EUSTON

The Story of a Fire Station

On December 14th 1901, Councillor J D Gilbert, Chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council, (LCC), laid the commemoration stone of the new fire station in Euston Road. Eleven months later on November 27th 1902 it became operational as station No 73; Edwin Castle being the first Station Officer. Occupying the sites of 172 & 174 Euston Road, the new station replaced the old Metropolitan Board of Works, (MBW), station at 133-135 Great Portland Street.

Euston's predecessors had been busy. On April 30th 1880, at a fire in Chalton Street, Fireman Patrick Fitzgerald had died from injuries sustained when a wall collapsed on him. At the same incident Fireman Isaac Gooch was awarded the Silver Medal for the rescue of three people. Others awarded this medal, (nicknamed the Fireman's VC), at fires on Euston's Ground were; Firemen Fredrick Tiplady, Charles Tennuci and Samuel Beale, who rescued five people between them at a fire at Warren Street, on 22nd April 1881; Fireman Alfred Wylde for the rescue of two people at a fire in Seymour Street, (now Eversholt St), on May 17th 1881, and Fm. Thomas Lynch for the rescue of two people from a fire in Goodge Street on July 11th 1881.

In the latter 19th century fire 'Escape' ladders and watch boxes were located at various locations to augment the horse drawn appliances in the stations. Amongst those on the future Euston's ground were sites at,
Trinity Church, Albany Road j/o Marylebone Road.
Opposite Tottenham Chapel, Tottenham Court Road.
St Paul's Chapel, Great Portland Street.
Kings Cross j/o Liverpool St, (later Birkenhead St).
Euston Square opposite St Pancras Church.
Cobden Statue, Camden High Street.

The design of the station is unique, in that it has a rather quirky look! This is probably due to the influence of the designers at the time. Fire station design at the turn of the 19th century was carried out by the LCC Architects Dept under the Superintending Architect W E Riley. To further the major building programme taking place at that time, Riley reorganised the fire brigade section under Owen Fleming and C C Winmill. This is the team that produced the many memorable fire stations of that decade. After a period of extreme 'Arts & Crafts' experimentation, (1900-03), the designs settled down to a more consistent style.

Built by Stimpson & Co. (at a cost of £14,377, plus £7,693 for the site), the new station consisted of two appliance bays and four floors of accommodation, with plans to extend the building at a later date. The establishment on opening was 1 Station Officer, 1 Sub. Officer, 17 Firemen, 3 Coachmen and 3 horses. The appliances were 1 Steam Fire Engine, 1 Horsed Escape, 1 motor Staff Car, and a Hose Cart. As well as the actual fire station the building was also a District Station. At that time the London Fire Brigade, was divided into two Divisions, North and South. Each Division was subdivided into Districts. The North Division, commanded by the Third Officer, comprised the A, B and C Districts with their HQ's at Manchester Square, Clerkenwell and Whitechapel. Euston was North Division HQ; the divisional staff occupying accommodation on the first floor.

Euston also provided domestic accommodation for the Third Officer, (later designated Divisional Officer North). This was located on the fourth floor and incorporated a private entrance and staff car bay both of which opened out onto Euston Square. Three former occupants of this flat became Chief Officers; Lieutenant Commander Sampson Sladen RN, 1902-1909, (CO.1909-18), Mr. Reginald Dyer, 1909-1918, (CO.1918-1933), and Commander, (later Sir), Aylmer Firebrace RN, 1925-1933, (CO.1938-39, Regional Fire Officer 1939-41 and Chief of the Fire Staff, National Fire Service 1941-1946).

On the 18th March 1913 two firemen lost their lives whilst attempting to rescue a sewer worker overcome by fumes at an incident in Pembridge Villas W11. One of those lost was Euston fireman Robert Libby, whose widow was awarded a special pension by the Carnegie Hero's Fund Trust.

