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These pictures are sections of a group photo taken outside
the Central Fire-station, downtown Beaumont, ca. 1926.
| W.J. "Bill" Wilkinson - center |
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| W.J. Wilkinson-3rd from the right |
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Today this station houses the museum and the administrative offices, including Arson Investigation.
If
anyone knows the names of any of these firemen, please send the name and describe where they are in the photos and I will
post their names here.
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| My grandfather outside Central Fire Station |
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My grandfather, Bill Wilkinson outside of the old Central Fire Station--1926.
He had recently joined the fire department.
Bill retired in 1973 as District Fire Chief and C.A. "Pete" Shelton succeeded
him. Pete loved my grandfather. They were very close and several of the firemen, including Pete attended my grandmother's
funeral in 1998.
Uncle Jep
was a Battalion Chief. At this time, I am not sure what position Uncle Onion held.
If anyone reading this attended my grandfather's
funeral in 1989, & took photos, please send me an email.
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1954 Beaumont Enterprise and Journal headline:
"Bridges Named Shift Caption at Central Fire Station, Wilkinson to Head No. 9"
(click
image below to view actual size)
I found a copy of Robert Bridges' obit from the Beaumont Enterprise
(my grandmother's collection of friends and family), however the year was not listed. When I locate it, I will update
his obit.:
Mr. Bob Bridges, 78, of 1930 Gilbert, died at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, December 14, at St. Elizabeth
Hospital.
He was a native of Temple, Texas and came to Beaumont in 1919. Soon after being discharged from the U.S.
Navy in World War I, he joined the Beaumont Fire Department in 1919. He retired as District Fire Chief in 1962.
He
was a member of World War Veterans Association, life member of the Sabine Fire Chief's Association, and a member of Masonic
Lodge No. 1165 and a former member of the Scottish Rite of Galveston. He was also a former Red Cross instructor.
Funeral services will be at 3:30 p.m. in the chapel of Kelly-Hixon Funeral Home with Dr. Wallace Schook, pastor of the First
United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Pete Shelton,
Albert Smith, Raymond Westman, James Hannan, Harold Heidecker and W. J. Wilkinson. All members of the Beaumont Fire Department
are designated as honorary pallbearers.
Survivors includes his wife, Mable bridges of Beaumont; one daughter, Mrs.Wayne
(Bille Lee) McGee of London, England; two sons, Bob Bridges, Jr. of Beaumont and Rodney Bridges of Dallas. He is also survived
by 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
This photo of a fireman's funeral from my grandparent's photo album. The date on the back states "Oct. 20, 1947" but there isn't a name.Click
on the image to see a larger version. I found a program flyer from the Oct. 9, 1984 event at the old Central Fire Department.
There was an insert titled "Deceased & Retired Firefighters". On Oct 18, 1947 William Smith
passed away.
Ralph D. Shelton ~ June 24, 1902 to March 5, 1979
Click the link below for some old photos of Beaumont,Texas. I found "OldFamilyPhotos.com" while searching for images of the old
Central Fire Station. There are 2 old fire horses buried under the floor of the Central Station, which now houses the Fire Museum of Texas.
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![Bill_wilkinson.jpg](http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=300&linkpath=http://www.texashistoryhunter.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bill_wilkinson.jpg&target=tlx_picgcts&title=W.J. "Bill" Wilkinson - center)
