Looking back: ‘Colourful life behind the wheel for Peterborough’s Tom’

Tom Brazier pictured by Peterborough street photographer Chris Porsz in his ambulance in 1999.

Paramedic Tom Brazier was pictured sitting in a GMC Tri-Star Chevrolet ambulance while with Chris on duty in Cathedral Square in 1999.

Tom was born in 1938 and during the London Blitz he was evacuated from Paddington to Spalding.

He returned to the ‘Big Smoke’ and later worked in Billingsgate market and on the railways, before completing his national service in Germany and Cyprus. He came to Peterborough in the early sixties to drive buses and joined the ambulance service in 1967.

Tom Brazier pictured by Peterborough street photographer Chris Porsz in the recreation of the 90s image.

He was promoted to a leading ambulance man and during the 1970s he often dealt with horrendous road accidents due to the absence of seat belts or breathalysers, and all with minimum equipment and training.

He became one of the first paramedics in the early eighties and after 37 years of service he retired around 2005.

He is a real ale aficionado, an avid reader of the history of the First and Second World Wars and his house is packed with books and war memorabilia. With his wife Marie, he visited the battlefields of France and travelled to many countries.

In the early nineties he volunteered to drive lorries for humanitarian convoys to Bosnia.

Tom Brazier pictured by Peterborough street photographer Chris Porsz with his beloved greyhound Dee.

When Marie became ill, Tom cared for his beloved wife of 30 years with great devotion.

She died four years ago and Tom is now looked after by his son Don and daughter Mandy.

He has four grandchildren and two great grandchildren who bring him great joy.

Chris said: “Tom really enjoyed the reunion photo taken in a Mercedes outside his house in local Ravensthorpe and I had to stop him driving off on blue lights and sirens again!

“We laughed about the time he attended a man collapsed on the stage at the Cresset theatre.

“Tom asked for his name and wrote down Alvin Stardust on his patient report form and then proceeded to cut off his £2000 sequin studded jump suit which Alvin was not very happy about!

“I also reminded Tom of the job he had on a house boat when he dropped our drug bag into the river and it went floating down the Nene!

“The second photo of Tom in 2019 with his greyhound Dee, who later died, is taken from my book Barking!”