WELCOME Welcome to the Firefighters’ Heritage Trail, I hope that you will enjoy following the markers and will find this guide to be a useful companion as you travel around the sites. Since 2010, I have been leading a small group who have worked hard to ensure that our unique fire history is never forgotten; this has been achieved by working closely with veterans, communities and other partners to ensure that the details behind each of the firefighters’ sacrifices was fully researched and accurately recorded. Glasgow has a distinguished and dramatic firefighting history. Over the years, as a major port and industrial and commercial centre, the City has seen devastating and tragic fires. Some of those fires claimed the lives of firefighters who had fought gallantly to contain the destruction. To honour Glasgow’s fallen firefighters, The Firefighters’ Heritage Trail has been created to tell the stories of some of the people and places that have played an important part in the history of firefighting in Glasgow. 12 memorial plaques have been set into the pavement to mark the sites where firefighters lost their lives. In addition, we have identified several further sites of special interest relating to the history of the fire service in Glasgow. More information on the ‘extended’ trail can be found by visiting The Firefighters’ Heritage Trail website at www.fireheritagetrail.org. Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay Chair, The Firefighters’ Heritage Committee 1 Queens Court SATURDAY 14TH JANUARY 1832 A disastrous and destructive fire took place here in the 24 properties comprising Queens Court. During the extensive operations Fireman James Bruce of the Glasgow Fire Brigade was killed whilst firefighting. Fireman James Bruce died when he fell from the head of a ladder at what was described as “one of the most destructive fires that has occurred in Glasgow for a very long period of time.” The owner of the affected property offered the firefighters £5 (a large sum at the time) if they would retrieve his safe from the ruins. This was done, but the men agreed that the widow of Fireman Bruce be given the reward money. Memorial plaque on Queen Street GORD O D N R S S U T R T UNION ST VINCENT ST Y S T MITCHELL ST BUCHA NAN ST QUEEN ARG ST 1 GEOR The main Glasgow Fire Brigade station at this time was on Bell Street in the city’s Candleriggs area, where there were three candleworks. Y LE S MILLER ST GE S T T VIRGINIA ST CITY CHAMBERS ‘Glasgow Firemen’ by W. McGurk COCHRANE STOCKWELL S T GLASSFORD ST I N TR WILSON G R O FOR FURTHER INFORMATION A www.fireheritagetrail.org NGAT M ST ST ST E MONTROSE ST KING ST CAND LERIGGS A LBIO N ST Like all firemen in Glasgow at that time, B Fireman Bruce would EL have been a volunteer, who turned out when required, from home. L ST C He wasn’t attached to O Bell Street Fire Station as such, but was on L the list of firemen who L were summoned by E the sound of a drum. HIG GE H S T ST 2 Royal Exchange Square FRIDAY 5TH DECEMBER 1856 A disastrous and destructive fire took place at numerous properties at the above location. Fireman John Harrison of the Glasgow Fire Brigade died as a result of injuries received whilst firefighting. Fireman Harrison served at the Central Fire Engine Station, College Street which had opened five years previously in 1851. In 1856, the city of Glasgow was expanding with various trades and the steady influx of people from the Highlands and Ireland. At that time, it was quite an involved procedure for firefighters to attend a fire. To sound the alarm, a team of drummers had specific routes to travel to which included the houses of where the firefighters lived. The houses had a sign indicating a fireman lived there. Glasgow Drummer GORD O D N R S S U T R T UNION ST VINCENT ST Y S T MITCHELL ST BUCHA NAN ST 2 QUEEN ARG ST GEOR Fire pumps were then taken from various sites and hand pushed to the fire. Y LE S GE Volunteers from the MILLER ST public were collected to assist pumping S the levers, receiving a T brass token to redeem T the following day. VIRGINIA ST Standard refreshment for all walks of life at that time was beer or small beer (watered CITY CHAMBERS COCHRANE beer) issued at fires to slake the thirst. The chant would invariably be heard “more beer, more beer!”, as