Genealogy Chat

Hi My GGrandfather was in the fire brigade at the Woolwich Arsenal for definate 1900 - 1909 but probably longer. I'm trying to get photo's or documents relating to the fire brigade here but have had no sucess whatsoever. Does anyone have any good suggestions? Does anyone have access to any relavant material. It would be great to find something! Look forward to hearing any ideas! (Posted this on the wrong board before - sorry!)

Mandy If you just type Woolwich Arsenal into your search box, you can get a link to their website. It seems to have lots of info on it including photos so that would be a good place to start Lou

Hi Lou Thanks for this, I have seen this site but it doesn't seem to have anything on the fire brigade. Unfortunately the MOD decided that after 100 years of someones birth they would destroy all information about them relating to the arsenal as they didn't think anyone would be interested. I guess I'm reliant on someone perhaps having old archives or photos that have slipped through the net... Thanks for your help. Mandy

Mandy Have you tried the National Archives at Kew? Lou

No I haven't tried there actually, that would be a good place to contact - thanks!

Hi Mandy, I found a useful link, through www dot ideal-homes dot org dot uk, to Greenwich Council. There were photographs of old Woolwich and the Arsenal c.1900. They may have something - can't promise anything mind you. Good luck. Jan Mandy they took out the address I'll try again its Ideal Homes org

Jan Try putting brackets round your (.) (org)!!! Lou

Thank you Lou, I put the word dot, thought that would work, obviously not. I'll remember for next time. Cheers. Jan

Jan - Many thanks for this, I'll look it up and fingers crossed, you never know I might be lucky! Mandy

Hi Jan did you manage to get onto that Greewich site re Woolwich Arsenal, My great grandfather was a policeman on the gate there C1900,and i was told the same that everything gets distroyed after 100 years of there birth. I also had two great aunts whp worked there during the war so i am very interested. Val

Hi Val I found that site by accident while trawling for info on the Arsenal. Both sides of my immediate family were at the Arsenal in one capacity or another well before and into the early 1900s; my Nan actually wrote an article for the local paper about 2 years before she died in 1987. She was one of only a handful of workers of those times still surviving. My cousin is contacting the local newspapers to try to get a copy of the article. There were photos on the Greenwich Council site and I mailed them about copies - unfortunately as is often the case no-one responds. Hope you have better luck than me. Please let me know if you do 'cos I am still trying. The website link was - I hope it works this time - www(.)ideal-homes(.)org(.)uk. If this gets blanked out will mail you the address direct. Good luck. Jan

Hi Jan Just tried the site got on it okay ,so i will have a good look after i have got tea ready ,it looks very interesting ,will let you know how i get on. Thanks Jan Regards Val

Thank you Val. Good luck. J

If you googal Fire Brigade Museum you will get lot of hits. Also you could enquier at your area HQ (Fire Brigade) for help.

Many thanks for this Peter, I'll take a look and see if I can come up with something! Mandy

Lou and Jan It's only if the "dot" precedes "co" or "com" that the site suppresses the URL - and they do stay in sight if you put inverted commas around them! I've followed someone else's example and put in an asterisk which is easily deleted - so long as it's between the punctuation mark and the "co". Incidentally that applies whatever the actual word is Cornwall would be just as suppressed after a "dot"! Having said that, I've just read the guidelines (top right) and apparently they picture us helping one another without putting up any website addresses! Christine

I've just read that too now that I've logged back in. Can see lots of PMs starting if we are to try to continue helping one another. Which I thought was the idea of the Tips Board. Jan

HI Mandy I have a grandfather who was a Marine Engineer in the Woolwich Arsenal He died in 1923. With so many connections to the Woolwich Arsenal we should have a special site for it. HA.HA. Must have been a busy place.

I've managed to get a contact to the Heritage centre in Greenwich and they say they have a fair bit of stuff on the Arsenal, I'm going to send off for it and would be happy to keep anyone updated that's interested! Mandy

Dont know about busy, was certainly noisy......LOL