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 Fireman Albert Nicholls. Albert was born about 1874 in Mile End, now in Greater London, but then, it was known as Mile End Old Town and formed part of Middlesex. He was the son of Joseph and Jane Nicholls. Albert's siblings included James and Alice Nicholls. He married on 15th May 1898 in Christ Church, Camberwell, just south of the River Thames. His bride was Mary Rebecca Dawson, daughter of William James Dawson. Albert was in the Navy at this time.
Horace Albert Wager Nicholls was born about 1900-he joined the Royal Navy, Service No: M/9973, but tragically died of D cerebro-spinal meningitis 9th April 1917. Age 17. He served as a Boy/Shipwright on H.M.S. "Pembroke" and was buried in the Naval Reservation at Gillingham, plot 24. 1249. At this time Albert and Mary were living at 69 Napier Rd., Gillingham. Mary would pass away on May 15, 1938. She was still living at 69 Napier Rd at the time of her death.
Albert was laid to rest in his son's wargrave.His name has yet to be inscribed on the stone. Albert was 56 when he died. He was the Secretary of Fire Brigade. [His body was identified by the Mayor, Councillor A.S.J. Treacher, who was Nicholls' dentist]. Also laid to rest in Horace's war grave was his mother, Alberts wife Mary Rebecca Nicholls who passed away at the age of 78 on May 15th, 1938.
The men and boys who 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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Fireman Albert Nicholls. Albert was born about 1874 in Mile End, now in Greater London, but then, it was known as Mile End Old Town and formed part of Middlesex. He was the son of Joseph and Jane Nicholls. Albert's siblings included James and Alice Nicholls. He married on 15th May 1898 in Christ Church, Camberwell, just south of the River Thames. His bride was Mary Rebecca Dawson, daughter of William James Dawson. Albert was in the Navy at this time.
Horace Albert Wager Nicholls was born about 1900-he joined the Royal Navy, Service No: M/9973, but tragically died of D cerebro-spinal meningitis 9th April 1917. Age 17. He served as a Boy/Shipwright on H.M.S. "Pembroke" and was buried in the Naval Reservation at Gillingham, plot 24. 1249. At this time Albert and Mary were living at 69 Napier Rd., Gillingham. Mary would pass away on May 15, 1938. She was still living at 69 Napier Rd at the time of her death.
Albert was laid to rest in his son's wargrave.His name has yet to be inscribed on the stone. Albert was 56 when he died. He was the Secretary of Fire Brigade. [His body was identified by the Mayor, Councillor A.S.J. Treacher, who was Nicholls' dentist]. Also laid to rest in Horace's war grave was his mother, Alberts wife Mary Rebecca Nicholls who passed away at the age of 78 on May 15th, 1938.
The men and boys who 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 at:
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 Fireman Albert Nicholls. Albert was born about 1874 in Mile End, now in Greater London, but then, it was known as Mile End Old Town and formed part of Middlesex. He was the son of Joseph and Jane Nicholls. Albert's siblings included James and Alice Nicholls. He married on 15th May 1898 in Christ Church, Camberwell, just south of the River Thames. His bride was Mary Rebecca Dawson, daughter of William James Dawson. Albert was in the Navy at this time.
Horace Albert Wager Nicholls was born about 1900-he joined the Royal Navy, Service No: M/9973, but tragically died of D cerebro-spinal meningitis 9th April 1917. Age 17. He served as a Boy/Shipwright on H.M.S. "Pembroke" and was buried in the Naval Reservation at Gillingham, plot 24. 1249. At this time Albert and Mary were living at 69 Napier Rd., Gillingham. Mary would pass away on May 15, 1938. She was still living at 69 Napier Rd at the time of her death.
Albert was laid to rest in his son's wargrave.His name has yet to be inscribed on the stone. Albert was 56 when he died. He was the Secretary of Fire Brigade. [His body was identified by the Mayor, Councillor A.S.J. Treacher, who was Nicholls' dentist]. Also laid to rest in Horace's war grave was his mother, Alberts wife Mary Rebecca Nicholls who passed away at the age of 78 on May 15th, 1938.
The men and boys who 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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Fireman Albert Nicholls. Albert was born about 1874 in Mile End, now in Greater London, but then, it was known as Mile End Old Town and formed part of Middlesex. He was the son of Joseph and Jane Nicholls. Albert's siblings included James and Alice Nicholls. He married on 15th May 1898 in Christ Church, Camberwell, just south of the River Thames. His bride was Mary Rebecca Dawson, daughter of William James Dawson. Albert was in the Navy at this time.
Horace Albert Wager Nicholls was born about 1900-he joined the Royal Navy, Service No: M/9973, but tragically died of D cerebro-spinal meningitis 9th April 1917. Age 17. He served as a Boy/Shipwright on H.M.S. "Pembroke" and was buried in the Naval Reservation at Gillingham, plot 24. 1249. At this time Albert and Mary were living at 69 Napier Rd., Gillingham. Mary would pass away on May 15, 1938. She was still living at 69 Napier Rd at the time of her death.
Albert was laid to rest in his son's wargrave.His name has yet to be inscribed on the stone. Albert was 56 when he died. He was the Secretary of Fire Brigade. [His body was identified by the Mayor, Councillor A.S.J. Treacher, who was Nicholls' dentist]. Also laid to rest in Horace's war grave was his mother, Alberts wife Mary Rebecca Nicholls who passed away at the age of 78 on May 15th, 1938.
The men and boys who 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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com
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