both brigades were on the scene within seven minutes and quickly ran their lines of hose out. The flames could be seen shooting up into the air, and the noise of the alarm buzzer which summoned the Stocksbridge Brigade “created considerable excitement in the district.” The storm continued to rage as the firemen worked, with continued flashes of lightning and the roll of thunder. It was thought that the lightning may have been responsible for the outbreak, striking cables leading from the power house to the milling shop and setting fire to the windings of the electric motor. The brigades managed to confine the blaze to one three-storey workshop, which was almost burnt out, but the damage was not considerable. There was some debate afterwards about whether the brigade should have attended, because it was outside their area. It seems that the Council eventually decided that, with the new engine, they could consider attending fires in other areas, and they wrote to several neighbouring councils to let them know they were willing to enter into an agreement with them. They had not decided on any payment terms, but wondered if their neighbours would be willing to make an annual contribution to ensure the services of the brigade when required. Thurlstone Council had recently heard that the Barnsley Corporation that they would not attend fires in the Thurlstone district, and the Fire Brigade Committee recommended that a system of annual contributions to Stocksbridge Council be inaugurated to ensure the attendance of their brigade.

1930: fire at the Ewden Valley Waterworks, 1 October

For some reason the Sheffield, not the Stocksbridge brigade, was called out at 9.30pm on Wednesday 1 October to a fire which had been discovered in some buildings connected with waterworks at Ewden.  A labourer named Cecil Ayton had just gone into a petrol store when an explosion occurred. He was badly injured and was taken to the Sheffield Royal Infirmary. The store and an adjoining wooden cement store were burned down.

1931: lorry fire at the Bracken Moor, 27 March

A lorry belonging to Revill, Sons and Broadbent caught fire at Bracken Moor one afternoon, and the brigade reached the scene after just five minutes and quickly put out the flames with their chemical extinguishers. Their speedy response meant the damage was slight.

In April 1931 the fire brigade hosted a dinner for the members of the Council at the Friendship Hotel. Captain Len Charlesworth presided over a large attendance, which included the former captain Ernest Jackson, who had retired in 1925, and John Adams, who had been sub-captain until 1922. The chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee, Councillor B. Butcher, and others, paid tribute to the work of the brigade.  The tables were “admirably decorated” for the occasion, and a “splendid repast” was provided by the Friendship landlord Tom Edward Batty. Captain Charlesworth made a speech in which he said (referring to the money spent on fire brigades out of the rates) that fire brigades were “necessary evils.” Outlying areas which did not pay retainers for the use of a fire brigade were, he thought, courting disaster. There was praise for the Stocksbridge Brigade, which now had best appliances obtainable; in fact, they were the first to get the newest type of fire engine. The was harmony and efficiency among the men, and at the competitions in the Yorkshire Brigades’ demonstration they were only five seconds behind the winners. Mr. Butcher thanked the brigade for their hospitality and believed it showed the excellent relationship between the brigade and the Council – something that had not always been the case over the years. The men had given great service and had given up their spare time willingly to make themselves efficient. For years they had worked at a disadvantage as regarded the equipment, but that had now to a great extent been remedied. Their services were not always appreciated. They were now equipped with the most modern engine obtainable, and with the team spirit which was always despite not always having the best equipment.  There were more speeches and toasts, followed by entertainment.

At the end of 1931, having acquired their new engine, Stocksbridge Council wrote to neighbouring councils offering their services in case of fire, in return for an annual contribution towards costs. Thurlstone Council decided to accept this offer and were surprised to hear that Stocksbridge had changed their minds about allowing their brigade to attend fires outside the district. They wrote a letter to Stocksbridge expressing their surprise and regret at this decision; “We are now at a loss to understand the action of the Stocksbridge Council. The population in this district [Thurlstone] does not warrant the upkeep of an up-to-date fire brigade and this Council is anxious to come to terms with your authority.” The letter concluded with an appeal to the Council to reconsider its decision, but they stuck to their decision, prompting Thurlstone to ask its neighbouring councils if they would be willing to join them in the provision of fire-fighting appliances. One council complained that they had no water laid on, and another that the pressure in the pipes wasn’t good enough, which meant there was no use having new, up-to-date fire-fighting equipment. A joint conference of the councils was held in 1932 but as is often the case, the matter was deferred.  Nothing had been agreed upon, so when three out-of-area calls were made in 1933, the brigade did not attend. The first one was for a fire at Mr. Grayson’s workshop in Thurgoland. A blizzard was raging when the men answered the call of the fire alarm and assembled at the town hall, but when they learnt that the fire was out of their area they were not to attend. Later that year they received another call from Thurgoland, this time a lorry fire, and again they were not able to go. When another lorry caught fire on its way from Gravesend to Manchester via Stocksbridge, the driver called both the Penistone and the Stocksbridge brigades to no avail. In the end the Holmfirth Brigade arrived, but by then the lorry with its cargo of 30 large reels of newsprint, was well alight.

1931: worst floods in living memory, Friday 4 September

The steelworks was inundated with flood water and the fire brigade were asked to assist. In the Siemens Department they used the fire pump to pump flood water from the furnace flues. Rain fell incessantly for 40 hours up until Saturday morning, leaving a trail of havoc all over the district. By 11am on Friday the Little Don had risen eight feet above normal level and low-lying parts of the district were quickly flooded. The steelworks, which was in the valley bottom, was badly hit and the damage was estimated to run into thousands of pounds. The spring shop was flooded to a depth of 18” and much damage was caused.  Members of the staff and workpeople were marooned in various offices, and at the laboratory, works locos were requisitioned to take them in relays to “dry land.” In the darkness of Friday night one workman had an alarming experience at the wire department. While searching for an electric switch he fell into a furnace which was 8’ deep in water. It was with difficulty that he clambered out and he immediately fell into an adjoining one which was also full of water. He eventually reached safety and suffered nothing worse than a journey home in sodden clothing. The water rose two feet above the roadway at “The Rocher,” and a huge chasm was caused on the Viola Bank bowling green when the retaining wall gave way and caused about two hundred tons of earth to be washed away. A few hours later another large fall occurred and part of the roadway and railings round the green fell to the bottom of the cavity. The water rushed down the brook to Bower Row and residents were kept busy damming their doorways to keep it from entering.

