| Title | Fire Brigade – Joint Service. |
| Date | c1941 |
| Location | Rawdon/Yeadon |
| Photo ID | K395 |
| Comment | This was an Austin towing vehicle to be used by the Fire Service : note the bell mounted on the roof. It is uncertain whether this vehicle was stationed at Rawdon. The National Fire Service ( NFS) was the single fire service created in Great Britain in 1941, during the Second World War; a separate National Fire Service (Northern Ireland) was created in 1942. |
FB433 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1939-1945.
Wartime Firemen – 1939 – 1945
A group of fire-fighters standing in front of an appliance, dressed in boots, waterproofs and with haversacks round their necks.
Jack Richardson is the man 3rd from left.
Image donated by Jean Richardson.
N48 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1939-1945.
Yeadon Fire Brigade – 1939 – 1945
Engine WU-2544 outside the fire station which was on New Road Side.
E330 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1939-1945.
Firemen 1939 – 1945
Fire men outside a building with a sign “NFS Station T Sub Div 2 Division A Fire Area No 4” .
On the reverse of the image are the names of the men.
E330A – Fire Brigade, Joint Service,1945.
Firemen 1939 – 1945
As above.
T582 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1945.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1945
This photograph of firemen at Rawdon Fire station, dated 1945.
I think I can give a name to some men there, as follows:
Top row, (counting from the left): 2nd along – Jack Dawson; 3rd along – Stan Wood; 4th along – Charlie Dodds; 5th along – my dad, Alfred Chippindale.
Bottom row (same counting): 3rd along – Ibb Braithwaite (I think?); 7th along – Herbert Smith.
I don’t recognise any of the others, and I presume the reason is that those I mentioned stayed on in the Fire Service after the war, so that in the 1950’s I would have met them and seen them around at the fire station whilst I was growing up.
I’m not sure that Mr Braithwaite stayed on but my Dad may have kept in touch as a friend.
Donated by Rev. Ken Chippindale.
FB432 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1939-1945.
Fire Service – Yeadon – 1945
A group photo “National Fire Service, Station 4A 2U Yeadon March 1945”
A few people have been named:
On the back row, 9th from the left is Albert Tate who lived on Whackhouse Lane.
On the far right of the 3rd row is Willie Dobson of Barfield Drive, 2nd row 7th from left Jack Richardson (father of Jean).
On the front row, 3rd from left is Edith Tate, she was married to Albert Tate.
Image donated by Jean Richardson.
K399 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1950.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1950
By 1950, the local Joint Fire Service had become part of the West Riding County Fire Service. On the right of the back row is Alfred Chippindale, nephew of Martha Chippindale who was awarded the MBE for her work with the Salvation Army during WW1.
To see Martha Chippindale MBE – Click Here
K343 – Fire Service, Yeadon, c1950.
Fire Service – Yeadon – c1950
West Riding County Fire Service, Alfred Chippindale is on the left.
I454 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, Undated.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – Undated
Officers of the Fire Brigade outside the fire station on New Road (A65) which was built in the mid 1920s and was in use until the new station opened on Green Lane in 1974.
Second from the right on the front row is George Baker, his daughter Jean Walker (nee Baker) donated this photo.
K388 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1955.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1955
An efficiency shield awarded to the station, partly seen at the bottom of the image and station personnel.
L058 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1969.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1969
Firemen with a model yacht ‘Fire Bell’ seen outside the old fire station on New Road. Fire appliances can be seen behind them.
Photographer Bryan Waite, donated by his family.
A328 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1970.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1970
The site for the fire station on New Road Side (A65) was bought from Rawdon Co-operative Society in 1924, it had previously been the headquarters of the 8th Airedale Scouts. The building of this facility was a joint venture between Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley and Rawdon Councils.
Mr George Foggit was the architect, the cost of the fire station and adjoining superintendents house was £3,477.
Building began in 1925, by Mitchell Yeadon & Sons.
The first Superintendent was J A Dockray who was given free accommodation and £300 a year salary.
In 1948 the brigade was taken into the West Riding County Council Fire Service.
A new fire station was built round the corner on Green Lane in 1974 and the old building was demolished.
A car showroom, JCT was built on the site.
Behind the old fire station is an office block, Rawdon House.
A329 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1970.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1970
View of the old fire station.
A344 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 1978.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 1978
Situated on Green Lane, the site had previously been houses on Benton Terrace. This building replaced the older station which was nearby on New Road Side (A65). It was opened on 1st July 1974, but the official opening was not until 19th October 1974. It is one of the stations which was proposed for closure in 2011, at this time (2012) it is still operating.
K411 – Fire Brigade, Joint Service, 2014.
Fire Brigade – Joint Service – 2014
The fire station is located on Green Lane on the Yeadon side of the township boundary with Rawdon.
Photographer John Arundel.
Previous Comments:
Re K399
jean dean
Next to Alfred Chippindale is Mr. Wood from Markham Avenue and second left back row is Jack Dawson of Markham Crescent, he used to go to shouts on his bicycle, after all it was all downhill, and not very far.
11 October 2017.
Re K338
jean dean
Back row 2nd.left Jack Dawson of Markham Crescent, I can remember him setting off many a time on his bicycle and 3rd.left next to him is Mr. Wood of Markham Avenue.
25 September 2017.
Stephen Allinson
Stan Wood & Alfred Chippindale are on the back row.
Stan is third from the left & Alfred is fifth from the left.
30 September 2017.
Re K343
Stephen Allinson
After Uncle Alf retired from the Fire Service he went with Auntie Annie to live in Scarborough & lived there until he died in 2010 aged 100.
30 September 2017.
Re K399
Rev Kenneth Chippindale
My father, Alfred Chippindale, is the fifth from the left on the back row. So far as I can remember the second left is Jack Dawson, then Stan Wood, then Mr. Dodds, then my dad.
On the front row third from the left is Mr Ibbotson, and third from the right Herbert Smith.
Sadly the one who could name them all – namely my Dad – is nolonger here to ask,.
He died in 2010 aged 100, but most of his colleagues had died many years before that – he was the last one.
05 January 2021.
Re K388
Denise Watson
Thought I recognised my Dad on this photo, he is back left, Donald Walker. This is the year I was born and I always
knew him to be part of the fire brigade. I think he was part-time but not sure. Remember going into the station with him on
Sunday mornings where my brother and I were treated to sweets and, if very lucky, to be lifted up onto one of the engines.
We had a huge bell on the wall of our stairs which rang to call them in to the station when there was a call out.
In front of Dad is Tommy Widdup, I’m sure he used to come and clean our windows. In front of Tommy is Station Officer
Jack Mann and behind him on his left is I think Joe (Albert) Hogg.
25 October 2017.
S Allinson
Stan Woods is stood at the rear on the right.
03 November 2019.
Bernard Harris
I well remember the fire siren from the old fire station. No doubt it had seen service in the 2nd world war, but it was tested at noon weekly, and when it went off for real all the firemen grabbed their bicycles and set off in a tearing hurry. Two of them lived opposite us in Apperley Lane, Mr Lofthouse was one and the other whose name escapes me lived next door to him. On Nov 5th the Lime Grove bonfire was carefully watched over by these two firemen!
23 March 2018.
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 28 October 2021.
Last updated: 23 October 2022 – All images updated.
