History published February 2001

RAMBLINGS

There has been a quite a bit of interest in the history of the Devonport Fire Brigade recently. Firstly a gentleman rang to say he had purchased one of the old engines and did the museum hold any photographs of it.

This machine a Canadian Model T Ford was originally bought by Devonport Station in 1915. The second photograph shows this engine with the volunteers. Does anyone know who the small child with the hat on is?  It is thought that it was hard to start. It could take up to 4mins to crank into life. (not much good when you are in a hurry) and a new Engine was purchased  1921. This one had the nickname “ firefly”, presumably since it went fast to fires. One day it was going too fast and it turned over on the corner of Calliope rd and Russell St. killing the Fire Chief J.Le Scelles. The fire was a false alarm.

I then had a call from one of the current members of the brigade asking for similar information. He was endeavouring to put together the history of the brigade for the Fire service.

Therefore today’s Ramblings is about what I could find out to date. If you have further information out there then I am sure both of these gentlemen would appreciate any additional material.

According to T Walsh’s publication, the first mention of a fire service for the area was in a letter written by a Mr Phillips to the then District Highway Trustees. He suggested they consider purchasing a fire bell and a small portable fire extinguisher. The matter was deferred.

Then in 1885 a public meeting was held to form the first fire service for the Township. It was a “hook and ladder brigade” as there was a lack of e water to employ large amounts to put out a fire. A deputation from the meeting went to the Roads Board, the then controlling body, to seek provision of three fire bells around the town.

Mr George Strude, was appointed Captain of the crew. He had had previous experience having been formally connected to a fire fighting service in London.

In 1887 the newly constituted Borough Council spent 15 pounds erecting a shed near the school for the purpose of a fire station.

This was only just before the great fire that destroyed the lower part of Victoria rd. took place. I have written about this event in past Ramblings and you may recall the it was reported that a bucket brigade formed by the citizens an fire fighters finally put out the fire but not before it had destroyed nine buildings.

By 1891 the Fire Brigade had developed sufficiently to be able to join up with the Fire Brigade Association.

In 1894 a water supply had been installed in the borough and The mayor E.W.Alison moved to improve the service. At a public meeting ten men volunteered to become brigadesmen. It is of interest to note, that at the celebration of the water supply being turn on it was the Ponsonby brigade that turn on a water display with their pumps and hoses. Devonport had no such equipment.

The first reel was delivered a year later and 70 pounds worth of fire fighting equipment was purchased. This included a 3-cwt fire bell and one dozen uniforms. The photograph on this page shows this new equipment soon after delivery, with Captain Strude and Mayor Alison standing in the front.

This was a most valuable municipal asset. However on the first call out to a fire at Mr Patterson’s house it was found that the hose and reel was locked in the shed and the key could not be found. A bucket brigade had to be hastily organised. The bell was also found to be cracked. At The second call out to Cheltenham the brigade arrived 15 minutes late.

 Many years back when I was interviewing Carl and Toots Prime at their home on King Edward Parade, Carl told me a story about the day the timber yard caught on fire just over from their place on the foreshore. That was in 1887. He said it was a very hot day and the building was well alight when the brigade got there. They were fighting a loosing battle with the fire and the heat. The publican from the Masonic Hotel came over to the volunteers and offered them a drink to cool down. Carl told me “ they put all the gear down and went over to the pub for a drink and let the building burn down.” Toots was horrified that he had told me this and said “ Carl you shouldn’t tell stories like that” So who knows whether it was true or not. There is possibly a grain of truth there as with such primitive equipment it would have been very hard to have controlled a fire in a timber yard such as this.

By 1898 permanent quarters had been found in Kerr St and then in 1916 the site was allocated  in Calliope rd for a new station. This was built and equipped with a loan from the Council of 2500 pounds and it was in use up until a few years back when the new station was built in Lake rd.

In 1921 the big fire engine the “firefly” mentioned before, was supplied to the brigade.

Rex who now owns the 1915 Ford is restoring it to its original condition. It is fantastic that it has survived all of these years and will for many more. He has complete documentation of all the owners since it was sold on Tender for 35 pound back in 1949.

To finish with Rex tells another story about the brigade that may have some truth to it. Hard to start as this engine may have been it is said that one day one of the volunteers decided to help it by taking out one of the spark plugs and putting a small piece of gelignite under and then screwing it back on. As a bit of a practical joke he did not tell his mates. When they went to start it there was one almighty BANG and the plug blew out.

Now this might be a true story as when Rex pulled the motor down to restore it all the con rods were original except one. Which would have been damaged in the explosion.

If anyone has more information on the brigade, photographs of the engines, fire fighters, fires etc I would really be interested for the museums records as well as for those others who are trying to put this piece of Devonport’s history together.

PHOTOGRAPHS.

1.Devonport Municipal Fire Brigade. Showing Mayor E.W.Alison and Captain Strude with the first fire equipment 1895 outside the old Navel shed at the reserve which was at this stage being used as the fire station.

2. Devonport Fire brigade 1917.Back row, Stan Stevens, Peter Guillard

2nd row, West Colley, John Clements, Harold Stevens

Front row, Jim Donaldson,  Jack Gillespie, Tim Martin, Harry Follas, Joe Le Scalles

3. The 1915 ford model T fire engine today with Rex at the wheel