1931: lorry fire near Underbank Reservoir, Wednesday 4 November

The brigade were called out at midnight to a motor lorry which had caught fire near Underbank Reservoir. The lorry belonged to F. Brammall & Sons, Sheffield, and was driven by H. Sanderson. The lorry was carrying eight tons of timber, and although the brigade were successful in saving part of the load, the front part of the lorry was completely destroyed. It was thought that the blaze was probably caused by the engine back-firing.

1932: fire at Stocksbridge Works, 22 January

Around 10pm on Friday 22 January an explosion occurred in the Japan shop which was heard half a mile away. At the time there were two men working in the shop, Harry Rodgers, foreman, of Sheldon Road, and Henry Watson of the Shay House Estate. The premises were used for the treatment of umbrella parts, and during the day about thirty females would be at work “japanning” umbrella ribs. The force of the explosion blew out about 20 windows, each measuring 12’ by 5’ with glass being blown a considerable distance into the railway station yard. The explosion also damaged gas ovens, and a small fire occurred in the roof. The fire brigade were summoned as a precautionary measure. Rodgers escaped serious injury, but Watson had head injuries and had to be taken by ambulance to the Sheffield Infirmary where he was reported to be “comfortable.” The cause of the explosion wasn’t known.

1932: fire at Stocksbridge Works, March

The brigade were called out to a fire which broke out in the electric apparatus which operated the main gates at the works, which they put out with their chemical extinguishers. One of the workmen who was under the counter at the Time House, examining the motor, was drenched when another workman threw a bucketful of water over him, apparently unaware that anyone else was in the building.

The Council, having finally got a good relationship with the brigade, then managed to upset them by proposing that the numbers of men be reduced from twelve to nine in an attempt to save money. This would have saved £18 a year in retaining fees plus insurance and equipment costs. It was said that only six men were needed at a fire, and that the original reason for needing twelve men was because of the extra manpower needed for pumping. It was argued that, with an average attendance of seven men at fires, reducing the crew to nine would be a backwards step. 40 per cent of the brigade were not in favour of the suggestion, especially as there were more call-outs because of the increase in population and the fact that over 500 houses had been built in the last few years. Councillor Percy Schofield argued that it was the Council’s duty to make residents feel safe; “We pride ourselves on having an efficient fire brigade. Let us keep it so.” Three members had recently resigned, which perhaps started the debate, but the Council decided to keep the brigade at twelve members, and three new members were then sought. There was also a discussion as to whether an age limit of 25 should be set for new recruits. This wasn’t too popular, but Percy Schofield said the question was unlikely to arise again for some time because “the fire 

brigade is such a good job that nobody ever leaves it if he can help it.”

In July the brigade attended the funeral of Councillor Willie Broadhead, who had died at the age of 76. They attended with the engine and formed a guard of honour. Mr. Broadhead had been a councillor for 27 years and had also been president of the Stocksbridge, Deepcar and District’s Tradesmen’s Association. He was a director of the Stocksbridge Cinema too. The burial took place at Bolsterstone, and the Union Jack was flown at half-mast at the Town Hall, and blinds were lowered at business premises and private residences. He was reportedly the oldest tradesman in the district.

1932: fire at Stocksbridge Works, Tuesday 23 August

Considerable damage was done to machinery in a fire which was discovered shortly before 12.30am in the rod mill engine house. William McNellan, a watchman on his rounds, saw the fire and gave the alarm. The flames rose to a great height and could be seen from a distance. The fire brigade was on the scene within eight minutes and had the outbreak under control within half an hour, managing to prevent the flames spreading to the adjacent block of umbrella manufacturing shops. The roof of the engine house burnt through, and the machinery was badly damaged. The premises had not been used for several days, and the cause of the fire was unknown. About 60 employees would be out of work for a short time because of the damage. A few days later an electrician called Lionel Colbridge, aged 20, of Clifton House, Deepcar, was on the roof of the rod mill repairing and replacing cables that  had been damaged in the fire when he fell and injured his back. He was taken to hospital.

1932: rescuing a cat, 24 August

For some days cries had been heard coming from a culvert running under St. Matthias Church on the main road. Clarence Fish and Albert Jackson, two members of the fire brigade, decided to investigate. Wearing jack boots and carrying torches, they ventured into the culvert and found a much emaciated cat which had evidently been there for some time. They set about nursing it back to health so hopefully there was a happy ending for the poor bedraggled creature.

1932: fire at a fish and chip shop, 5 October

A wooden fish and chip shop owned by Mr. Helliwell at Hawthorne Brook was destroyed by fire. The outbreak was discovered by the driver and conductor of the midnight bus from Stocksbridge to Sheffield. They attempted to quell the flames with a chemical extinguisher but were unsuccessful. The fire brigade arrived, but were unable to save the premises. The shop had only just opened, and the damage was estimated at £120.

1933: fire at Patrick Keough’s, Johnson Street, July

A fire in a house on Johnson Street was luckily discovered before too much damage was done. One of Mr. Keough’s sons, Cornelius, had lit the fire before he went to work just before 6am and about an hour later Mr. Keough was awakened by a strong smell of burning and found the house on fire. He gave the alarm to the other occupants and the children got out safely although his wife, who was lame, had to be stopped from trying to get out through a bedroom window. The fire brigade was summoned, but thanks to the help of the neighbours the fire was out before their arrival. It seems that there were some sticks in the oven which ignited, setting fire to a towel which had been on the oven door, which in turn set a line of clothes on fire. The heat also caused a gas pipe to burst, and the escaping gas was also ignited, so the occupants were lucky that everything turned out OK.

