Person    | Male  Born 19/5/1932  Died 17/7/1969

Fm. Terence Breen

Fm. Terence Breen

Fireman killed in the Dudgeon's Wharf explosion.

Andrew Behan has researched Breen: Fireman Terence Joseph Patrick Breen was born on 19 May 1932 and his birth was registered in Stepney. He was a son of Patrick Breen and Catherine Breen née Wilson. His father was a Public Works Contractor's Labourer. The 1932 England & Wales Register shows the family living at 89 Cornwallis Road, Dagenham.

Married with three children, on 17 July 1969 he was attached to Fire Station F22 Brunswick Road, (this station was closed in the 1970's and given listed grade II listed status and its address is now 30 Gillender Street,London, E14 6RH), and was sent to a fire at Dudgeon's Wharf, Manchester Road, Millwall. He died, aged 37 years, from injuries resulting from an explosion involving flammable vapours in an old oil tank that was in the process of being demolished. He had twelve years service in the London Fire Brigade. Probate records dated 2 December 1969 stating administration of his estate was granted gives his address as 71 Eastbrook Drive, Rush Green, Romford. His effects totalled £7,220. He is also commemorated on the National Firefighters Memorial in Sermon Lane, London, EC4.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Fm. Terence Breen

Commemorated ati

Dudgeon's Wharf explosion - oblong plaque

The unveiling of this plaque was reported in the East London Advertiser of 24...

Read More

Dudgeon's Wharf explosion - red plaque

Unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the fire.

Read More

Other Subjects

Terry Hunt

Terry Hunt

Terence James Hunt was born on 12 December 1957 and lived in Chadwell Heath, Essex. He was a firefighter attached to Silvertown fire station who died, aged 33 years, on 10 July 1991 while fighting...

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy

2 memorials
Edward Henry Snook

Edward Henry Snook

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Edward Henry Snook was born on 16 April 1904 in Limehouse, the seventh of the eleven ch...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Charles Albert Goodwyn

Charles Albert Goodwyn

Charles Albert Goodwyn was born on 26 February 1906 in Southwark, one of the nine children of Frederick William Goodwyn (b.1870) and Elizabeth Goodwyn née Harris (1870-1945). In the 1911 census he...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
L. W. G. Wilson

L. W. G. Wilson

Station Officer -  One of two men (with Frederick Mitchell) who gave their lives at Soho Fire Station on 7th October 1940. London Fire Journal gives his name as William Wilson. See Mitchell for som...

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Fm. Arthur Batchelor
War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial