Fire Station Maidstone now in Loose Road formerly under the market buildings

Photo courtesy of KFRS Museum

The fire station in Maidstone these days is in Loose Road, which gives a degree of accessibility. Formerly the fire station lived under the Market buildings in Maidstone, difficult to believe a fire engine could have lived here when you look into the arches.

Photo courtesy of John A. Meakin collection

Notice the fire hoses hanging from the wall on the right of the engine.

You can still see damage marks on the arch from where the fire engines struck on their return.

It always caused a lot of excitement to us kids when the siren went you would see the firefighters hurrying to the station, then the dash to the fire. These utility vehicles were a far cry from a modern engine.

I remember one of the part timers called Charlie Wallis, Charlie ran a bike shop in Tonbridge Road Maidstone. As soon as the siren went he would leave his business in the able hands of his wife, jump on his bike, which had a sign on the front saying FIRE, he would cycle for all he was worth while ringing his cycle bell.

I believe if you had been in his way he would have run straight over you. Charlie as well as being one of the few men I knew who could re-spoke a cycle wheel was also an inventor. Charlie invented an attachment, which fitted on to the hose that they used when putting out chimney fires. Hopefully causing less mess and distress for the poor devil who happened to suffer the chimney fire.

Photo courtesy of KFRS Museum

I remember years later in 1970, we had moved to Sheals Crescent and during an emergency call, a water tender skidded on a wet surface in College Road hit a tree and burst into flames.

George Stoner a local resident dragged the driver from the burning engine. The driver, Firemen Roger Lynn was badly burned, and had to have his badly crushed leg amputated.

Another Fireman Malcolm Farrow sadly died from his injuries four days later. This was a double tragedy for this family as the young mans father(Retained Fireman A E Farrow) died in the Oakwood Hospital fire 1957.

Photo courtesy of KFRS Museum

John Roberts

I worked out of the Market Buildings Fire Station John Roberts