1934: fire at Fox’s, January

When the alarm sounded at 10.15pm one Monday evening several firemen were in the vicinity of the station and were on the scene of a fire at Fox’s within a few minutes. The fire had broken out in a small paint store room and was soon extinguished.

1934: fire in the Umbrella Department, February

Residents of Stocksbridge were awakened one Thursday morning by the fire alarm summoning the brigade to the umbrella department. A second call was received later that day at 2.45pm when a fire broke out in the roof of a house in Bessemer Terrace occupied by Mr. A. Steele.  Fortunately, the fire had been discovered early and was soon extinguished with little damage done.

Leonard Charlesworth tendered his resignation from the post of Captain in February 1934 after having served for 23 years. The council sent a letter of appreciation and thanks. He was succeeded by Louis Edward Houldsworth. Len Evans moved up from 2nd Class Officer to 1st  Class, and Archie Musson moved up to 2nd Class Officer. A vacancy in the ranks was filled by Joseph Tingle, and the Council recorded their appreciation of the efficiency of the brigade in their April meeting. The question of a new fire alarm was still raising its head, and in December 1934 Fox’s wrote to the Council stating that the estimated cost for the installation of an electric fire alarm at the works would be £26. It was decided that a sub-committee should make further enquiries and report.

1934: chimney fire at 97 Haywoods Park, March

Mr. B. Hemsley of 97 Haywoods Park called the fire brigade out after his neighbour’s chimney caught fire and the hot soot fell onto wooden guttering, igniting both it and the roof rafters. Workers from a nearby Bakery [Hanwells] rendered assistance with a fire extinguisher until the fire brigade arrived, which only took four minutes from receiving the alarm. People were warned about the dangers of chimney fires, this being the third fire of this kind that year.

1934: fire at Blackmoor Farm, Oxspring

At 11.30pm on Saturday the Stocksbridge Brigade was summoned by the piercing whistle alarm at Fox’s works. The men quickly turned up, but unfortunately the fire was outside their district and they were unable to assist. Formerly the Stocksbridge brigade had answered such calls, but because the neighbouring councils had not been able to come to terms regarding retaining fees, the Urban Council once again decided to limit the services of its fire brigade to its own district. About 100 head of livestock were endangered and some died.

1934: fire at Nook Farm, July

One Sunday night a new haystack caught fire at Nook Farm, and, despite the men having difficulty in obtaining water they were successful in quelling the outbreak, but the hay was hopelessly spoiled.

In July someone offered 35 shillings to purchase the two old fire engines from the Council which were being stored at the Deepcar Sewage Works. The offer was declined. Four years later, in November 1939, a Mr. J. C. Dodd, asked the Council whether they were prepared to accept 35 shillings for these engines, which were still being housed at the Sewage Works. The Captain, Louis Edward Holdsworth, was asked to overhaul the engines and remove any useful parts, and then any scrap in the possession of the Council was to be collected and disposed of on the best possible terms.

1934: lorry fire, August

The prompt action of the brigade saved a motor lorry from serious damage. The lorry, owned by Mrs. Harriet Goodison Gosney of Knoll Top, Stannington, and driven by Mr. R. Gosney, was proceeding towards Langsett at the west of Stocksbridge when the engine burst into flames.

1935: the brigade rescue Aubrey Drabble, March

Aubrey Drabble, aged about 16, of Sheldon Road, Stocksbridge, fell from his bicycle at Wragg Lane, Deepcar, one Monday night. His bicycle was badly damaged, and he injured his shoulder, ribs and thigh. The brigade were out practising and came on the scene soon after. Fireman Reuben Froggatt rendered first aid and a ride home on the engine was said to have been some consolation.

In May, the brigade took part in a procession as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations for King George V. In July Captain Houldsworth was involved in an accident with a motorcycle at  Smithy Hill, Stocksbridge. Mr. Houldsworth, who was 41 and lived at Wood Royd Villas, Deepcar, was cycling along Manchester Road, Stocksbridge early one morning, and upon approaching Smithy Hill he signalled that he intended turning down the hill. Jack Hughes (21) of Imbros Buildings, Deepcar, was driving a motor cycle behind Houldsworth, and collided with the bicycle as it turned across the road. Houldsworth, who was thrown about ten yards from his bicycle onto the footpath, was knocked unconscious and received multiple injuries. He was attended by Dr. Goldie and taken home. Jack Hughes of Imbros, a house on the Bitholmes, was at one time the Chairman of the Stocksbridge & District Motor Cycle Club (formed in 1946) and rode a bike which was known as “O’eck” (O.E.C., or Osborne Engineering Company). Jack appeared in court charged with driving a motor cycle without due care and attention. The case rested on whether Holdsworth had given enough notice of his intention to turn. Hughes’ pillion passenger Peter Elliott said that he didn’t. Archie Musson, who was driving a lorry up Smithy Hill, thought that Hughes was going about 25mph. In the end the Bench felt that the prosecution had not made out their case and dismissed the summons against Hughes.

1935: fire at Rusby’s garage, June

Arthur Pepper, a farmer, of Cote Farm, Bent Hills, had gone to Rusby’s garage on Manchester Road at Deepcar to get petrol, but as this was happening a fire broke out. Nearby residents threw buckets of water to try and douse the flames, and an extinguisher was also used. The bodywork was badly damaged. The newspaper reported that the garage was Rustby’s but further research has ascertained that the garage belonged to John Rusby of Wilson Road.

