Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
1883 - July 12, 1929 - 45 years old
One of the most experienced members of the Gillingham Fire Brigade
Arthur John Tabrett was the son of George Tabrett and his wife Margaret Stokes. He was born in Ashford, Kent. His siblings included: Eliza, Ernest, Phebe, Frank, Clara, Charles and Samuel. Samuel Thomas Tabrett, husband of Agnes Thomson, was killed in the Great War in France on June 30 1915. He died of his wounds and is buried in the Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery there. Sadly Samuel`s wife Agnes had passed away nine months after their 1913 marriage at the age of only twenty four.
On April 17 1918 another one of Arthur's brothers, Earnest Tabrett, would also become a casualty of The Great War. Earnest was killed in action and is memorialized on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium. Earnest had married Emily Davis in Medway in 1915.
His brother Frank would serve with the Royal Navy. He married Alice Tippins in Medway in 1918. Frank passed away in Kent in 1971 at the age of 93. Frank and Alice had three children, Irene born in 1921, Nelson in 1924 and Jack in 1926. Irene married Alfred Povey in 1943 in Kent. Nelson married Nancy Gorman in 1952 also in Kent.
Arthur's sister Phebe married Frank Leonard Smythe in Medway. In 1897 their son Leonard Earnest Smythe was born. Phebe sadly passed away in 1900 at the age of twenty six.
Clara married George Redgrave in 1900 in Kent. George was a stoker with the Royal Navy. Ellen married also in 1900 to George Henry Cordery. They would continue to live in Gillingham. Ellen and George would have several children, all born in Medway: Louisa born in 1904, George in 1905, Alice in 1907, Charles in 1909, William in 1911, Annie in 1915 and Ernest F in 1922. Ellen passed away in 1940 at the age of 58.
Arthur`s mother Margaret had passed away in 1925, his father George in March of 1929. Arthur was Uncle to Violet Tabrett and Leonard Tabrett. Arthur had served in the Royal Navy before the War, after which he settled down in Gillingham. During the war he was called up and after having served he returned to Gillingham. He was a storekeeper in the coporation yard.
Arthur married Anne Lyddon in 1909 in Medway, Kent. Together they had two sons who were three and ninteen when their father died. The youngest son, Arthur G Tabrett was born in late 1925. Their older son, William John Tabrett born in 1910, was his father's constant companion. William married Madge Gunn in 1931 in Medway and would eventually relocate to Malaysia (then known as Malaya) where he would work as a Government Officer and Madge as a fashion buyer. In 1957 the couple would return to Gillingham for a six month visit. They would stay at 46 Adelaide Street, the home his parents were living in when his father perished. Presumably his mother Anne would have still been living in their home at this time. Anne passed away in 1960 and is buried along side of Arthur.
Arthur was one of the oldest members of the Gillingham Fire Brigade. He had a record of 18 years in service. He had also helped with this type of demonstration for many years in the past. He was playing the part of the "Bridegroom" in the demonstration. Fireman Tabrett lost his life trying to save a comrade. Arthur did survive the initial fire and was conscious for some time. He did not make any statements regarding the fire. He died at St Bartholmew's Hospital at 6:30 pm the following day. Arthur was 45 when he died. His coffin was carried to the cemetery on a fire engine.
Arthur's parents George & Margaret Tabrett
c1913
Arthur's sister Eliza Annie Tabrett & her husband Augustus Benjamin Record
c 1920
Arthur's brother Frank Tabrett and his wife Alice Irene Tippins c1940
They were married in 1918 and had three children, Rene, Nelson and Jack.
Gillingham Fire Brigade c1923
photo provided by the Kent Fire & Rescue Service Museum
Fireman Tabrett is pictured here in the front row, far right side. All three firemen who perished in this tragedy are in this photo, Fireman Tabrett, Fireman Cokayne and Fireman Nicholls.
Also of interst in this photo is:
Frederick White
He was Gillingham's Chief Fire Officer in 1929 and present at the tragedy. He attempted to enter the burning building and also attempted to climb an escape ladder which crumbled beneath him. He was in charge of the demonstration that evening. He was present at the funeral and testified at the inquest.
Edwin Parker Bins
was the First Lieutenant in 1929. He had supervised the building of the "house". He was also a carpenter with the Gillingham Corporation. He was present at the tragedy and attempted to rescue the occupants. He was also present at the funeral and testified at the inquest.
Captain Joseph Plewis
He was present at the funeral and was retired by 1929
A. Daniel
It was A. Daniel's son , Cyril Daniel who identified the firemen in this photo. Cyril Daniel was a motor man employed by Gillingham Corporation and was also a Fireman. He was present at the tragedy and his hands were badly burnt that night. There was also a "Station Engineer Daniel present. Its not clear to me if this was A Daniel or not but likely was. Cyril testified at the inquest.
Frederick White
He was Gillingham's Chief Fire Officer in 1929 and present at the tragedy. He attempted to enter the burning building and also attempted to climb an escape ladder which crumbled beneath him. He was in charge of the demonstration that evening. He was present at the funeral and testified at the inquest.
Edwin Parker Bins
was the First Lieutenant in 1929. He had supervised the building of the "house". He was also a carpenter with the Gillingham Corporation. He was present at the tragedy and attempted to rescue the occupants. He was also present at the funeral and testified at the inquest.
Captain Joseph Plewis
He was present at the funeral and was retired by 1929
A. Daniel
It was A. Daniel's son , Cyril Daniel who identified the firemen in this photo. Cyril Daniel was a motor man employed by Gillingham Corporation and was also a Fireman. He was present at the tragedy and his hands were badly burnt that night. There was also a "Station Engineer Daniel present. Its not clear to me if this was A Daniel or not but likely was. Cyril testified at the inquest.
Biography published in the Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham Observer July 19th 1929
Arthur's grave
Left take January 2010
Right taken February 2011 after refurbishment by Medway Council
photos take by Geoff Gillon and John Sullivan
Fireman Arthur Tabrett's grave following the Commemoration Service July 10th 2011, flowers placed by his family. The note left is a poem written by his grandson Christopher Dominique Tabrett, read by Great Grandaughter Kenwyn Tabrett
Wooden cross made by Phil Oschefski of Canada, placed by his daughter Lori Oschefski
It was the summer of twenty-nine, the annual fete was doing fine,
The fire brigade was there that day to ‘wow’ the crowds with their display,
The ‘Fireman’s Wedding’ was the theme and Gillingham Park the tragic scene.
In years gone by this fine display had always capped the festive day,
They’d built the house, ‘Hot Villa’ named, three stories round a metal frame,
The ‘wedding party’ on floor three, were to be ‘saved’, by the firemen, you see.
To emulate fire, red smoke billowed out, firemen responded, strong men and stout.
But alas, in an instant, tragedy hit, the ‘house’ was aflame, the people still in it.
The fire was so fierce that no one survived, and fifteen brave soles ended their lives.
Firemen, Scouts and Navy cadets were all lost that day, and I’ll never forget,
That children perished, yes, there were nine, their lives cut short years before time.
Fireman Tabrett and Fireman Cokayne, attempting to save someone from the flames,
Both gave up their lives by going back in, brave heroes both, their loss, total sin.
But their names live for ever in the hearts of those here, names we will cherish, and always hold dear.
Tabrett family, Anne Cooper, Kenwyn Tabrett, Lynsey Cooper