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 Frederick Worrall. Frederick was the oldest child of William Arthur Worrall and his wife Alice Ada Hobbs.He was grandson to William and Margaret Hobbs. In 1919 Frederick married Frances Gladys Askham in Medway, Kent. He had lived in Gillingham since birth. Frederick was 30 when he died. He was playing the part of the "Bride" in the demonstration. In 1942 long after the death of her husband Frances would marry once again to Rowland Histed. She would pass away in 1983 at the age of 87.
All that remains of Frederick's grave stone is a small peice of masonry which sits on the grave of Robert Dennis Usher.
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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Frederick Worrall. Frederick was the oldest child of William Arthur Worrall and his wife Alice Ada Hobbs.He was grandson to William and Margaret Hobbs. In 1919 Frederick married Frances Gladys Askham in Medway, Kent. He had lived in Gillingham since birth. Frederick was 30 when he died. He was playing the part of the "Bride" in the demonstration. In 1942 long after the death of her husband Frances would marry once again to Rowland Histed. She would pass away in 1983 at the age of 87.
All that remains of Frederick's grave stone is a small peice of masonry which sits on the grave of Robert Dennis Usher.
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 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 Frederick Worrall. Frederick was the oldest child of William Arthur Worrall and his wife Alice Ada Hobbs.He was grandson to William and Margaret Hobbs. In 1919 Frederick married Frances Gladys Askham in Medway, Kent. He had lived in Gillingham since birth. Frederick was 30 when he died. He was playing the part of the "Bride" in the demonstration. In 1942 long after the death of her husband Frances would marry once again to Rowland Histed. She would pass away in 1983 at the age of 87.
All that remains of Frederick's grave stone is a small peice of masonry which sits on the grave of Robert Dennis Usher.
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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Frederick Worrall. Frederick was the oldest child of William Arthur Worrall and his wife Alice Ada Hobbs.He was grandson to William and Margaret Hobbs. In 1919 Frederick married Frances Gladys Askham in Medway, Kent. He had lived in Gillingham since birth. Frederick was 30 when he died. He was playing the part of the "Bride" in the demonstration. In 1942 long after the death of her husband Frances would marry once again to Rowland Histed. She would pass away in 1983 at the age of 87.
All that remains of Frederick's grave stone is a small peice of masonry which sits on the grave of Robert Dennis Usher.
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 at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
