Arthur Reginald Dyer Explained

Arthur Reginald Dyer (11 May 1877 - 4 May 1951^[1]) was a fire officer who from 1918 to 1933 held the post of Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade.

Life

Born in Alton, Hampshire to Louisa Susannah Dowling and her builder-surveyor husband John Herbert Dyer,^[2] he attended Dane Hill House, a private boarding school in Cliftonville, Kent.^[3] He joined the London Fire Brigade around 1902. By 1911 he was already a Divisional Officer within it, stationed at Euston and living on Euston Square.^{[4] [5]}

There were 118 applications for the post of Chief Officer in 1918, with Dyer, Aylmer Firebrace and Captain William Reginald Denys Crowther RN in the final three. Dyer had been Acting Chief Officer for a time and his selection for the role itself was recommended by the General Purposes Committee to London County Council at its meeting on 3 June 1919.^{[6] [7]} In 1933 he retired to St Leonard's-on-Sea, where he died.

Notes and References

1. 'Obituary', The Times, 15 May 1951, page 8
2. Web site: RG 11 - 1881 Census Returns - HAMPSHIRE - Registration District 106.ALTON. National Archives.
3. Web site: RG 12 - General Register Office: 1891 Census Returns - Subseries within RG 12 - KENT - Subsubseries within RG 12 - Registration District 62.THANET. National Archives.
4. Web site: RG 14 - General Register Office: 1911 Census Schedules - Subseries within RG 14 - London - Subsubseries within RG 14 - St Pancras - Part 29. National Archives.
5. 'The London Sewer Accident - Resumed Inquest and Verdict', The Times, 8 April 1913, page 4
6. 'New Chief of London Fire Brigade', The Times, 2 June 1919, page 18
7. The Times, 5 June 1919, page 14