South Yorkshire Times, October 27th, 1951
Honour For Fire Officer
At Mexboro’ Ceremony
Official opening of recently completed administrative quarter and enlarged appliance room at Mexborough Divisional Headquarters of the County Fire Service will take place to-morrow afternoon. Members of the County Fire Services Committee will attend the opening ceremony which follows an inspection of personnel at 4 p.m.
Official opening of the new extensions will be signified by the sounding of the fire alarm bells and manning of all fire appliances. In addition to improved administrative machine room facilities the station offers better social amenities. More up-to-date appliances delivered to the station in recent months include a £4,000 pump escape and new water tender.
After the opening a presentation is to be made to Retained Station Officer Leonard Heeson who, with the except of two years at Doncaster, has 27 years’ service to his credit with Mexborough Fire Service. .
He joined the old Mexborough Fire Brigade in 1923, as second engineer and helped to service a steam fire engine. He was made third officer in October 1926, and in 1937 was appointed Station Superintendent by Mexborough Urban Council.
He held that position until the Auxiliary Fire Service was formed when he became A.F.S. Commandant and later Column Officer, taking charge of Sub-Division 2 No. 3 Fire Service.
Station Officer Heeson, a 57-years-old boiler hand at the Kilnhurst works of Baker and Bessemer, lives at 2, Cowper Road, Mexborough. He holds the 10-years Bronze Medal and five-year Bar and to-morrow receives a Bronze Medal for 20 years’ service with a Bar for the additional five years’ service.