St Ives-a new millennium - Flipbook - Page 46
St Ives-a new millennium
4/10/02
3:47 pm
Page 44
Below: Charles ‘Big’Un’ Laurie, MBE
Photo: George Dellar/Canon EOS600
Charles was born at the Black Bull in St Ives
and left school at 13. When he was 16 he went
to work at Sainsbury’s in Chelmsford, and
while there joined the Salvation Army. At the
age of 26 he entered the Army’s college and
rose to the rank of Major. Years later he joined
the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea
Fishermen at Lowestoft. After only 2 years he
was made General Secretary and moved to the
Mission’s London Office where he stayed until
he retired.
When his wife died he returned to St Ives to be
near the family and his brother Lesley ‘Midge’
Laurie. ‘Big’Un’ was 91 when pictured here in
2002.
Above: Tony Train, firefighter
Photo: Stuart Littlewood/Ricoh XR7
Tony Train, a fireman for three-and-a-half years when this picture was taken in 1999, is seen here
going through a standard drill with hose and ladder.
The fire brigade used to be based in White Hart Lane, and the new fire station on Ramsey Road
opened in 1971. It has two Dennis appliances and also houses an Occupational Health Unit. The
station is equipped as an emergency control centre and has a current strength of 20 firemen,
headed by station commander Andy Watts. They are all ‘retained’ as opposed to full-time and
respond to nearly 400 emergency calls a year.
Page 44
