Weston Fire Brigade
In 1907, twenty five young local men combined their efforts to raise money to build a fire station for the township of Weston. This volunteer group contributed two shillings and sixpence (25c) per pay to the fund. Today, given the growing population of the area, it is incomprehensible that the Weston Fire Station lost its status and closed, despite community efforts to save it .
Some of the 'photographs of photographs' appearing below were taken with permission at Weston Fire Station c.2006.
WESTON FIRE BRIGADE - THE BEGINNING
1906: The need for a Weston Volunteer Fire brigade was highlighted as almost all homes were built of timber. Fires were fought with rudimentary equipment - water buckets! At this time, there were willing volunteers to fight fires, but no funds to build a fire station.
1907: Twenty-five young local volunteers made the decision to raise money to build a fire station for the town. This volunteer group contributed two shillings and sixpence (25c) per pay to the fund. The Weston Voluntary Fire Brigade was formed under the captaincy of Mr R Jarvis.
1908: In 1908, the land for the fire station was purchased from the Weston School of Arts for the nominal sum of £1.0.0. ($2.00). Contributions from the volunteers continued to mount up and this Weston group were getting nearer to achieving their goal of having a fire station in town.
1909: By 17 Feb 1909 the volunteer firefighters had achieved their goal and to much rejoicing and fanfare, Weston's first fire station was officially opened. By this time they were equipped with a hose reel.
THE FIRST FIRE STATION OPENS
Above: Weston's first Fire Station was officially opened on 17 Feb 1909.
Note the hose reel at the side. Before motorised fire engines, this was the equipment that the firemen had to pull around town to extinguish fires.
~ Coalfields Heritage Group
When the Board of Fire Commissioners assumed responsibility for fire protection in January 1910, Weston was included in the Kurri Kurri Fire District. The volunteers were then freed from their obligatory 2/6 (25c) per pay contribution. The Brigade constituted in 1910 under Captain Jarvis included: Messrs D Roach, J Sneddon, A Garratt, W Harrison, A Norris, R Butler, J Lonsdale, S Norris and J Atkinson. Their main fire-fighting equipment at that time consisted of a reel, ten lengths of hose, a standpipe and two branches.
WESTON FIRE BRIGADE CONSTITUTED IN 1910 UNDER CAPTAIN JARVIS
Above: Weston Fire Brigade c.1913
Back row L-R: D. Roach (appartus officer), J. Garratt (vice-president), A. Jewell (president), Dr. Sadler (vice-president), J. Healey (vice-president) and A. Ellicott (hose officer).
Third row: J. Lonsdale (second lieutenant), H. Harrison, A. Lancaster, R. Jarvis (captain), J. Lamb, and E. Bartley (first lieutenant).
Second row: R. Butler (secretary), J. Carter, A.J. Norris, A. Garratt, S. Norris, T. Ure, and J. Sneddon (treasurer).
Front row: R. Goodshaw, E. Frame, James Sneddon, A. Sneddon, W. Butler, and A. Atkinson.
~ Frame Family Collection.
Above: Weston Fire Brigade 1918
~ Weston Fire Brigade
ELECTRIC LIGHTING INSTALLED AT WESTON FIRE STATION
1913: In 1913, Electric lighting was installed at the Weston Fire Station.
1923: In 1923, Weston Fire brigade reported its first case of arson when a woman set fire to a Hall Street residence to scare off her husband's mistress.
1927: In October 1927, Weston's first motorised fire-fighting vehicle, an Essex Hose Carrier, was installed:
FIRST MOTORISED FIRE ENGINE
Above: Weston Fire Brigade's first motorised fire engine.
~ Weston Fire Brigade and Coalfields Heritage Group
Above: Weston Fire Brigade
L-R: Edward 'Bluey' Frame; Harry Rawlings; ? Joe Lamb;
Arthur Garrett; ? ; Codger Hodgins
~ Alex Frame
Above: Weston Fire Brigade
FIRST STREET FIRE ALARMS CONNECTED TO FIRE STATION
1933: This year, the first street fire alarms connected to the Fire Station went into operation. They were situated on the corners of Webb Street and Appleton Avenue, Weston and Seventh Streets, Kline and Sixth Streets, and in Aberdare Street. [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.45]
1934: 'Weston Fire Brigade received a motorised pumper in 1934, No. 210 Dennis Tamini, 250 g.p.m. and just in time for shortly afterwards the Brigade fought a big fire at George Ferenbach's Self-Service Store.' [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.45]
S. NORRIS APPOINTED CAPTAIN
1935: S. Norris was appointed captain of Weston Fire Brigade.
Above: Weston Fire Brigade 1940
Clockwise from top left: S.O Penman, Capt. S. Norris, ? R. Jarvis, E. Frame, J. Lamb, J. Brown, M. Frame, M. Young, H. Rawlings, R. Hodgins, E. Jarvis, A. Garratt,
~ Weston Fire Brigade
EDWARD J. 'BLUEY' FRAME APPOINTED CAPTAIN
1941-42: Edward John 'Bluey' Frame appointed captain of Weston Fire Brigade, taking over from Captain Norris.
