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Plaque

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - R13 - Townsley

Inscription

Stn. O. Colin James Townsley. 18.11.87, Euston Road, NW1 (Kings Cross).

Site: London Fire Brigade - Highgate Cemetery (31 memorials)

N6, Swain's Lane, Highgate Cemetery

The plot consists of 36 graves acquired by the London Fire Brigade Widows and Orphans Fund (founded in1882 by Massey Shaw, who, probably not unrelated, was buried nearby, 1908). A memorial to firemen was first erected here in the 1880s. This decayed and was replaced in 1934 with this one. It's possible that the three marble plaques were retained from the original memorial.

We have seen a poor photocopy of a photo of the original memorial. It was a free-standing monument (rather than the wall we have today) and was topped with a large cross.

The 39 names on the individual plaques around the low border wall are of firemen who died in service between 1949 and 2004 but are buried elsewhere. The earlier plaques are closer to the memorial wall, either on the left or the right; the later plaques are nearer the entrance to the memorial. One of the plaques is either missing (stolen?), or unused, waiting for one last fire disaster. We've labelled the individual plaques as either R(ight) or L(eft) with a number starting from the memorial wall.

We have taken the date given on the individual plaques as the date of death but it may be the date of the fire which is not always the same thing.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Highgate Cemetery - Fire - R13 - Townsley

Subjects commemorated i

Colin J. Townsley G.M., Station Officer

The officer in charge of Red Watch at Soho Fire Station. Died trying to rescu...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Highgate Cemetery - Fire - R13 - Townsley

Also at this site i

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L01 - Fisher

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L01 - Fisher

Stn. O. Charles Fisher. 20.12.49, Covent Garden.

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Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L02 - Skinner

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L02 - Skinner

Sub. O. John Skinner. 29.7.54, King Street, W6.

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Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L03 - Willoughby

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L03 - Willoughby

Lfm. Frederick C. Willoughby. 22.5.56, Kensington High Street.

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Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L04 - Carter & Bardens

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L04 - Carter & Bardens

Stn. O. Thomas Carter, Fm. James Anthony Bardens. 12.2.62, Wyndham Road, SE5.

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Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L05 - Owen

Highgate Cemetery - Fire - L05 - Owen

Fm. Donald Owen. 3.8.65, Wembley Fire Station.

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