1935: stack fire at Ewden, September

A stack of hay caught fire at Jim Bramwell’s Hollins Farm, Ewden, in September, the stack being only ten yards from buildings where the new hay was being stored. Locals fought the flames until the arrival of the Ewden Fire Brigade under Superintendent Weber. The only supply of water was from a spring, and so they decided to throw the stack down the field and by doing so saved about half the hay.

In November 1935 the question of a fire alarm was yet again brought up at the Council meeting. Councillor Whittaker pointed out that the fire brigade had no adequate system of alarm and that it was almost 18 months since the Council had decided that something should be done to provide an alarm. Nothing had materialised. “If a fire happens over the weekend there is no alarm to get the brigade there,” he said. “To me it is appalling that we, a town with 10,000 inhabitants, should be living under such conditions.” The Chairman said there had been representations to the works, and the fire alarm had been discussed, but nothing tangible had resulted. The question was referred to the “appropriate committee.”

1935: fire at a firewood shop, November

The brigade were called out in the early hours of the morning to a fire at Thomas Mate’s firewood shop at Leek Terrace, Deepcar. The fire started from a slow combustion stove used for heating the wood. The wooden structure was charred, and a gas engine put out of action. The damage was estimated to be around £50 and there was no insurance cover. The local newspaper reported that after an “immunity” from fire calls for 15 months because of the lack of an alarm, two alarms were given at Stocksbridge Works and six firemen with Captain Holdsworth in charge attended and quickly extinguished the fire.

1936, fire at Fox’s, February

The brigade was called out at 6am one February morning to a fire in the “oil colouring department” at Fox’s. This was actually the oil cooling department; steel was cooled in hot oil rather than in water because the hot oil would cool the steel slower than water, meaning that it was less likely to crack or fracture due to thermal shock. The flames were confined to the roof of the department and were put out within half an hour. Damage was estimated at £20.

1936: a more serious fire at Fox’s, April

The Sheffield Independent reported, quite erroneously, that the Stocksbridge Brigade had been called out to help the Works Fire Brigade with tackling a blaze in the heat treatment department at Fox’s when a large quantity of fuel oil caught fire one afternoon in April. This was probably in the same department as the earlier fire (please correct me if I am wrong). Furnaceman Fred Mills of Horner House discovered the fire, which involved 80 gallons of fuel oil in a bath, through which ran quantities of 30 to 40 tons of steel.  Brindley Kenneth Hall set off in a car to drive to the top end of the steelworks to fetch some fire-fighting equipment, and was lucky not to be injured when his car (which was stationary at the time) was hit by a lorry whilst at the junction of Smithy Hill and Manchester Road. The lorry was being driven by Sam Edward Roebuck, a greengrocer, of Victoria Street. Sam Edward was the youngest brother of my great grandmother Mary Elizabeth Rogers, and he’d already had an accident earlier that month when a 12-year old girl called Peggy Anderson ran across the road with a coat over her head (to keep the rain off), colliding with his lorry, and receiving some cuts to her head. The Fox’s men worked for almost four hours without avail, water being useless in tackling this kind of fire, so a call was made for the Sheffield Brigade to attend with their foam apparatus. Fox’s paid a retaining fee to Sheffield to ensure they would attend if required.

The Sheffield men arrived to find the fire blazing furiously, and the intensive heat had made nearby quantities of metal red hot. It was found that it would be necessary to tackle the fire by sending some men down a manhole, who would then have to make their way along a subway, and crawl underneath a furnace where the oil was blazing. They set to work with their special apparatus, and after about an hour’s effort, got the blaze under control. One report said that every member of the Sheffield Brigade, including two inspectors, received slight burns, whilst another said that only one or two men got their fingers burnt. Damage was estimated at £200.

Fox’s later let it be known that they did not call the Stocksbridge Brigade because they knew they did not have any “foamite” for dealing with an oil fire.

As was often the case, the issue of the Council purchasing the foam apparatus had been discussed months ago, with the matter being referred to a sub-committee. It took this fire for them to take action and arrange for a demonstration of the equipment. This took place in July on the Don Field at Deepcar. Members of the Council were joined by onlookers as the foam apparatus was demonstrated. The brigade themselves had been pressing the council to supply them with a foam-making branch pipe, and they took part in the demonstration by a firm who could supply this. Oil, petrol and paraffin were poured into a 16 feet sump of water and ignited and within ten seconds the flames had been extinguished. A second demonstration let the fire burn for longer, but that fire too was soon put out.

The Sheffield Brigade arrived at Fox’s not long after the fire for one of their occasional visits to survey the works and hold a demonstration. They arrived with two fire engines and two other motor vehicles. Among the apparatus brought along was a special four-way branch connection used for a high-pressure water supply, and with this water was shot over the top of the umbrella department. The connection was then increased to ten ways. A member of the brigade then went up a giant telescopic escape ladder to a height almost level with the top of the umbrella department. A demonstration with foam apparatus showed how quickly a large surface could be blanketed. A small motor fire engine was then coupled up to the goit, and within a minute of two hoses were playing. The service van, a complete workshop, was reported to have been “a source of admiration.” Used for a thousand and one jobs, the van was fitted up among other things with hydraulic jacks, oxy-acetylene flares, gas masks, asbestos clothing, a floodlighting set, ambulance equipment, saws, shovels, etc. A large number of onlookers, including Mrs. Gerald Steel, wife of the general manager of the firm, and her children, Peter and Ann, were among the onlookers. Members of the Council and the Stocksbridge Fire Brigade had also been invited.

1936: fire at Webster’s shop, April

The brigade was called out early one Wednesday morning to a fire at a shop and dwellinghouse occupied by Harold Webster, wireless and general dealer, of 521 Manchester Road, Stocksbridge. The premises was owned by Percy Schofield, landlord of The Flouch and local businessman. Shortly after 6pm William Dickinson of 74 Garden Village was passing the store when he noticed smoke. The brigade was called and within a quarter of an hour had extinguished the flames which were confined to the shop premises. Drapery and shop window fittings were damaged to the extent of £20.

