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Leigh Fire Brigade

The Leigh Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed in 1882. Lawrence Biddle’s heirs presented the Historical Society with copies of 15 Subscribers Annual Reports which range across a 30 year period between 1889 and 1918. The following notes have been compiled from these documents. Additional stories about the Brigade appear in “We Had Everything . . .”, see index for page numbers.

Subscribers Annual Reports

Held for the years: 1889, 1900, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918 (i.e. 15 years only)

Subscribers

In succeeding years – above – individual subscribers numbered 17, 12, 23, 15, 28 (£81 including 2 insurance companies, two local firms “Dukes” and “Curtis & Harvey” – and the Hildenborough Village Players!) 23, 29, 25, 21, 22, 22, 22, 22, 21 and 21 respectively.

Income

The amounts of income ranged from around £25 to £50 and occasional ‘large’ amounts of £50 - £75 when, for example, an insurance company paid out £10 or £15. The principal subscribers were the local nobility or middle classes – mainly one suspects to help the community but partly to safeguard their houses (or stately homes or business). Subscribers had to pay a minimum amount to receive a free service. The Brigade did not usually guarantee to help outside the parish unless there was a subscription of a minimum of 10 shillings (although quite often a guinea was given) and the Brigade did go to a number of fires in other villages over the 20 years of these Annual Reports.

1889	The first year for which Annual Reports are held – see attached Parish Magazine article.
1900	“Although the Brigade has, fortunately, not received any calls to attend fires, yet individual members have given timely and useful assistance, which prevented what might have developed in large fires. Drill Instructor Baldwin extinguished a chimney which was on fire in “The Square”... It must also be recorded that when Mr R Burfield was, unfortunately most seriously burnt, Firemen Weight and Hobbs were soon on the spot and not only extinguished the flames but having both passed the Ambulance Examination, also dressed the wounds most satisfactorily ... “
1903	“Many new subscribers ... three fires in the year ... a haystack was struck by lightening and the Brigade ... were successful in saving the greater part of the hay in good condition. A fire occurred at Larkin’s Farm, Chiddingstone and the Brigade remained all night and did excellent work ...” The third fire broke out at Mr Cook’s Farm (WHERE WAS THIS?) and, “had it not been for the efforts of the Firemen, the house and buildings must have been destroyed”
1904	“The year has been an uneventful one, the Brigade not having been called to any fire ... “
1905	Only one fire – Price’s Farm “doing excellent work ... “
1906	No calls.
1907	One fire – at Hildenborough Station where the Brigade “were able to do good service ... “ “The Committee has at its disposal two Manual Fire Engines and 1,300 feet of Hose – also Standpipes for Hydrants in Leigh, Penshurst and District”. The scale of charges is given: Use of Engine to Non-Subscriber £5-5-0 When called to a Fire, but not required £2-2-0 Use of Engine to Subscriber nil Services of Brigade excluding Horses Refreshment and extra labour { £2-2-0 first hour { 10-0 succeeding hours Pumpers – each man { 1-0 first hour { 0-6d succeeding hours Horses – per horse £1-1-0 As usual Mr & Mrs Hope Morley paid for an outing (to Margate this year). The Brigade held “many useful and practical drills” as well as inspecting and maintaining the equipment. They also offered to visit any Subscriber’s residence during the summer months to test water supply, etc”. They attend Church Parades and they sent 10s to NFB Union Widows and Orphans Fund.
1909	The only formal call out was for “a Stack Fire at Beckett’s Farm, Chiddingstone”, where they “were able to do good service”. They were also able to purchase 500 feet of new Canvas hose for £23-4-0 with the help of a loan from Mr S. Hope Morley – who again paid for the annual outing (to Hastings). They also bought a new gas-lit FireCall lamp (which was outside The Square) and, seeming for the first time, took out insurance. In July they entered the NFBU (National Fire Brigade Union’s) Competition at Tonbridge.
1912	Mr Joey Randerson (who lived in the old stables to the vicarage, now known as Inglenook, until the 1960s) succeeded Mr K Anderson, the Post Master, as Secretary and Treasurer. Mr Randerson had also been the chief officer since 1909. There were no fires to attend in this year but the “Annual Outing” to Brighton did take place as usual. Subscribers were reminded that they could call for the Fire Brigade not only in The Square at Leigh but at the Penshurst Station Inn (i.e. the Little Brown Jug today). Subscribers included not only the two local Lords (Lord de l’Isle and Dudley and the newly ennobled Lord Hollenden) but titled ladies, including Lady Harriet Warde.
1913	The scale of charges was roughly similar to previous years but anew addition is a charge of 1-6d for a “Call Boy” ... The Brigade attended two fires – one at Larkin’s Farm (again) - for which the farmer was charged the large sum of £36-16-0d; and one at an unspecified location on Leigh Green “good work being done”. Mr W L Martin was paid a retaining fee of 2 guineas “for horses” and there was an expenditure of £1 for competing in a competition at Edenbridge. (The Outing went back to Hastings, costing Lord Hollenden the normal £5. Gas supply for the Fire Call light cost 12/-.
1914	Mr T H Richards had taken over a Chief Officer and Secretary/Treasurer. “The Brigade has not been called to any Fires in the District” he reported but “Firemen had worked hard to qualify for competitions ... and to make themselves efficient in First Aid Work”.
1915	No noticeable changes in personnel; no fires; and no Outing – perhaps because it was war time.
1916	For the first time the Annual Report is headed the Lyghe Fire Brigade and this continues for the next two years. Again an uneventful year with only one small fire at an unnamed place; and again no annual outing! However the Brigade did attend “a fine display of coping with fires and life saving in London ... which proved not only interesting but instructive”. On the expenditure side there was yet again the purchase of more hoses but also a full dress uniform! (plus watch repairs at 6/6d and retaining fee for horses – plural – of 2 guineas).
1917	The Annual Report emphasized the need for economy during the War years but also emphasized the efficiency of the service was not suffering. However, it seems no fires were actually attended and the - 4 - Annual Outing, paid for by Lord Hollenden as usual and to Hastings, as so often – was the major event. The Brigade did buy a New Chemical Extinguisher (for £2-5-0), the first time such modern equipment has been mentioned. There is no expenditure for horses.
1918	The last year for which the Historical Society has an Annual Report. No reports of any fires but the Annual Outing was reinstated, once again to Hastings – and the usual “well attended drills”.

In none of the Annual Reports is there a list of the actual firemen – only the supervisors and honorary people. In 1918 it reads:

*Lord Hollenden – President
*Dr Fraser, *Mr A Sales, *Mr G Boby,}
Mr J Randerson and Mr H Russell } Vice Presidents
Mr T H Richards – Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Officer
*Mr H Faircoth – Second Officer
*Mr W Baldwin – Engineer
Committee of the last three above plus Mr J Burr, Mr W Goodwin, Mr H Maskell, Mr Friend and *Mr Stubbins (No initials were given to the last two. Might this mean they were “workers” as opposed to gentlemen?)

The members did not change all that much. The underlined names were on the 1909 list 10 years earlier; six (*) were on the 1900 list; and seven (S Hope Morley; Dr Fraser; Mr Boby; Mr Sales; Mr Faircloth; Mr Baldwin; and Mr Stubbins) from 1889, twenty years earlier.