History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

This is a story of incredible bravery just after the end of WWII. On 8 May 1945 the whole country celebrated the end of the war in Europe and on 15 August the war against Japan ended.  A week later at 1.20 in the early morning of 22 August, Percy Coston a Green Line bus driver, who lived in Harlesden was woken up by his daughter shouting, ‘Fire, Dad!’ He got up and found the fire was next door at No.5 Craven Park Road. From the street he saw two young girls shouting for help from a window on the second floor which was on fire.  Percy ran the 250 yards to the Jubilee Clock where he pulled the fire alarm causing a bell to ring at the local station. The Willesden fire brigade responded within minutes and took him back to Craven Park Road where they set up their escape ladder. No.5 was a five-room house above a shop and the two upper floors were well alight by the time they arrived.  Fireman Frederick Davies ran up the ladder followed by Leading Fireman Norman Thorn. At this ...