Object Category: Uniform

 

Object Type: Side Cap

 

Object Name: Women’s NFS Side Cap

 

Service Category: Fire and Rescue

 

Accession: SHENE.2023.03

 

Visual Description: Dark blue and red folding side cap, made of wool with two plain brass buttons at the front.  

 

Abstract: This side cap, or field service cap, belonged to Marian Cryer (1916-1992) of the National Fire Service (NFS). Marian joined the NFS on the 5th March 1942. The youngest of eight siblings, Marian served with her brothers at Malton Fire Station, North Yorkshire, and trained at Minsteracres Fire Service College in Co. Durham.

 

Service context: Wartime Response Services

 

The outbreak of World War Two (1939-1945) saw the reorganisation of the UK’s emergency services into nationally organised wartime response units. Civilian volunteer services were formed in the run-up to war, including the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) which ran an ambulance section and wardens in 1937, and the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in 1938. A reorganisation during the war in 1941 saw the AFS merge with the professional fire brigades to form the National Fire Service (NFS) while the ARP was renamed the Civil Defence Service.

 

Object date: c.1942-1945

 

Museum Collection: Core Collection

 

Object Collection: Marian Cryer Collection

 

Source Category: Donation

 

Location: On Display

 

Associated objects: AG: SHENE.2023.03

 

Associated events: World War Two