On the outbreak of war in 1914 personnel on annual leave were recalled and all ranks initially prohibited from leaving their stations. Some 280 members of the Brigade who were military or naval reservists were 'called up', with others enlisting. However after 1915 no one else was allowed to join up because of the effect this was having on the Brigade establishment. To conform with the wartime lighting restrictions the distinctive 'Red Lamps' that adorned the outside of fire stations were removed, and, were never reinstated, (replica lamps were installed at Euston during the refurbishment of the mid 1990's). From May 1915 air raids were carried out on London by German Zeppelins, augmented in 1917 by Gotha bombers. During one such raid damaged was sustained to Kings Cross railway station and ironically the German Gymnasium in Cheney Road. Another raid, on Holborn's ground, involved Euston firemen tackling a major blaze in Lambs Conduit Passage, during which Fm Green, (Holborn), lost his life attempting to save life. He was subsequently awarded the Silver Medal.

Following the Great War with the introduction of the 'shift system' in December 1919 for sub officers and firemen and the increased establishment needed to crew a two-watch multi-appliance station, there was a need to expand the accommodation. The staff car bay, (opening onto Euston Square), was converted into the Station Mess, with the adjacent coachmen's quarters becoming the kitchen. Both these areas are still in use today. The stables at the rear of the original appliance room, made redundant by the internal combustion engine, were also utilised. It was also decided to double the size of the building as originally planned, by extending the elevation of the station on the site occupied by No's 166 -170 Euston Road. The properties were acquired, but with money in short supply the plan was postponed. A 'temporary' extension was built, (still in use today), and two appliances were transferred from 71 Holborn station, (Theobalds Rd j/o Orange St), which closed in 1923. The building plans were last reviewed in 1953 when the project was finally cancelled. The station's ground was also extended eastward slightly at this time when station 69 Caledonian Road, (158-164 Copenhagen St), closed in 1920.

On 12th February 1920 the Great Cup, for the best 'Turnout' was presented to Station Officer William Knights and his Euston crew by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, (the future King Edward VIII), during the latter’s visit to Brigade Headquarters at Southwark. Euston had a reputation for good 'Turnouts' and won the Great Cup no less than seven times between 1916 and 1924.
During 1937-38 John Horner, (General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union 1939 -1964 and Labour MP 1964-1970), was stationed at Euston.

With war clouds gathering in the latter half of the thirties, the Brigade started to prepare for the inevitable conflict. Euston, in common with the rest of the Brigade, was allocated a number of sub stations; crewed by AFS, (Auxiliary Fire Service), personnel. Each sub station was given a prefix letter such as U, W, X, Y and Z. Sub stations on Euston's ground being at Gifford St School; Argyle St School; Tottenham Court Road; Clipstone St School and Starcross St School. Sub stations on that part of Camden Town's ground inherited by Euston in 1968, being at Richard Cobden School, Camden St; Princes Road School, Regents Park and Curators House, London Zoo, Regents Park.

During the ‘Blitz’ the St Pancras and Somers Town districts were particularly hard hit due to the proximity of the three main line railway stations and their adjacent goods yards. On the night of April 16th / 17th 1941 a German land mine was dropped on flats in Pancras Square, Pancras Road. It landed in the courtyard between a surface shelter and the flats; thus the explosion had maximum effect for out of 200 people 77 were killed and 52 seriously injured, (today the site is covered by flats called the Chenies). Other premises hit by mines that night, on what was to become known as ‘The Wednesday’ were Oakley Square and Leake St, the latter damaging the bridge at Kings Cross. St Pancras Hospital was hit and incendiaries started fires at Malet Place, Tottenham Court Road, the Express Dairy Tavistock Place, Aldenham St, Diana Place, Acton St, Euston Rd, Stanley Buildings, and the BMA Tavistock Square. On February 9th 1945 a V2 rocket exploded on the front of the Presbyterian Hall, Regent Square, where a conference was being held. Several dozen people in the hall were killed along with others walking in the street and in adjacent houses. The bodies were taken to the ARP mortuary in Medburn St. One of the last V2's to fall on London destroyed the Whitfield Memorial Church in Tottenham Court Road on 25th March 1945; thirty five people on the premises being killed and injured.

During an air raid during the night of 16th September 1940, District Officer Joseph, 'Toby', Tobias, attached to North Division HQ Euston, was killed whilst directing operations at a large fire in Great Portland Street. Whilst these operations were in progress, the crews were subjected to further bombing and one of these fell on Euston's Turntable Ladder, (TL), killing Fm Thomas Curson and Fm Albert Evans. Other personnel were severely injured. Station Officer Edward Morgan, (73 Euston), took charge, and was later awarded the BEM for his part in this fire. In fact Morgan was a highly decorated officer being awarded the George Medal, (originally recommended for the George Cross), for the rescue of a woman from a blazing basement during a heavy air raid on the night of 29th/30 December 1940 at 51 City Road. He was later awarded the King’s Police & Fire Service Medal for Gallantry for the rescue of a family from a flat at 34 Ampthill Square on 3rd March 1941.