In May six men travelled to Pudsey to represent the Stocksbridge Brigade at the annual meeting, demonstration and competition of the Yorkshire Fire Brigade Association. The men were Captain Louis Edward Holdsworth, deputy captain Leonard Evans, and firemen Reuben Froggatt, W. Atkin, J. Tindall [Tingle?] and Alvey Lee Webster. In all approximately 1,000 firemen took part in the procession, representing about 100 brigades. At the end of July William Chaffey (who was also the local lamplighter) resigned after 13 years’ service. His son George was also a member of the brigade. This created a vacancy; four men applied, and the brigade recommended Norman Jennings be appointed.

1936: fire at the Friendship Hotel, August

Some rubbish which had been burnt one Saturday night behind the Friendship Hotel re-ignited during the early hours of Sunday morning, and also set fire to a ladder and wooden supports. A lady called Doris Rodgers raised the alarm, and the brigade were on the scene just after 2am with a full complement of men. There was only one Doris Rogers recorded locally on the 1939 Register, and she lived at 201 Pearson Street and was married to my grandma’s brother Joe Willie Rogers.

1936: a haystack fire at Lane Farm and the lamps which went unlit, October

Damage estimated at £55 was done to a haystack of about 11 tons belonging to James W. Armitage of Lane Farm, Deepcar, which caught fire one Saturday afternoon at around 1.30pm. The brigade managed to save a Dutch barn which was threatened by a strong wind fanning the flames from the neighbouring stack, but it was some hours before the flames were extinguished, and the haystack was completely destroyed. The stack was covered by insurance, and it was thought that the blaze was the result of a youngster playing with fireworks. One of the Stocksbridge lamp lighters was also a fireman, and because he was out on the call he could not fulfil his duties. None of the newspaper reports mentioned him by name, but William Chaffey, who had retired from the brigade a month previously, was the council’s foreman lamplighter (and plumber). His son George was also in the brigade and, as he had been apprenticed to his father and worked with him as his assistant, it is likely that the man in question could be him. In all, between 60 and 80 lamps in Shay House, Victoria Street, Low Lane [Victoria Road], Smithy Hill and Manchester Road (from the Wesleyan Chapel to the Friendship Hotel) were without street lighting for between two to three and a half hours from 5pm onwards. The lamp lighter responsible for the northern end of the town had lit his lamps and then gone out with his wife when he noticed that the lamps on the central district had not been lit, so he went to fetch his ladder and returned to duty and lit all but five lamps (which he was not familiar with, they being a bit more remote). A third man was responsible for the Deepcar lamps.

The Council “invited the lamplighter to give an explanation,” which he did. He told a meeting that, when the brigade are called out, they have no idea how long they will be. When he returned to the station around 7pm his clothes were wet, and when he saw that the other lighter was lighting the lamps he believed everything to be all right. He was temporarily suspended from work for two days pending consideration of the matter by the Council, but after explaining his position was reinstated. He resigned from the Council early in 1937 and resigned from the fire brigade in June 1937.

1936: fire at Fox’s, November

Frank Airey of Hole House Lane discovered a fire at a spring bending machine around 9.30pm where red hot springs were treated in oil tanks. The newly-purchased foam making apparatus, the property of the Works, was brought into use by Mr. Oliver Inman, chief engineer, and Mr. Arthur Jackson, assistant engineer, and was later used by the brigade, who had extinguished the fire by 10.22pm. In addition to the machine, the roof of the building had caught fire, but it was thanks to the prompt action of the firm’s employees and the fact that the brigade turned up before the fire buzzer had ceased blowing that the fire did not become much more serious. The damage was estimated at about £40 and was covered by insurance. Captain Holdsworth arrived a bit later than the others because he was acting as one of the stage managers at the Victory Club, which was hosting an opera.

The first Saturday in May was always set aside for the rally of the Yorkshire Fire Brigades Association, an event which members of the Stocksbridge Brigade had been attending for something like 20 years. 1937’s rally was in Hull, and as was the custom, six men were chosen to attend whilst 6 had to remain at home in case they were needed.  There were over 2,000 firemen attending the conference, the Stocksbridge men being Len Evans, Archie Musson, Walter Tingle, Reuben Froggatt, Clarence Fish and W. Atkin. Afterwards they participated in a parade to the fairground, where competitions were held in different types of drill. The local newspaper reported that, on average, the brigade was called out just over four times a year, which seems about right although not all call-outs were reported in the papers and some calls they did not attend because they were out of area. The men must have thought the odds on being called out on this one weekend were slim, and perhaps they would have all liked to have attended the rally, but that Saturday night they were called out to a vehicle fire. One of the Sheffield Corporation buses caught fire on Manchester Road, Deepcar, and a call was put through to the fire brigade at 8.25pm. Within seven minutes the six men had arrived on the scene under Fireman Albert Edward Jackson – he was the son of the former Captain, Ernest Jackson, and had joined the brigade in 1930. Apart from precautionary measures there appeared no real work for the brigade, for the fire had been put out by buckets of water and the use of an extinguisher carried on the bus. They did, however, spray chemicals upon the affected part.

The Yorkshire Fire Brigades Association held their annual church parade at Halifax in October, and the event was attended by Captain Holdsworth, Walter Tingle,* Clarence Fish and Albert Jackson. *reported in the newspaper as W. Tindall; there was no one called Tindall living in Stocksbridge when the 1939 Register was taken, but there was a Walter Tingle living at 273 Hunshelf Terrace who was recorded as a fireman as well as a machine fitter in the steel works.

