History Published June 2007

RAMBLINGS

It is always a surprise when items for the museums collection turn up out of the blue. A few months back I was sent a photograph from a person in Christchurch. It was a very early picture of the Devonport fire brigade taken outside the No. 2 fire station, which was  in Victoria Rd where the Presbyterian church now stands.

The person who sent it realised that it was an important image from Devonport’s history so had made contact through our website to see if we were interested in acquiring a copy. He then forwarded the original photograph so that we could get a negative made from it to reproduce a high quality copy for our collection. We did this and returned the photograph to the gentleman in Christchurch.

From time to time we have found images in our collection that are not of Devonport and have sent them to another local museum. This is a good way of making contact with similar organisations and also of acquiring new items for the museum’s collection.

What was so good in this instance was that it came from a private collection or album.

So today I thought that I would show you this photograph and others that we have acquired showing the Devonport Fire brigade.

I have written a couple of Ramblings before covering the activities and growth of the fire service in Devonport so to put this photograph and others into context, a brief background..

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 in 1878. 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  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. In 1887 the newly constituted Borough Council spent £15 erecting a shed near the school for the purpose of a fire station.

The first reel was delivered a year later and £70 worth of fire fighting equipment was purchased. This included a 3-cwt fire bell and one dozen uniforms. The station was moved to the old Navel shed on the reserve. The photograph on this page shows this new equipment soon after delivery, with Captain Strude, the fire chief 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.

In February 1888 a large portion of the lower block in Victoria Rd. was destroyed by fire.

 It was reported in the Auckland paper as follows:

 THE FIRE FIEND RAGES ON VICTORIA ROAD.   The biggest “blaze” recorded in Devonport occurred in the early hours of February 19 1888 and destroyed the business block on Victoria Road from about the location of Messes Gee and Beck’s shop on the corner of Clarence Street.  Nine shops and seven dwellings were completely wiped out and the premises at either end of the scene of destruction were badly scorched.  The fire broke out in the tobacconist’s shop of Mr Alixis Geath and spread north and south; a heavy rain had fallen just prior to the outbreak and possibly delayed the spread of flames. The alarm was given by Mrs Mcguiness who ran to the Pattersons  and Mrs Patterson rang the fire bell and aroused the people in the adjourning property thus saving the lives of some who were asleep.   Many buildings and businesses were destroyed.  Patterson’s block where the fire started contained eleven rooms.  The next building, John Jervis the grocer had seventeen rooms.  Two buildings destroyed belonged to Oliver Mays and one partially destroyed on the corner of Clarence Street belonged to Mr Buchanan.

 Shops destroyed were Mrs Guiness, Dressmaker; Alixis Geath, Tobacconist; James Holmes, Fruiterer; H E Fenton, Draper; Mrs Tye, Fruiterer; Frank Baker, Bootshop; John Jervis, Grocer; Groombridge Robinson, Bootmaker; H Lennard, Fruitshop; Spinley Stationer; Spinley and Howell, Plumbers; Cogan, Blacksmith. The estimated loss was £8000. They were insured along with stock for only about £1600.

The Oliver Mays Building, which is still there today, was built in 1882, survived because it had brick side walls.  This stopped the fire reaching two shops and the large wooden structure of the Flagstaff Hotel (replaced by the Esplanade in 1904).  In the midst of the conflagration the horses in Paterson’s Stables were turned loose…..Paterson’s big stables were saved by the efforts of the bucket brigade, assisted by the fortunate fact that the stables had an iron roof.

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

By 1898 permanent quarters had been built in Kerr St and it is these which are shown in the photograph we acquired from Christchurch.

The brigade in 1909 was still only operating with a hose reel on wheels and very primitive equipment and was made up of volunteers.

 In 1915a Canadian Model T Ford fire engine was bought for the Devonport Station. It is thought that it was hard to start. It could take up to four mins to crank into life. (not much good when you are in a hurry).

In 1921 a new larger fire engine was purchased. 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 Scelle.

Then in 1916 the site was allocated in Calliope rd for a new station. A wooden building was built for £350. Then in 1925 the sum of £2500 was allocated to build a large brick station. It was in use up until the new station was built in Lake Rd.

1.Photograph received from Christchurch showing firemen outside the new fire station in Kerr st  circa 1898

2.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

3.The new fire engine bought in 1921 named the “firefly”