Hyatt Family Tree

Bernard was born at 6 Hoxton Sq, Hackney, London, Middlesex and By 1949 he was living at 47 Cadogan Gardens, Wanstead, E18, and by 1951 at 80 Kings Head Hill Chingford E4. He was Managing Director of Hyatt & Sons, Trimming manufacturers, the family business. The company moved from Hoxton to Dalston around 1960 where it was the subject of a fire that destroyed it. It then relocated to Mitcham, Surrey. The family later moved to Salisbury rd Carshalton, Surrey, then on retirement to Washford, North Devon. Later, after the business became bankrupt in the 1970's, he became a rehabilitation training officer for the Civil Service in Croydon, Surrey, working for Remploy.

During WW2 his wife and family lived in Penzance, Cornwall. Bernard himself was in a reserved occupation, so he stayed in London and also joined the ARF (Auxilliary Fire Service). No records survive of these brave men. He was also said to be a concientious objector, but I have found no evidence to support this family rumour.

http://www.ppu.org.uk/coproject/guide.html#10
...[ There was also compulsory firewatching imposed upon concientious objectors (standing by to look out for fires caused by bombing during air raids, and doing what was possible to deal with them pending the arrival of the fire service). From 1941 men, and from 1942 women, could be required to share in firewatching either at places of work or in the street in which they lived. Some pacifists took the view that while they would always voluntarily help neighbours in distress, as in an air raid (and had already done so when occasion required), they would not register for a rota under a compulsory scheme that was part of the "war effort". There was no provision for conscientious objection to firewatching, with the result that a number of men and women were fined and even imprisoned for refusing this legal requirement. ]...

Note regarding the loss of the Auxilliary Fire Service records: National Fire Service personnel files would probably have been passed to the local fire brigades and later routinely destroyed, in line with standard practice. The service cards for the National Fire Service were not preserved. These records held information about pay rates but did not give details of individuals' names, addresses etc. The records had been rejected by a number of organisations on the grounds that the amount of information contained was insufficient to justify the expense incurred in their preservation. There are no surviving personnel records for the Air Raid Precautions (ARP). Both the Auxiliary Fire Service and National Fire Services are long since defunct so it is improbable that any current government department would be holding further records for either of them.

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Auxiliary_Fire_Service_and_National_Fire_Services%2C_World_War_Two

The Home Secretary gives notice that in pursuance of Section 2 (1) of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act, 1920, he has made an Order authorising the employment, on two day-shifts, of women of 18 and young persons of 16 years of age and over in making crocheted fringe by machinery at the works of Messrs. Arthur Hyatt and Son Limited, 54A, Falkirk Street, N.I, subject to the conditions that a worker shall not be employed in the afternoon shift in consecutive weeks and that suitable accommodation for clothing put off during working hours, adequate arrangements for taking meals at the works and facilities for sitting shall be provided. Whitehall, 15th September, 1932. The London Gazette Issue 33864 published on the 16 September 1932.

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to section 353 (3) of the Companies Act, 1948, that at the expiration of three months from the date of the publication of this notice, the names of the Companies Mentioned in the list hereunder will, unless cause is shown to the contrary, be struck off the Register, and the Companies will be dissolved, LIST 2122 ... [Arthur Hyatt & Son Limited]... The London Gazette Issue 45471 published on the 14 September 1971.