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Higham Ferrers St John Ambulance Brigade

Rushden Echo, 31st August 1900, transcribed by Kay Collins

Dr Crew held an examination of the members of the Ambulance Corps in the Board Schools on Tuesday evening, when about 20 were present. Drills followed.


Nurses thought to be those who staffed the VAD Hospital in 1915.
Middle row: 4th is Mrs Clara Patenall, 6th Miss Bessie Patenall
Front row: 2nd from left is Flo Upton (nee Winters)
Please let us know if you can confirm details or add names

The following photographs are from the collection of Moyra Simmons

Ambulance Men in 1951
HF Ambulance men in the 1950's
Photograph may have been taken in Dr Cunningham's garden around the 1950's
Back row: F. Smith, Harry Morris, Albert Sanders, Tom Thacker, Percy Simmons,
E. Underwood, Bernard Simmons.
Front row: E. Wagstaffe, Percy Pack, Ted Hales, W. Patenall, Dr. C. Cunningham,
Cyril Lewis, Claude Blenco.

HF St John's Ambulance collecting with barrel organ.
Collecting by means of a barrel organ to raise funds for new premises to be
built in Upper George Street, in the late 60's.
L to R: Melbourne Willey, Lawrence Britchford, Winnie Biggs, Christine Britchford,
Bernard Simmons, Graham Willey, Percy Simmons, 2 boy cadets (names unknown)

St John Ambulance Brigade
The photograph is taken outside what used to be the old nursery rooms next door to the Junior School in Wharf Road. c1956

Back row: Percy Pack, Percy Simmons, Thomas Thacker, Cyril Lewis,
Albert Sanders, Harry Morris, and unknown .
Middle row: Claude Blenco, unknown, unknown, Phoebe Wilkins, unknown,
Robert Goosey, unknown, unknown, Beryl Waters, Bernard Simmons.
Front row: Winnie Biggs, Winnie Pack, Melbourne Willey, Dr. C. Cunningham,
Mrs. Green, Eileen Holtom, Josephine Morris.

Information supplied by Moyra Simmons
Note from Graham Willey: I would date this about 1956 because I was just too young to join, and stood alongside the camera as the picture was taken. (I joined in January 1957 when I turned 16). My father is the seated officer, front row - Superintendent Melbourne Willey - next to Dr Charles Cunningham (the Divisional Surgeon) who was the local GP at Higham Ferrers Market Square.

Please contact us if you can help with names or information.


Mayor's Parade 1958
HF St John's ambulance Mayor's parade
Members of the Brigade escorting the Mayor, Cllr. J. Wilson from the Town Hall to
St Mary's Church, for one of the twice a year Mayor's 'Attendance to Church' service (usually whatever religion the Mayor was, he attended his own church first).

Left to right: Percy Simmons, Mayor's Sergeant Tom Lowther, Melbourne Willey,
Mayor J. Wilson, Cyril Lewis, Bernard Simmons, Albert Sanders,
Deputy Mayor A. Tilley,Claude Blenco.

Ambulance men "digging out"
Hf Ambulance men digging at upper George St
Members of Higham Ferrers St John Ambulance Brigade helping at the
commencement of their site for the new building in Upper George Street in the 1960's
Front to back: Harry Morris, Cliff Burgess, Claude Blenco, Percy Simmons,
Bernard Simmons and Percy Pack.
(
photograph by Northamptonshire Newspapers Ltd. Dryland St Kettering)

On duty
Higham Ferrers St John Ambulance Brigade
on duty at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
June 1953, based at the statue of Eros in Piccadily Square London.
Pictured: Bernard Simmons & Albert Sanders

(Bernard and Albert were neighbours in Milton Street from childhood until Bernard died in 1970. Albert lived with his wife Nancy at
No.36 until 2007. Moyra's mother Olive lived at No.34 from 1937 until 2007)

Please contact us if you can help with names or information.


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