In May 1937 former fireman George Harry Mustill died. He had been employed by the Council as a motor driver for 15 years and had also been the driver of the fire engine for over 12 years [c1921-1933] but was forced to resign from this position because of ill health. Mr. Mustill saw service with the Army Service Corps from 1916 to 1919 and had been attached to the British Legion since its inception. Members of Stocksbridge Fire Brigade and the Stocksbridge branch of the British Legion formed a guard of honour at the funeral at Bolsterstone. He was 50 years old.

1937: timber lorry catches fire, November

A lorry on its way from Lancashire to Sheffield got into trouble when its cab caught fire. Clarence Fish of Haywoods Lane, Deepcar, a member of the fire brigade, was in the vicinity and raced down to the fire station to fetch a fire extinguisher. A call went out for the fire engine as well, but the extinguishers did their job, and the lorry was able to continue on its way to Sheffield.

1938: fire at Hunshelf Bank, January

A newly-married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Woodcock, rented rooms with Mrs. Martha Hannah Smith at 282 Hunshelf Bank. After tea one Saturday, Mrs. Woodcock went to the bedroom with a candle to look at some boxes that were kept under the bed. Not long afterwards she and her husband went out to the pictures, and Mrs. Smith found that the bed was on fire. The fire brigade were called, and the men used a ladder to reach the bedroom and put out the fire. Damage was estimated at around £10, which was not covered by insurance. This was probably Joseph Woodcock and Annie Lindley, who had married in 1937. Mrs. Martha Hannah Smith was actually Martha Annie Smith, and she was born in 1880 and was unmarried [verified from other records].

1938: fire at Langsett tip

The fire brigade had attended a fire at Langsett Tip by arrangement with Fox’s, and at the Council’s January meeting it was resolved that a bill for the brigade’s attendance should be submitted to Fox’s. The local newspaper printed in its 23 April edition that a nightingale had been heard singing in the vicinity of the tip, to the delight of the residents of Hawthorne Brook. The fire brigade submitted a letter calling the Council’s attendance to the condition of the fire alarm, and the matter was deferred until the next meeting.

1938: 3-wheeler car fire: February

Harry Wagstaffe, a 23-year-old fitter from Hillsborough, was driving his three-wheeler car along Cockshutts Lane one Sunday night when it caught fire. Local fireman Joseph Tingle of Haywoods Park helped him to fight the flames with a cushion and some grass sods until another driver,Brindley Hall of Florence Buildings,came on the scene. He gave Mr. Tingle a lift to the fire station and the engine was called out. The fire did extensive damage, and the car was not insured.

War with Germany was on the horizon, and the local newspaper, the Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, ran a long article in its 26 March 1938 edition about air raid precautions and the role of the fire brigade, amongst other things. “Recent events in Europe have brought the subject of Air Raid Precautions very much to the fore. With its many industrial undertakings and dense population South Yorkshire would obviously stand in danger of the depredations of enemy raiders in the event of war,” it reported. The country had begun to put plans in place for the looming conflict, but there was still lots to do, and there was a sense of urgency. Locally, plans were drawn up and Stocksbridge was to make a “big push forward” in the coming weeks with their Air Raid Precautions activities. It was said that the local authority has been aware of what was required of them since 1935, but for a variety of reasons the required progress had not been accomplished. Now that some indication had been presented as to what was required, headway can be made. A “shadow” committee had been set up to  deal with the matter in October 1936. It comprised all the members of the Stocksbridge Urban District Council, the captain of the fire brigade Mr. Holdsworth, the leader of the local St. John Ambulance Brigade Mr. A. Elson, and the Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robertshaw. In 1938 this committee worked with Police Inspector Latto and Mr. Cumberland of the W.R.C.C. Surveyor’s Department.

Note: a “shadow committee” was an unofficial committee formed outside of the formal government structure to address specific needs or problems related to the war effort. These committees were often created to supplement or circumvent bureaucratic processes and to accelerate action in critical areas. Arrangements were made to organise repair squads, decontamination squads, rescue squads and to maintain essential services. Plans were made to adapt buildings to provide A.R.P. services, shelters, first-aid posts, storage depots, air-raid warden posts and so on.

As regards the fire brigade, arrangements were to be made to form volunteer brigades, which would act as auxiliary brigades and which would recruit fit men of over the age of 25 to act as fire patrols and perform watch room, telephone, messenger or other duties. There were also plans for a fire brigade reserve, which likewise would recruit fit men over 25, and who also had fire brigade experience. Fireman Norman Jennings resigned his membership of the brigade in April 1938 and the 1939 Register recorded him as still being involved, this time as a member of the Council’s auxiliary brigade. After fireman William Henry Crownshaw resigned in 1932 he appears on the 1939 Register as being in the A.R.P. Police Force as well as working in the steelworks, so he must have chosen not to rejoin the fire service.

Other plans being discussed were a supplementary ambulance service staffed with women drivers, first aid training, first aid posts, air-raid posts, air raid wardens, the fitting and distribution of gas masks, dealing with incendiary bombs, anti-gas precautions, and so on. Ten air raid posts had already been decided upon, which were to be at the Town Hall, West End Methodist Chapel rooms, an empty shop at Wood Willows, Bracken Moor Farm, an empty building in Shay House Lane, the Mission Rooms, Garden Village, an empty building in Smithy Moor Lane, Messrs. Revill, Son & Broadbent’s Garage at Deepcar, a shop at Vaughton Hill, and the Institute at Bolsterstone.

