Alfred Best was born on 20 March 1874, the third of the four children of Robert Best (1848-1918) and Maria Ann Best née Kinshot (1841-1905). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1874 in the Dorking Registration District, Surrey. On 26 April 1874 he was baptised in St Paul's Church, Dorking, where in the baptismal register his family were shown to be living in Dorking and that his father was a labourer.
He was shown as aged 7 years and a scholar in the census that was undertaken on 3 April 1881. He was living at Spring Gardens, Station Road, Dorking, with his parents and his three siblings who were also described as scholars: Emily Best (b.1870); Robert Henry Best (b.1872) and Amy Louisa Best (b.1876). His father was listed as a labourer wharfman.
On 15 September 1890 he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Class 2, service number 157397 and was posted to HMS St Vincent, a boys' training ship. He was described as aged 17 years and a member of the crew of HMS St Vincent that was stationed in Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire, when the census was compiled on 5 April 1891. He was promoted to Boy Class 1 on 1 October 1891. On 20 March 1892, his 18th birthday, he signed on for 12 years service in the Royal Navy and was rated as an Ordinary Seaman. On 21 December 1893 he was promoted to Able Seaman.
He was recorded as aged 27 years and an Able Seaman on the census that was complied on 31 March 1901. He was serving aboard HMS Royal Sovereign, a 1st class battleship that on the night of the census was in the Grand Harbour, Malta.
Having served aboard many ships and completing his 12 years of service he was discharged from the Royal Navy on 4 April 1904.
On 14 October 1907 he married Bertha Jane Roberts (1884-1953) in the Parish Church of St James, Hatcham, Lewisham, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 33 years, a bachelor and a Fireman living in the London County Council's Fire Station, Shooters Hill, the son of Robert Best, a carpenter, whilst his wife was described as aged 25 years and a spinster who was residing at 67 Childeric Road, Lewisham, the daughter of Ignatius Roberts, a deceased bank clerk.
He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on 5 September 1908.
When their daughter, Edith May Annie Best (1910-1997), was baptised on 28 August 1910 at St Peter's Church, Lee, London, the baptismal register shows the family living at Lee Green Fire Station.
When he completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 he described himself as aged 37 years and a Fireman in the London County Council's London Fire Brigade. He was living with his wife and daughter in two rooms at Lee Green Fire Station, 9 Eltham Road, Lee, London.
On 2 August 1914 he was recalled to active naval service, again serving on several ships until he was demobilised, aged 43 years, on 27 July 1917. He was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
His daughter attended the Plum Lane School, Greenwich, from 26 May 1915 where the admissions register shows that the family were residing at the Fire Station. She left the school on 19 May 1916 when the family left the neighbourhood.
He was a fireman who was based at Shadwell Fire Station, whose death was registered as aged 46 years in the 4th quarter of 1920 in the Whitechapel Registration District, London.
He died on 1 November 1920, together with Firemen John Coleman and Harry Joshua Green, from injuries sustained as a result of a gas explosion that occurred whilst fighting a fire at a rubber store at Lower Oliver's Wharf, Wapping, London. Their joint funeral service was held on 6 November 1920 at St Paul's Church, Shadwell, London and their at Fireman's Corner, Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ.
He is shown as "A. BEST" on the London Fire Brigade memorial in Highgate Cemetery. He is also commemorated on the Firefighters National Memorial in Sermon Lane, London, EC4, on the , on the and on the . The has a short film of the funeral of all three of these firemen.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them