Frank Bailey (firefighter)
Frank Bailey | |
|---|---|
 Bailey in 1955 | |
| Born | Frank Arthur Bailey 26 November 1925 |
| Died | 2 December 2015 (aged 90) |
| Known for | One of the first black firefighters in the UK |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
Frank Arthur Bailey (26 November 1925 – 2 December 2015) was a Guyanese-British firefighter and social worker who is known as being one of the first black firefighters in the United Kingdom.
Life
Frank Arthur Bailey was born in British Guiana on 26 November 1925 and was educated at local church schools.[1][2] He went on to become an engineering apprentice and worked on a German ship as a coal trimmer.[2] He moved to New York, United States, and found work at a hospital initially as a porter but soon became a medical assistant within the physiotherapy department.[2] At the hospital, he successfully led a walkout in opposition to racially segregated dining facilities.[2] He was married to Isabella Maven but they divorced later.[2]
In 1953, shortly after returning to British Guiana, Bailey moved to London, England.[3] He attended a Trades Union Congress conference where a Fire Brigades Union (FBU) delegate told him that black people were not employed by the fire service because they were "not educated or strong enough" though he challenged this by applying as a firefighter.[3][1] In 1955, he was accepted by the West Ham Fire Brigade and served at the Silvertown Fire Station in East London.[2][3][1] He became the first black full-time firefighter in London and possibly the UK.[1] However, there are some reports of black firefighters serving during World War II.[1] Soon after, he became the FBU branch representative and befriended the then FBU general secretary, John Horner.[2]
In 1965, he left the service due to being systematically turned down for promotions whilst white firefighters were being promoted ahead of him.[2][3] According to Michael Nicholas, a former FBU national secretary for black and ethnic minority members, this was due to the inherent racism within the service.[3] He was then employed as a social worker in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London and became one of the first black mental welfare officers and psychiatric social workers.[2] He then worked as a guardian ad litem and subsequently retired in 1997.[2] During this time he was also the first black legal advisor to black young people at Marylebone Magistrates Court.[1]
He married his second wife Josie Munro though it resulted in divorce. Later on, Bailey married Joy Greenall which also ended in divorce.[2]
He died on 2 December 2015 aged 90.[1][2] He is survived by his three daughters, Rebecca from his second marriage; Jumanne and Alexis from his third marriage.[2]
Honours
On 26 November 2020, his 95th birthday was honoured by Google in a Google Doodle in the UK.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Honour guard for funeral of London's first black firefighter". ITV News. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Nicholas, Michael (26 January 2016). "Frank Bailey obituary". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e Browne, Kesewaa (31 October 2018). "The black history you might not learn at school". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Frank Bailey's 95th birthday". Google Doodle. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)