Title
Secretary's general correspondence.
For this whole period, the secretary is Herbert Arthur Crickmer of Hillway, Woburn Sands [Buckinghamshire], employed at the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield, who had spent many years engineering in the Far East [letter, 1957] and had a prolonged illness [letter, 1955]. Throughout the correspondence, Mr Crickmer is courteous, eloquent, persuasive, considerate, not without humour and clearly competent. The bundle includes correspondence re: rationing of petrol affecting the annual Competition [1957]; resignation of Alderman A.L.Nicholls M.C. as President [1959]; offer and acceptance of Presidency by Simon Whitbread J.P. [1961]; arrangements for visits to various establishments to see fire precautions; letter of condolence re: the death of Mr Skinner, formerly treasurer [1958]; details of drills in annual Competitions; resignation of Chairman Mr W.M.Shaw of Stewartby House [1958]; congratulations to F.H.Dillingham of W.H.A.Robertson & Co.Ltd. re: long service [1958]; synopsis of Walt Disney cartoon films I'm No Fool with Fire and Motor Mania [1957]; mention of foggy weather [1957]; thanks for honorarium by Doris E. Thorpe of Podington [1955]; the merits of confederation, and a draft constitution of the National Advisory Council for Industrial & Private Brigades [1953-1955]. The bundle includes headed letters from:
Bedfordia Coaches, Kempston [1955]
The Bedford & District Private Fire Brigades' Association [1960]
Bedford Plough & Engineering Co. Ltd., Bedford [1955]
Bedfordshire County Fire Service, Bedford [1961]
Borough of Bedford's Water Engineers' Office [1957]
Britannia Iron & Steel Works Ltd, Bedford [1956, 1960]
Central Electricity Generating Board, Eastern Division, Bedford [1960]
Cosmic Crayon Co. Ltd, Bedford [1961]
Cryselco Ltd, Kempston [1955]
Diemer & Reynolds Ltd., Bedford [1955]
Flowers Breweries Ltd, Luton [1958-9]
Igranic Electric Co.Ltd, Bedford [1955,1959]
Howard & Dennis Ltd., Bedford [1955]
London Brick Co. Ltd, Stewartby [1959]
Meltis Ltd, Bedford [1956, 1959]
Motor Rail Ltd, Bedford [1960]
R.B.Sanders & Co (Kempston) Ltd [1956, 1960] (Major) Simon Whitbread J.P., Southill Park, Biggleswade [1960]
Vauxhall Motors Ltd, Luton [1958-9]
W.H.Allen Sons & Co Ltd, Bedford [1955,1960]
It also includes headed letters from companies out of county:
Associated Electrical Industries (Rugby) Ltd [Warwickshire, 1960];
Boots Pure Drug Co. Ltd [Nottingham, 1958];
The British Tabulating Machine Co. Ltd., Letchworth [Hertfordshire, 1954, 1959];
The British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd., Rugby [Warwickshire, 1958];
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research and Fire Offices' Committee, Boreham Wood [Hertfordshire, 1955];
Fire Protection Association [London, 1956];
George Angus & Co.Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne [Northumberland, 1955];
Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, Welwyn [Hertfordshire, 1959];
K & L Steelfounders and Engineers Ltd, Letchworth [Hertfordshire, 1958, 1961];
London County Council London Fire Brigade [1956];
Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, London Airport [1957];
National Advisory Council for Industrial and Private Brigade [Leicester, 1955]
S. Dixon & Son Ltd., Leeds [Lancashire, 1955];
Thomas Fattorini Ltd, Regent Street Works, Birmingham [medals & trophies, 1952, 1955];
Turners Asbestos Cement Co. Ltd., Manchester [Lancashire, 1957];
Walt Disney Productions Ltd., Pall Mall [London, 1957]