Enemy action claimed the lives of other Euston fireman. On 30th December 1940 Fm Frank Hurd died from injuries sustained at a fire in West Smithfield. During the night of 17th April 1941 Fm Harry Skinner and Fm Stanley Randolph were both killed fighting a fire in Upper Woburn Place j/o Tavistock Square. Fm Arthur Preece died in hospital from the cumulative effects of firefighting on 21st July 1941, Fm Henry Thornton died on 31st December 1946 from the injuries he had sustained whilst fighting a fire at Starcross St School in July 1943, and Fm Maurice Share was killed on 15th August 1940 by enemy bombing whilst off duty.

Following the outbreak of war in 1939, those firemen who had been regular
servicemen, and were subject to Reserve service were recalled to the
Colours. Euston firemen Eugene McCarthy and Charles Carr were two such
people, both of whom were killed on active service. McCarthy was killed on
24th May 1940 whilst serving as a sergeant in the Welsh Guards during the
defence of Boulogne, and, Carr was killed whilst serving as a sergeant with
the Staffordshire Yeomanry in Germany on 24th March 1945

In 1948 with the return of fire brigades to local authority control, the Brigade reorganised. The old District system was discontinued and the Brigade restructured into four Divisions A, B, C and D. Euston became No A4 of the ‘A Division’.

During the fifties several fires of note were fought on Euston's ground, in particular the Vintner Company cellars beneath St Pancras Stn, Midland Rd in 1956 and the Goodge St deep shelter, Chenies St, (now on Soho's ground), during May the same year.

By the early sixties the appliance establishment of Euston was 1 Pump Escape, (PE), 1 Pump, (P), 1 Turntable Ladder, (TL), 1 Emergency Tender, (ET), and an AFS Pump, (the latter removed after the disbandment of the AFS in 1968).

Sir John Betjemen, the Poet Laureate, whilst campaigning to save the Doric Arch that stood outside Euston Railway Station, paid the fire station a visit. He had noticed its unique design, and it was as a direct consequence of this visit, and the subsequent pressure applied by English Heritage, that Euston Fire Station became a Grade II Listed Building.

On the 11th March 1964 Fireman Daniel O'Donovan, Blue Watch, was tragically killed at Hilldrop Lane, Kentish Town’s ground, when he fell from a roof whilst attending a Special Service

In 1965 following the establishment of the Greater London Council, (GLC), Euston became number A23 after the reorganisation of the enlarged Brigade into eleven Divisions. 1968 saw the closure of Camden Town fire station in Pratt Street, and the southern half of this station's ground became the responsibility of Euston. 1969 saw the ET move to Paddington after the opening of the new A Division HQ at that station.

1978 saw one of the capital's largest post war fires at The Granary, Camley Street. During this 35 Pump Fire on 1st Novemeber part of an external wall fell onto Brigade personnel. As a consequence Fireman Stephen Neil, (C26 Barbican), was killed, and several others were seriously injured.

On 1st April 1979 following the introduction of the four watch duty system, the ET 'came home' from Paddington, however due to rationalisation of the Brigade's aerial fleet the TL was disestablished.

1985 saw the introduction of Station Commanders, the first to serve at Euston being one of the most experienced at the time, Assistant Divisional Officer, (ADO), Cliff Shore.
In 1986 the GLC was abolished and the Fire Authority for London replaced by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority, (LFCDA). The Brigade was reorganised into five Areas, with Euston falling within the boundary of the North Area.

On 18th November 1987 fire engulfed part of Kings Cross underground station. More than thirty appliances and their crews attended this catastrophe in which 31 people were killed, amongst them Station Officer Colin Townsley of A24 Soho. ADO Cliff Shore played a significant part at this tragic fire and was subsequently awarded an MBE.

