The Lightning Shield For Rescue Work, presented to West Ham Police Swimming Club (K Division) October 1910, by Edward Cook & Co. Ltd, the soap & disinfectant specialists. Bow. London. E. Winners listed :-

1910 PC Frank Pile. 1911 PC Frank Pile. 1912 PC W Simmons.           1913 PC W Simmons. 1918 PC W Chiswell. 1919 PC W Simmons.      1920 PS House. 1922 PC Jarman. 1923 PC Burrell. 1924 PC Burrell.   1925 Stn Sgt House (promoted since 1920, perhaps?)                      1926 Stn Sgt House. 1927 PC T Brown. 1928 PC T Brown. 1929 PC T Brown (Bow) 1930 No Competition. 1931 PC Tuck (Limehouse)        1934 PC Gardner. 1936 PC Pratt.

Part of Newham Heritage & Archives collection

My father has related the following to me, about Grandad Charles. Bearing in mind this was the 20's.
Firemen are always joking with each other and constantly trying to catch each other out.
One day, Official photographs were being taken of all the Fire Officers  at West Ham station. It was Grandads turn, he presented himself to the photographer,and was positioned under the training tower. Standing there in his brass helmet and best uniform, at which point two of his mates who had been hiding above him , emptied buckets of water down on him.He was soaked.
They must have wetted themselves.Grandad turned around and looking up, said thats ok, its your uniform I'm wearing. Unbeknown to the jokers, someone tipped him off what was going to happen, so he went to thier lockers and put their uniform on instead of his.....
While a collegue was away on holiday,his brass helmet was located, the two screws holding the ridge on were undone, and a Mackeral placed inside  it was screwed back in place and returned to his locker, ready for his return in two weeks time.....
Grandad was given some lenghts of scrap wood at the firestation to take home. It was quite long, and he couldnt seem to get it on his bicycle, and ride at the same time. One of his mates told him to get on and he would secure it in place. Off Grandad went, through the traffic, to his address in West Ham. Unfortunately when he stopped he couldn't get off, no matter how he tried, he was stuck.His mate had deliberatley tied him and the wood the the cycle.He could only get off when his wife Eve heard him shouting for her to help him.
Oh such a laugh...

West Ham This Photograph is of some of the Officers and men at West Ham Fire Station, Barking Road, Canning Town. My Grandad, Charles Ronal Gedge is standing 3rd from the left on the rear row.

This was No. 44 West Ham Lane, a former police station, which became a lodging house. Note the ornate iron bracket above the front entrance, now without the famous "Blue Lamp."