1943: Nov: Weston Fire Brigade received a modern Dennis motor fire engine (see image in centre of photograph below).
Above: Weston Volunteer Fire Brigade 1947
Clockwise from top left: S.S.O. Mannell, Capt. E. Frame, R. Hodgins,
S.S.O. McLean, E. Brewis, J. Forster, M. Frame, D. Parker, A. Frame,
J. McIntosh, J. Martin, T. Hetherington.
~ Weston Fire Brigade
1952: A major fire occurred in 1952 at a motor garage in Station Street. The Volunteers, who made a good save to stop the fire spreading to numerous houses, were Captain Frame, R. Hodgins, E. Brewis, T. Hetherington, J. Martin, D. Parker, C. Roberts, and J. Solway. [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.46]
1950s: The Weston Brigade competed in many Fire Brigade sports competitions, travelling as far away as Grafton, Wagga Wagga, Katoomba and Orange. Weston Fire Brigade amassed a formidable array of trophies over the years.
FIRE BRIGADE GAMES
Above: The Fire Brigade Games at Orange NSW - c.1950s
~ Frame Family Collection
1962: The Dennis Tamini was replaced in 1962 by a DennisAce 350 g.p.m., the latter unfortunately was severely damaged by fire during operation at the Hebburn Colliery. [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.46]
CAPT. 'BLUEY' FRAME RETIRED AGED 76
Above: Capt. Edward 'Bluey' Frame on his retirement in 1965
~ Frame Family Collection
1965: Captain 'Bluey' Frame retired in 1965 at the age of 76 years.
See: EDWARD JOHN 'BLUEY' FRAME (1889 - 1968
E. BREWIS APPOINTED CAPTAIN
The Board of Fire Commissioners appointed Mr E. Brewis to lead the Brigade. [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.46].
Capt. Frame's long fire brigade service was thought to be a State record. He was honoured by the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW for 52 years service as a volunteer fireman, including 24 years as Captain of Weston Fire Brigade.
Edward Frame’s involvement with the Weston Fire Brigade actually spanned 58 years – from his first contribution as a young 18-year-old volunteer putting out house fires with buckets of water and pledging to raise money to build the first fire station - to his well-earned retirement at 76 years of age. During those years of service, Edward attended more than 2000 fires in the district. He mentioned some of them to a local newspaper journalist when he retired. Among the worst he recalled were blazes at the Pelaw Main pit, the coal washer at Hebburn and a produce store in Kurri Kurri. But the one that stuck in his mind the most, happened on what became known as Black Sunday.
“It was the day Katoomba was burn out, but we had no time to worry about Katoomba,” he said. “We started fighting a fire on top of Neath Hill at 8.am that day and did not stop until 2.am on Monday. By that time, it had swept through to Heddon Greta. Despite the extent of the blaze, only some chooks were burnt!”
“The Abermain, Weston and Kurri Brigades have done a mighty job for this area in my time,” he said. “In one fire we saved more than 100 houses from destruction.”
Edward Frame's Fire Brigade service, combined with that of his sons, Mervyn and Arthur, total almost 90 years.
Above: Letter to Capt. Edward 'Bluey' Frame from the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW on his retirement from the Weston Fire Brigade in 1965.
~ Frame Family Collection.
1971: At a ceremony in 1971, Captain Brewis and Engine Keeper T. Hallowell were presented with the Queen's Fire Brigades Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. [~ Coalfields Heritage Centre, Fire News, p.46]
ARTHUR TUNGATE APPOINTED CAPTAIN
1973: Arthur Tungate was appointed Captain of the Weston Fire Brigade, replacing Captain E. Brewis. Captain Tungate had previously been at Stanford Merthyr.
NEW FIRE STATION COMPLETED
1974: Oct 1974: The new Weston Fire Brigade building was completed. The cost: $27, 413.
2003: A proposal to have the park adjacent to the Weston Fire Station named 'Bluey Frame Park' in Capt. Frame's honour appeared in the NSW Government Gazette on 11 Apr 2003. This was subsequently approved.
BLUEY FRAME PARK
Above: Weston Fire Station
~ Google Maps.
Left: Bluey Frame Park next to the Weston Fire Station.
~ Frame Family Collection.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE WESTON FIRE STATION
Sadly, Weston Fire Station has been under threat of closure for several years despite community activism to try to keep it open.
The photo above heads the following article in The Advertiser dated: JANUARY 31 2017 - 1:56PM
SHORTLIVED VICTORY
Victory in fight to save Weston Fire Station
JESSICA BROWN AND KRYSTAL SELLARS
'The community has won its campaign to keep Weston Fire Station open.
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman has confirmed that the on-call firefighters posted at Weston will remain in the town, despite and earlier decision to close the station.
