Worshipful Brother Albert Leese was a " founding father " of the Fire Service Lodge No.8401. He died peacefully in his sleep whilst in hospital on Friday 28th December 2007.
The following eulogy was delivered at Albert's Commemoration service held on Thursday 10th January 2008 at Cannon Hill Road Crematorium. The service was very well attended with a large congregation from all walks of life which Albert graced with his presence and involvement.
In attendance at the Service were Firefighters from Coventry Fire Station who acted as Pall Bearers. Also present were the Colour Party and banner from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service where Albert had previously served.
It was a truly fitting date for the Service as it was on this exact date in 1972 when the Fire Service Lodge No.8401 was Consecrated.
Eulogy for Albert Leese Q.F.S.M., F.I.Fire E., P.Prov.S.G.W.
Albert was born on 5th. September 1914, the first of five sons of Albert and Dinah Leese of Burslem, Stoke on Trent. His father was in business as a coachbuilder, wheelwright and undertaker and as expected Albert left school at the age of 14 to take up an apprenticeship as a coachbuilder and wheelwright in the family business. Those skills remained with him for the rest of his life, as many can testify.
In 1935 Albert joined his father as a retained fireman in the City of Stoke-on-trent Fire Brigade in Burslem. From that moment the Fire Service would be in his blood. He attended evening classes at Burslem Technicalcollege to study maths ans science and in 1938 he broke the unwelcome news to his father that he had been successful in his application to become a full-time professional fireman.
Albert started his career at the Brigade Headquarters in Hanley. After the outbreak of the second world war Albert served in the mobile units which were formed to tackle the fires and destruction caused by successive bombing raids on major cities. Albert went to Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. On 14th Noember 1940 he was in Coventry during one of its' heaviest air-raids. his commander was killed in that raid. He never dreamt that Coventry would one day be his home.
After the war Albert resumed his studies, eventuaklly achieving the Fellowship of the Institution of Fire Engineers. He progressed in the Stoke brigade becoming Deputy Chief Officer in 1959.
When he was appointed Chief Officer in the City of Coventry Fire Brigade in 1961 he faced a real challenge. The brigade had been without a Chief for a year and Albert had to undertake an extensive programme which saw the Brigade rise from being ' on report ' to being one of the top ten brigades in the country within five years. he received the Queens Fire Service Medal in 1968.
In Stoke and Coventry, Albert fostered important links between the City brigades and industrial fire services. better a fire prevented than a fire attended, with potential loss of life and the destruction of property and livelihoods. Fire prevention was close to his heart and he always crusaded against a lowering of standards.
Throughout his long life Albert was supported by a loving family. he married Evelyn in 1940 and their daughter Valerie was born in 1946. Evelyn had suffered periodic ill-health for some years but it was a terrible shock when she died suddenly in 1972. Albert was very lucky to find happiness again with joan, a dear family friend. They have been evoted to each other for over 34 years. We often pulled his leg, saying that he had only lived such a long and healthy life because he had been so well looked after. usually he did not disagree !
Valerie married robert in 1968 and the arrival of their sons , Daniel in 1970 and benjamin in 1973 gave Albert much pleasure. He was a 'fun' grandad and he and his two grandsons formed a special and exclusive club : The Old pals. In 2002 Daniel married Fiona and the births of their sons Max - now aged 3 and ben aged 2 were a further sourse of great joy. In 2005 Benjamin became engaged to Angela and Albert was delighted when they moved from Glasgow to Stratford-upon-Avon in October 2007.
It was in the past 18 months that Albert began to suffer the increasing frustrations of an active mind with an aging body. Even so he was still cutting the grass on his motor mower only one month ago. As his health deteriorated recently Joan has been constant and devoted to Albert, caring for his every need.
Albert loved to be surrounded by his family and friends for good conversation and to put the world to rights ! His sudden death on 28th December at Walsgrave Hospital has come a great shock. As his grandson Daniel said "We all thought grandad was indestructable " .
Albert managed to pack so much into his 93 years and just a year ago when he was with all the family at Christmas he said " I would absolutely love to live my life again and i would not change a thing ".
Albert was an innovator. The welfare of his firemen was central and he provided modern breathing apparatus in numbers well above the minimum requirements. He worked with industry to develop a fire appliance to meet the needs of a modern Fire and Rescue Service. For example there was the facility to pump water or to use compressed air to operate saws etc. at the flick of a lever. He worked with lanchester Polytechnic ( now Coventry University ) and a paint manufacturer to produce the colour which made appliances most conspicuous : Coventry Fire Brigade Yellow. The Home Office was not receptive to this suggestion. Albert was a man of integrity; he was never afraid to stand up to Home Secretaries and HMIs when he knew that they were wrong even when warned that it would not help his career prospects !
Albert surrounded himself with a team of excellent officers and men with whom he was proud to work. When the City of Coventry Fire Brigade, the most advanced in the country, was sadly disbanded and absorbed into the West Midlands Fire Brigade in 1974 , Albert decided it was time to retire from active duty.
His interest int he Fire Service and his energy did not diminish. in 1971 Albert become the National President of the British Fire Services Association until he stood down from this role in 1982, he continued as Senior Vice-President. In this role he helped to foster links with Fire federations and their members in Europe and North America. he maintained these personal links right up to his death.
In addition to the Fire Service Albert began his long association with Freemasonry in 1955 when he joined the John O'Gaunt Lodge in the Province of Staffordshire. In 1972 he was a founder member of the Fire Service Lodge in the province of Warwickshire and he continued to be an active member. He was appointed Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden in 1990 ( P.Prov.S.G.W.)
Albert was an active Church member; he loved church choral music and over the decades his tenor voice has rung out in many churches and church halls in Warwickshire and Staffordshire. he was a church warden and chorister at St. Luke's in Hanley and at St.Mark's with St.Barnabas in Coventry and after his retirement he served the Bishop of Coventry in a number of roles. His sense of community responsibility led to him serving on many committes too numerous to mention.