Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers Long Service Medal. Silver issue (Superintendent R. Newsham, 1918.)
King's Police Medal: Awarded King's Police Medal (for gallantry) published in London Gazette issue of, 10 May 1918. An award in respect of the 'White Lund Ordnance Factory Explosion', on 1 October 1917, for which event no less than 4 x Edward Medals (in silver) and 8 x King's Police Medals were awarded
Quote (London Gazette, 10 May 1918),
His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal in Silver to:
- Thomas Coppard
- Abraham Clarke Graham
- Thomas Kew
- and Thomas Tattersall
also the King's Police Medal to:
- Fred Brocklehurst
- William Bramwell Hodgson
- D'Arcy Benson Moffat
- Richard Newsham
- George Albert Oakes
- Alonzo Savage
- Daniel Devine Sloa
- and William Andrew Wearing
on account of their gallant conduct on the occasion of a fire which occurred at a Munitions Factory on the, 1st October, 1917.
Unquote.
A summary of the explosion is provided courtesy of the 'Heysham Heritage Centre:
Quote,
White Lund Explosion, October 1917
The Ministry of Munition commissioned the National Filling Factory at White Lund and construction began in November 1915 with output from the factory starting seven months later in 1916. The site covered 400 acres and consisted of approximately 150 buildings. The factory received empty shells from other locations such as the projectile factory on Caton Road (Lancaster), which were then filled with explosives including amatol. More than 8,000 people worked in the White Lund and Caton Road factories at their peak, and three quarters of the workers were women
On the evening of October 1st 1917, an explosion occurred at the filling factory at White Lund which was so strong its force was felt as far away as Burnley and Rossendale. Fortunately, the majority of factory workers were still on their break in the canteen when the fire alarm was raised at around 10.30 pm. A fire had started in one of the melt plants and during the night ten people were killed, the majority of whom were firemen, although others were seriously injured.
Numerous explosions took place overnight, with the biggest occurring at around 3.00 am. Shells which had been filled at the factory began to explode and were seen flying overhead into Morecambe Bay and Lancaster. Some people's homes shook so violently that ornaments fell off their mantelpieces, and many families were so scared they moved out of the area, fearing more danger.
By the morning of the 4th October 1917 the factory was almost entirely destroyed and remained out of commission for the rest of the war. Staff were paid off and given an extra fortnight's wages. The cause of the disaster was never established, and some suspected the cause to be sabotage by spies or the result of a Zeppelin air raid.
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Portrait photograph: Reference the Lancashire Evening Post issue of 8 December 1914, the below following article with named photograph was published:
Quote,
BARROW FIRE BRIGADE
MR. R. NEWSHAM APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT
The Barrow Corporation, yesterday, appointed Mr. R. Newsham as Superintendent of the Barrow Corporation Fire Brigade, in succession to the late Mr. J. H. Blezard.
The new Superintendent was born at Fleetwood 33 years ago, and subsequently lived with his parents at Piel, near Barrow. For five years he was assistant and sea fishery bailiff at the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries villa and hatchery at Piel, and then he became junior engineer in the Barrow Fire Station under the late chief. In 11½ years service in the fire brigade, Mr. Newsham has shown many good qualities
Besides having won several trophies in fire brigade competitions for smartness and skill, he holds a medal presented to him by Barrow Watch Committee for helping to save life at a fire which occurred at the Barrow Cycling Club premises. He rose to be first engineer to his brigade, and during the late superintendent's illness took temporary charge of the station and brigade. He is a married man and will reside in the house attached to the station, which was recently erected at a cost of, £7,500.
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The Morecombe Guardian issue of, 30 August 1935, contained and article pertaining to the award of the, Jubilee Medal 1935, as under:
Quote,
FIRE CHIEF HONOURED
Superintendent Richard Newsham, of the Barrow Borough Fire Brigade, was on Monday night presented with the King's Silver Jubilee medal. He was born at Fleetwood, and at one time was assistant and sea fisheries bailiff at the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries laboratory at Piel. He joined the Barrow Fire Brigade as a junior engineer under the late Superintendent J. H. Blezard, and in 1914 was appointed Superintendent.
He holds the King's medal for services at a fire at the filling station at, White Lund, Morecambe
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Also see Fleetwood Chronicle issue of, 4 June 1937:
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Local Boy Makes Good
"Local boy makes good" is a familiar modern title for the kind of story that is always interesting, a variant of the Cinderella theme which has pleased people from the time the first author put style to clay.
Hence attention is caught by the announcement that, Supt. Richard Newsham, Chief of Barrow-in-Furness Corporation Fire Brigade, and holder of the King's medal, has been elected President of the Professional Fire Brigades' Association., for Supt. Newsham is a native of Fleetwood.
As a boy he went to Barrow-in-Furness with his parents, and lived at Roa Island, where in his youth he was employed in the laboratory and hatchery of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries.
In 1903 he joined the Borough Fire Brigade as a junior engineer, and in 1915, was appointed to his present position. He was awarded the King's Medal, for the part he played at the great fire at White Lund, Morecambe, during the war, a fire which many people on this side of the bay still have vivid memories.
Before that he had received the Barrow Watch Committee's medal for meritorious conduct at a fire in Barrow. Three years ago he was made president of the Lancashire Fire Brigade's Friendly Society.
Unquote.
Richard Newsham son of Richard Newsham (a 'Bargee') & Mary Newsham (nee Halsall), was a native of Fleetwood, Lancashire, England, where he was born in 1883. Richard is recorded as having died in Lancashire, England, on, 9 June 1940
A splendid medal of considerable Barrow-in-Furness local history interest
Condition: VF
Code: 22167