The news is a big win for the local community, which is in the midst of a horrendous fire season.
On January 11, Fire and Rescue NSW announced plans to close Weston Fire Station once the new station at Abermain is fully-operational.
The move garnered community outrage and a campaign was launched to save the station.
It seems people power won out in the end with Fire and Rescue NSW overturning its decision.
Cessnock MP Clayton Barr welcomed Fire and Rescue NSW's decision to reconsider the station’s future, saying was “a victory for the little guy”.
Mr Barr said the appointment of Nationals MP Troy Grant as emergency services minister, the community campaign to save the station and the media coverage of the station’s plight could have been the reason for the last-minute change of heart.
The fire fighters at Abermain will still move into the new premises, opening on February 7 or 8.
“As always we will continue to review services in the area,” a F&RNSW spokesman said.
Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant also confirmed the news.
“Abermain fire fighters will relocate to their new fire station,” he said.
“Weston Fire Station fire fighters however will remain in situ at their current location. The Fire Brigade and Employees’ Union (FBEU) and local crews have been advised of this determination.”'
Sadly, the struggle for Weston Fire Station continued. On Sep 24 2019 The Advertiser reported:
Weston Fire Station unlikely to reopen, firefighters needed at Abermain and Kurri Kurri
Krystal Sellars
DISCUSSION: Fire and Rescue NSW Metropolitan North area commander, Chief Superintendent Brett Davies addresses the meeting at Weston Civic Centre last Friday. Picture: Krystal Sellars
'Weston Fire Station is "superfluous" to the community's needs, and the Abermain and Kurri Kurri stations remain understaffed, a community meeting has been told.
About 40 people attended the meeting at Weston Civic Centre last Friday, which was organised by Fire and Rescue NSW to address the proposed closure of the Weston station.
Fire and Rescue NSW Metropolitan North area commander, Chief Superintendent Brett Davies told the meeting the station was recommended to be closed in a review in 2015, which proposed it merge with the Abermain brigade when its new station opened.
In response to "community angst", a decision was made in January 2017 to keep the Weston station open.
However, recruiting and retaining on-call firefighters has proven difficult in recent times, and the Weston station has been offline for several months, with one firefighter retiring and others transferring to Kurri Kurri after Weston's station had become "unworkable" due to such a small number of staff.
A number of vacancies for retained (on-call) firefighters remain at the Kurri Kurri and Abermain brigades.
With Kurri Kurri (3.4km) and Abermain (3.1km) both located in close proximity to Weston, Chief Superintendent Davies said the community's need is being met by the local network of fire stations, and the Weston station is "superfluous" to those needs.
He said if the Weston station does close, all of its resources, including staff allocations and the appliance (fire truck) will be kept in the immediate area.
Some people at the meeting said the community had received "mixed messages" about recruiting, but Chief Superintendent Davies denied there had been a recruitment freeze.
Fire and Rescue NSW Assistant Commissioner Paul McGuiggan conceded there had been a lack of communication with the community, and assured those in attendance there would be consultation moving forward.
FIGHT CONTINUES: Weston Fire Station appears unlikely to reopen, but residents are encouraged to voice their concerns to the minister via Cessnock MP Clayton Barr.
WESTON FIRE STATION CLOSED
Tragically, after 115 years of Weston Fire Brigade protecting the town, the fight to keep it going was lost. Cessnock MP Clayton Barr, who attended Friday's meeting, said it was "frustrating and unacceptable" that the station's fate appears to be sealed.
"Unfortunately there was a bit of a chicken-egg logic in terms of the decision to close the station being in part due to no staff, but then not having staff because the station was scheduled for closure," Mr Barr said.
"Weston Fire Station has been well served by volunteers and workers from the local community for 115 years and on behalf of the community at large I pass on our congratulations to all that have provided their time and service."
Mr Barr urged anyone in the community who wants to continue to advocate for the station to write to his office, and that he will forward their concerns to the minister.
"We've got to try, give it a roll, or we may as well go around there and say goodbye," he said.
Ward C councillor and lifelong Weston resident Anne Sander said she will continue to push to the keep the station open.
"We need to make sure the community has ample protection when it comes to fighting house fires and bushfires," Cr Sander said.
"We'll fight the fight until all options are exhausted, and if it is closed, we need to save the building as a community asset."
Anyone interested in applying to become a retained firefighter can do so at fire.nsw.gov.au. '
Above: Weston Fire Station Building in Swanson Street, Weston.
~ Google Maps
Above: The demolition of the Weston Fire Station in Swanson Street, Weston.
~ Lisa Williams
WESTON NSW FIRE STATION DEMOLISHED
To the surprise and anger of many in the Weston community, the final chapter of Weston Fire Brigade history was written on the 9th and 10th of November 2023 when the Weston Fire Station building was suddenly demolished. It wasa sad and unfortunate ending to an historical era of fire-fighting in the town .