1938: fire at Alvey Webster’s home, April

Alvey rented a cottage at Broomfield Lane, and the brigade attended a fire there caused when a faulty chimney had set alight the ceiling joist and spars. but almost a full compliment of brigade members put this out with the aid of first aid equipment. Alvey was a member of the fire brigade. In May the Council received a letter from Messrs. Thorp, Wright and Mills (they were assessors of fire losses) disclaiming any liability for a bill they had been sent for the attendance of the fire brigade to this fire. Councillor Whitehead thought that the Council ought to refrain from sending bills for attendance at fires. In October this practice came up again when the question arose of Harry Wagstaffe being liable to pay for the fire brigade’s services when his truck caught fire in February. In 1939 letters were sent to the Council from the Co-operative Insuance Society Ltd. and Messrs. Easton and Haslam, that they were not prepared to pay the accounts for the attendance of the fire brigade at fires at the Co-operative Tea Rooms and the Council School respectively. It was decided that the accounts of £3 3s. 9d. each be written off, and also the account against Messrs. Ind Coope and Co. of £4 0s. 7d. for the fire brigade’s attendance at Broomfield Cottages.

1938: fire at Fox’s, May

A fire broke out in the sheet steel warehouse at Fox’s which presented many difficulties for the local fire brigade and caused several hundreds of pounds worth of damage. The large quantity of smoke was the biggest obstacle in this building and it was necessary for the brigade to work in relays. A rope tied at the waist was used for guiding the men back to safety after a spell of fire-fighting and several of the men complained afterwards about the smoke affecting them. It took about an hour to subdue the flames. The warehouse was directly below the works gymnasium and at one time it seemed likely that the gymnasium floor might be affected. As it was, some of the equipment and one or two band instruments were damaged by water. An appliance brought by Mr. A. Rains, of the Stocksbridge Gas Company, was also used on the job. Ater this fire, the council made equiries about the cost of acquiring some smoke helmets for the men. They also enquired about the cost of equipping the brigade with resuscitation apparatus. At a council meeting the committee approved the cost of a uniform for a new member, which was to be obtained from the Stocksbridge Co-operative Society.

In November 1938 fireman Len Evans resigned from the brigade. The local newspaper reported that he had served 13½ years, although I think it was perhaps 15 years.  He was the second officer when he left, and was replaced by Archie Musson. Walter Tingle was promoted to third officer and secretary. In December the vacancy was filled by Eric Pears. J. W. Atkin, who had joined in 1932, resigned and was replaced by Albert Poxon.

Also in November, the Council received an enquiry from Mr. J. C. Dodd as to whether they were prepared to sell their two old fire engines, which were being housed at the Sewage Works, Deepcar. The Captain, Louis Edward Holdsworth, was asked to overhaul the engines and remove any useful parts, and then any scrap in the possession of the Council was to be collected and disposed of on the best possible terms.

1938: Fire at the Council School, Shay House Lane, December

At around 8pm one Friday night the school caretaker, Mr. Bardsley, discovered a fire at the school. As he was about to enter the boiler room he noticed flames leaping almost to the roof in the room. One of the Evening Institute teachers, Mr. Speight, ran to Mr. J. L. Lindley’s house at The Meadows to use his telephone to raise the alarm. Teachers and students, along with the caretaker’s staff, formed a human chain and passed buckets of water from the caretaker’s house down to the fire. The fire brigade were there in just over three minutes. Second Officer Musson was in charge of eight men and the fire was extinguished in 15 minutes. A spark from an electric motor pump over which there was a dust cover is believed to have been the cause of the fire. The motor pump was put out of action and the heating of some of the classrooms was affected for a short time.

1938: Serious fire at Fox’s, mid-December

A smouldering fire was detected in the ground below the cold rolling stainless sheet mill at Fox’s. The United Steel Companies Ltd. Had recently decided to expand the stainless works, and they had installed a lot of new plant. The mill where the fire occurred had been built only about a year ago. The mill itself, with its foundations to rock, was not affected, but years before the mill was erected there used to be a tip on the site, and it was the tip between the foundations which was on fire below the surface. Work in the mill had to be suspended and most if not all the men employed there were recruited to assist in the fire-fighting operation, which continued throughout the day in shifts. The excavations were continued at night by the aid of flares. The task was of such magnitude that it was not thought that the trouble would be solved before Christmas. The fire cost the company a lot of money.

1938: Fire in the Co-operative tea room, December

A small fire in the Co-operative tea room “failed to interfere with the merriment of the Society’s employees’ party,” reported the local paper of 31 December. The party was held the same night, but luckily the fire had been discovered during the lunch hour before it had time to get a hold. Members of staff made a start on fighting the fire, and were then joined by the fire brigade.

A note about The Fire Brigades Act of 1938

The Fire Brigades Act was the primary legislation for the UK (excluding London) which placed the responsibilty for the provision of a fire brigade onto the local authority and not the insurance companies. Sheffield and Stocksbridge were already doing this; local authorities had been empowered (but not compelled) to provide a fire brigade. The Act was short lived, only being in force until 1941 when the service was nationalised and all local authority fire services transferred to the National Fire Service. This was done under the Fire Services (Emergency Provisions) Act. After WWII new legislation was passed and the Fire Services Act of 1947 took over as the primary legislation dealing with fire services. This returned the service to local authority control.

The threat of war was looming ever closer, and plans continued to be implemented. In February 1939 the local paper reported, “If you heard the deep toned hooter or whistle on Tuesday morning it was not because there was a fire in the district but because a test was being made from Messrs. Samuel Fox’s works in collaboration with the police for air raid warning purposes. It was sounded at 11am and again at 11.15 on Tuesday and was heard quite plainly at Deepcar. This deep toned whistle which people have known so far as a fire alarm has now become the air raid warning whistle in a re-shuffle of the uses of the sirens and whistles and for district fires use will be made in future of the shrill siren for five minutes, while for a fire in the works there will be a combination of the same siren and the ordinary working time buzzer. The ordinary working time buzzer has been moved to a position which should prove more satisfactory.”

In March the Council discussed a letter that had been received from the Home Office. In order to facilitate the training of auxiliary personnel two light trailer pumps, hose and equipment were to be supplied to the Council for use in connection with their Emergency Fire Brigade scheme. The Home Office wished to be informed whether the Council were prepared to accept the appliance, hose and equipment under the specified terms and conditions.