the fire progressed and their STOCKWELL S T GLASSFORD ST pumping efforts were further required! I N TR WILSON G R O FOR FURTHER INFORMATION A www.fireheritagetrail.org NGAT M ST ST ST E MONTROSE ST KING ST CAND LERIGGS A LBIO N ST B EL L ST C O L Firemaster James Bryson, 1855 L E HIG GE H S T ST 3 Renfield Street FRIDAY 7TH JANUARY 1898 A disastrous fire and explosion occurred at the premises of W. & R. Hatrick’s Chemical Works, where four firemen of the Glasgow Fire Brigade were killed. Fireman James Hastie & Fireman John Battersby resided at the Central Fire Station, College Street. Fireman David Smith and Fireman Charles Orr resided at the North Fire Station on St. George’s Road. The bodies of the firemen were removed from the scene of the fire and delivered back to their homes, which was the practice at the time. The Brigade was held in high regard by the public (as they protected factories and therefore jobs) hence the popular toast of the time “Success to the Glasgow Fire Brigade”. D O B BI POR E ’S L T OA M D N A U ST I ON T COWCADDENS N ILT L DAS R M A FIRE STATION N D S D T T S McPH ATER CO WCADDENS R D C OW CADDENS RD 3 RENFREW ST KILLERMONT ST T S NORTH HANOVER ST D ST L E SAUCHIEHALL ST E P ST E HO L ENFI R NI T BATH ST S ST E AN W U N WEST REGENT ST H UCA B WEST GEORGE ST ASSFORD ST L G ARGYLE ST Wallace with the firemen of College St College of firemen the with Wallace At this time, the firemen of College Street had a new comrade - Wallace ‘The Fire Dog’. ‘Adopted’ by Glasgow Fire Brigade in 1894 after he followed a horse-drawn fire engine taking part in a Lifeboat demonstration, Wallace made his home at the Central Fire Station and ran with the firemen to many fires until his death in 1902. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION www.fireheritagetrail.org 4 Hunter Street THURSDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 1904 At the North British Railway Company, an explosion occurred resulting in the death from injuries of Fireman William Rae of the Glasgow Fire Brigade. By the early 1900s, the Glasgow Fire Brigade had started to become motorised. Glasgow’s street fire alarm system (since 1875) was the first in Britain. Fireman Rae served at the new Central Fire Station 21 at Ingram Glasgow Street Fire Alarm, c.1878 Alarm, Glasgow Street Fire Street which opened in 1900, replacing the College Street Fire Station. Central Fire Station comprised a fire station, drill yard, workshops, gymnasium, admin office and rent free accommodation including the Firemaster’s house, single men’s billets and houses for families - all with laundry facilities and hot water for one shilling a week. There were even playground facilities for children of the station. SHUTTLE ST C CATH OL 21 L E E GE DR S AL ST H T IGH STREET T NS S LLI T CO LE S ST CA CATHEDRALGLASGOW B DUKE G E A LL ST J L O L H O ST N T S W K RT N SHA O WI G X ATE S T ngram Street, c.1906 I NECROPOLISGLASGOW T S NE CFARLA M HU HUNT L E FIRE STATION F N ON CALTON R IRPA 4 T S E R D T S T O R K K N N S Ingram Street, Workshops c.1900 R T K S T D RAC BAR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION S ST T www.fireheritagetrail.org ON EVE NS BOURNE ST HA MEL G N REEN ST S O M N IL ST L ROAD TOBAGO ST M SQ GRAHA ST ABER CROMB Y ST BELLGROVE ST R EI DV C A R L O T E W RD S SWO S NP T O IN T R D 5 Miller StREET/ Argyle StREET SATURDAY 2ND JULY 1921 As a result of a disastrous and destructive fire during which the collapse of the property of Bowman’s store occurred, Fireman Frederick True and Fireman James Farquharson of the Glasgow Fire Brigade were killed whilst firefighting. Bowman’s, Argyle Street, 2nd July 1921 Argyle Street, Bowman’s, Firemen Farquharson and True served at the Western District Fire Station at Cranston Street in the Finnieston area of Glasgow. A plaque presented by colleagues from Greenock commemorates their memory at Yorkhill Fire Station, which replaced the ‘West’ station in 1970. U GEOR GE ST ST VINCENT DRU ST RY ST GORD CITY CHAMBERS ON ST COCHRANE T ST ER ST S V N ST L O L N ING E NA T RAM S S A H ION ST T H N TC I U T M BUCHA UEEN S Q ST S ER A W L ILSO G NI N I ST IL IG G R ARGYLE M ASSFORD ST R E I ST L L V U 5 G D N A C As Glasgow advanced into the 20th Century, new technology was creating more employment.