~ Chapter Twenty-Three ~
From Store Boy to Fireman
In 1920, at the age of only thirteen, Charlie left school to begin working for Dowlings, a firm of wholesale grocers and wine importers in Margate, where he would graduate from store boy to store man over the next ten years. Ever an industrious young man, he also worked part-time elsewhere in order to earn additional money to help support his parents’ extended family.
Aside from his work, Charlie had two passions at that time. He kept a large aviary in which he bred pigeons to race with the birds of other pigeon fanciers around the UK. His pigeons were even raced from Belgium. His other passion was the TA, the Territorial Army, in which he served in The Buffs, the same regiment that George and Steve had rushed to join when war broke out in 1914. This is a photograph of Charlie during his TA service in 1927. It was taken at a camp which The Buffs shared with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Charlie is wearing the uniform of the Scottish regiment because he and a Highlander agreed to swap uniforms for the day.
|
In 1928, twenty-one year-old Charlie married Mildred Sylvia Griggs, who was also twenty-one and better known as Sue. The couple took rented accommodation in a flat at 12 Fitzroy Avenue in Margate. In January 1930, Sue gave birth to twin sons, who were given the forenames of Kenneth (Ken) Charles and Leonard (Len) William.
We are indebted to Ken for allowing us to reproduce below extracts from his own richly detailed account of the life of his father. Ken takes up the story after the birth of the twins:
We are indebted to Ken for allowing us to reproduce below extracts from his own richly detailed account of the life of his father. Ken takes up the story after the birth of the twins:
|
Realising that he would need more money to support his new family, Charlie resigned from Dowlings in 1930 and began two new jobs. The first was as a milkman by day for Weston Brothers' Dairies in Northdown Road in Cliftonville, which paid far better than Dowlings. The second job was as a part-time fireman by night with the Margate Borough Fire Brigade. This photograph of him in his fireman’s uniform was taken in 1932.
Ken tells us more about Charlie’s two jobs: |
|
In the late 1930's, Charlie moved his family to 10 Walpole Road in Margate, a semi-detached house with four bedrooms, an inside toilet and a small family bathroom. Sue took in lodgers during the summer months to supplement the family's income. The adjoining semi was rented by Charlie’s elder half-sister, Nell, and her husband, George Fox, who was also a fireman. Ken describes his family’s time at Walpole Road:
|
As soon as the war with Nazi Germany was declared in September 1939, Charlie volunteered for the Army, but was turned down. As a result of a problem with his feet – a condition known as “hammer toes”, in which his small toes overlapped the others – he was graded as unfit for active service. Undeterred, he promptly enlisted as a full-time member of the regular Margate Borough Fire Brigade, thus embarking on a career in fire safety that would last the best part of forty years.