In April, the Secretary of the brigade wrote to ask the council to recommend the application for National Fire Brigade Association Long Service Medals for Chief Officer Louis Edward Holdsworth, Third Officer Walter Tingle, and Fireman Reuben Froggatt. The Council recommended the application. In July Louis Holdsworth and Archie Musson attended the National Fire Camp at Colwyn Bay, which was held from the 8th-14th of that month.

Meanwhile, War was getting ever closer and in July all the Air Raid Precautions services in the Stocksbridge district were put to the test in a series of practice incidents undertaken in a black-out. Six imaginary scenarios were set up. There was a “fire” at Bolsterstone and the fire brigade, assisted by some auxiliary firemen, were called out. The first aid section were called into operation for casualties in the street where other incidents occurred, namely at Button Row, Carr Road, by the Co-operative Stores, The Rocher and Half Hall. The Stocksbridge ambulance was called into action and despatched some of the more seriously injured upon an imaginary run to the Royal Infirmary. The British Hall was manned, with Dr. Robertshaw in charge, as a receiving depot for casualties, while the Town Hall was used as a Report Centre. Everyone was provided with a snack at the completion of the exercises at the Co-op Tearooms.

Here is a report of the evening written by someone who was there: “Darkness. Ghostly forms moving along the dimly lit streets. Single forms now become twos and threes, subdued greetings as the groups become larger still and finally become a stationary crowd. Police hats mingle with St. John Ambulance uniforms, men and women with white arm bands, here and there the dull thudding of wellington boots and the peculiar swish of oilskins. The large group begins to break up into smaller ones, each moving off in different directions and gradually disappearing. The chimes from the Clock Tower ring out 11.30pm and the group of Specials move into Police Station where the orders for the night are given out. Soon just a skeleton staff are left in the Station; the rest off to their appointed stations for midnight, the zero hour. Searchlights are already sweeping the sky. Ha! The siren. Make a note you defenders of sleeping thousands, can you hear the warning distinctly, are you inside or out? The informaiton is needed at headquarters. Lights go out. Cars on the roads shed their headlights. Lorries, vans and other road vehicles are running with side-lights only. A fine response indeed to the call for co-operation. What’s this? a large vehicle with faint sidelights approaching with a familiar sound but unrecognised until within a few yards. It’s a Sheffield Corporation bus, lit up inside with ghostly blue light. From 40 yards it was invisible. Query. Has this solved the lighting problem for such occasions as this night? Old “sweats” draw attention to plane beating searchlights by ten seconds. What has happened here? Muffled up forms lying in unnatural attitudes on the pavement. Very soon someone comes along to them – one goes off to the nearest telephone and then hurries back to the scene, where by now there are several people, “watchers” and “duty” men. An ambulance pulls up quickly, uniformed men soon have the volunteer casualties on stretchers and into the ambulance and away in record time. By the way are you ambulance workers satisfied with the efficiency of the stretchers you have received? Thud, thud, thud. Now what’s this? Queer looking forms carrying something all hurrying off in one direction. The spectators (there are some) tell you it is the decontamination squad. There has been a report of liquid gas at a certain section. Phew, keep back! Spectators find the windward side, not quite sure that it isn’t the real thing. How that squad worked. They earned their “Well done chaps” from the instructor. What about that fire? Well after the first few minutes the far off watchers are satisfied that it is another “stunt” and that it will be as efficiently tackled as these incidents have been, down in the valley. There is a report. Incident number “umpty” for 1228 hasn’t matured; 0105 and no report. We hope some worthy volunteer casualty did not have a cold bed. No sir. A worthy bystander fetched out his car and ran the victims to “hospital.” Well, time passed quickly. Cars bearing officials tore this way and that in the dark, contacts were made; incidents strictly to schedule were quickly dealt with and the cups of tea and coffee with the sandwiches, buns and biscuits were dispatched with good appetite. There was no wonder that the tall striking figure with the masterly bearing, so well known now to Stocksbridge volunteer defence workers, spoke so encouragingly to the gathering. He was pleased, one could easily see. Well done sir. Yours has been a very hard task and I am sure you were encouraged by the display on the night’s showing. You have a good team behind you. Carry on with the good work.”

Printed in the Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. 22 July 1939, p4

The local newspaper, the Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, went out on 02 September 1939, the day before War was declared. It put out a call for messengers and Report Centre staff, youths and girls aged from 16 to 20 years, preferable females. The Report Centre was in the old Public Hall. The home defence services were reported to be well-manned, and the various phases had apparently reached a high standard during the last few weeks. There was some dispute about shelters; the Home Office did not deem Stocksbridge a “vulnerable area,” despite strong representations by the local Council, and consequently shelters would not be provided. There had been no official information that the district was to receive any evacuated children. The Council were still waiting for news as to whether the decontamination centre would be started. Kerbstones, telegraph poles, walls etc. had been coated with white paint at danger spots to assist road users and pedestrians during a black-out. The police and wardens were issuing gas masks to those who did not receive them when the original issue was made earlier.

Fox’s steelworks staged a dress rehearsal evacuation of their employees one afternoon. At a given indication by private signal, 2,300 employees left their mill or office and walked off the premises to a place of safety. Only those engaged on A.R.P. services and service wardens remained behind to stop machinery and perform other necessary functions. The evacuation was completed in five minutes. The management were exceptionally pleased with the success of the test and Fox’s were well advanced with their own A.R.P. arrangements. Between three and four hundred employees had been trained in anti-gas and first aid and the Works also possessed a decontamination squad and an auxiliary fire brigade.

Britain declared war on Germany on Sunday 3rd September 1939 and fighting did not end until 1945.

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