On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Ronald (Royal) George Mitchell. Ronald married Mable Dives in 1916. Their daughter Vera was born in 1923. Ronald suvived the initial fire but died the following Saturday. His wife was at his side. She had been at the fete and saw the whole tragedy. Ronald was 37 when he died.
The men and boys that died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found on the web page "Gillingham Park Fete Tragedy"
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Ronald (Royal) George Mitchell. Ronald married Mable Dives in 1916. Their daughter Vera was born in 1923. Ronald suvived the initial fire but died the following Saturday. His wife was at his side. She had been at the fete and saw the whole tragedy. Ronald was 37 when he died.
The men and boys that died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found on the web page "Gillingham Park Fete Tragedy"
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Ronald (Royal) George Mitchell. Ronald married Mable Dives in 1916. Their daughter Vera was born in 1923. Ronald suvived the initial fire but died the following Saturday. His wife was at his side. She had been at the fete and saw the whole tragedy. Ronald was 37 when he died.
The men and boys that died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found on the web page "Gillingham Park Fete Tragedy"
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Ronald (Royal) George Mitchell. Ronald married Mable Dives in 1916. Their daughter Vera was born in 1923. Ronald suvived the initial fire but died the following Saturday. His wife was at his side. She had been at the fete and saw the whole tragedy. Ronald was 37 when he died.
The men and boys that died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found on the web page "Gillingham Park Fete Tragedy"
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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1911 England Census
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
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England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
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