In 1995 plans were finally devised to refurbish the station. During September of that year the pumping appliances and crews were given temporary accommodation at Clerkenwell, with the Fire Rescue Unit, (FRU), being placed initially at Barbican and later Paddington. In 1996 the Brigade reorganised itself again, into three Commands. Euston this time fell within the boundary of Western Command centred on Wembley. On January 8th 1997 all crews and appliances moved back to the refurbished station. On May 8th Councillor Judith Jorsling, the Chair of the LFCDA. formally opened the ‘new look’ Euston in the presence of the DCO. Mr Martin Coffey, ACO Lou Gill, the Mayor of Camden, and guests that included former members of Euston.

During 2001 plans were put in place to dissolve the Command structure of the Brigade with stations being grouped according to their boroughs. As a consequence Euston now forms part of the Camden group of stations.

Today, Euston Fire Station, strategically sighted on the south side of Somers Town, has one of the most diverse 'grounds' in the London Fire Brigade. It covers an area between Kings Cross in the east, London Zoo in the west, and, Camden Town in the north and Bloomsbury to the south. Divided by the busy A501 Euston Road, the resident population is swollen, each working day, by tens of thousands of commuters, most of whom use the three great railway termini and the eight underground stations within the stations boundary. Within the station’s borders can be found many offices, shops, industrial units, hospitals and clinics. Local government housing at St. Pancras, Somers Town and Regents Park account for a large percentage of the local community. For the traveler and tourist there is a great variety of hotels and boarding houses. The University of London and University College London, with their large numbers of students, add to the general population, which reflects many races and creeds.

During 1998 Euston Fire-fighters attended over 5000 calls; with over half of these to the immediate local community, the balance being in support of adjacent stations or further afield. The majority of these calls were attended by the two pumping appliances, however 1,900 of these calls were attended by the Fire Rescue Unit, (FRU). Strategically located, this specialist appliance is ideally sited to respond to any incident in the Brigade. In addition to fire calls Euston personnel carry out many fire safety duties. These range from forging links and giving advice, on fire safety matters, to the local community. Carrying out inspections at hotels, offices and garages and visiting hundreds of premises in the course of the year for familiarization of layout, type of risk, location of water supplies and access associated with the particular building.

Appliances Pump Ladder, Pump and Fire Rescue Unit.

Personnel 1 Assistant Divisional Officer, (Station Commander).
4 Station Officers, (Watch Commanders).
4 Sub Officers, (Deputy Watch Commanders).
8 Leading Fire-Fighters, (Crew Commanders).
64 Fire-Fighters.


Euston Station Officers 1902-2002

Continuous Duty System 1902-1941

Edwin Castle 1902
Edward Gosling 1903 -1905
Henry Harris 1908 -1912
Llewelyn Bateman 1914 -1915
William Hollington 1915 -1918
*William Knights 1918 -1924
Sidney Hooper 1926 -1928
Xyz Franklin 1928 -1932
Joseph Tobias 1932 -1940
Edward Morgan 1940 -1941

Auxiliary Fire Service 1939 - 41 & National Fire Service, (Company Officer), 1941 -1948

George Bowden, (AFS) 1939 -1940
Charles Eastmond 1940 -1945
T W Syrett 1941-

*William Knights 1944-1948

Two Watch System 1948-1962

Red Blue

Chris Abbott Varndell, (Togo).
Harold Wilcox Barber
Edwards

Three Watch System 1962-1979

Red Blue White

D Bird, (Dickie). Edwards Ted Kington
P Wilson Ken Weston, (Aggie) Bob Winter
Bob Winter, John Lynch
John Wright, (Shiner).

Four Watch System 1979-2004

Red Blue White Green

John Wright, (Shiner). Gordon Seal Bob Winter Ken Weston
Pete Nixon …?….. Bernie Kearns Ray Cleverdon
Dave Hanlon John Arrenburg Dick Blomfield Trevor Stratford
Pete MacKenzie Mick Pinchen Gary Fredricks Dave Ballantyne
Geoff Hale Gary Whewall Mick Pinchen Steve Pike
Barry Griffith Leroy Hough Gary Whewall

Euston Station Commanders 1986-2002

Cliff Shore MBE 1986-1988

Malcolm Kelly 1988-

Malcolm Tullett

Jim Cosgrave 1992.

Ken Emsley 1992-1999

Bill Carruthers 1999-2002

David Bird 2003-2005

Eddie Fiander 2006 -