ÒNurungiÓRemembered OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE CONCORD HERITAGE SOCIETY email: [email protected] www.concordheritage.asn.au EDITOR No.121 June 2006 LOIS MICHEL 9744-8528 PRESIDENT Metropolitan Fire Brigade JANN OGDEN 9809-5772 The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), the to easily confirm if the premises were in- precursor to the NSW Fire Brigade, was es- sured and by which company. PUBLIC RELATIONS tablished on 14th February, 1884. TRISH SKEHAN The Companies employed small boys as 4369-4172 MFB headquarters began operating from the runners to notify their brigades of any fires. old Insurance Brigade Headquarters in Upon arrival at the fire the men would in- SECRETARY/TREASURER Bathurst Street but with demand for a new spect the building for the “firemark” to see LOIS MICHEL central fire station the government purchased if the premises were insured by them. If 3 Flavelle Street a site on the western side of Castlereagh not, then they would take no action but (P.O. Box 152) Street and in 1888 the new station was com- probably wouldn’t leave the scene in case Concord 2137 pleted. the fire spread to adjoining buildings which Phone: 9744-8528 might be insured by them. Fax: 9744-7591 From dusk to dawn junior fire fighters spent ----------------- three hours on a twenty metre high tower In 1854 Andrew Torning inaugurated the first MEETINGS (called the pigeon box) undertaking fire spot- Volunteer Fire Brigade in Sydney and also General Meetings ting duty. assisted in the formation of others. 2nd Wednesday of month A watchroom was located on the northern In the days of the Volunteer Fire Brigades, at 7:30 pm in the side of the ground floor and telephone ex- payment was made to the brigade which Concord Citizens’ Centre 9 Wellbank Street, Concord change board, fire alarms and electrical ap- discharged the first stream of water on the Phone: 8765-9155 paratus were operated from there. The fire. This manner of monetary reward was electrical contact in the room, when pulled, responsible for intense rivalry and on oc- Executive Meetings rang the bells throughout the entire building, casions the extraordinary situation of fire- 4th Wednesday of turned up the gas lamps in the engine bay, men belonging to one brigade cutting the August, October, January, released the stable doors (which immediately hose of another and indulging in other mal- March, May and July flew open by means of springs) and released practices to prevent, or at least delay the at 7:30 pm in the a weight situated in the single men’s quarters members getting the first water on the fire Concord Citizens’ Centre on the first floor which opened two flaps to and thus qualifying for payment. Walker Estates Committee enable fire-fighters to slide down a pole. The largest, most spectacular and destruc- 4th Wednesday of The original switchboard has been restored tive fire in the history of Sydney occurred September, November, and is on display in a replica of the in the premises of Gibbs, Shallard and February, April and June watchroom at the Museum of Fire, Penrith. Company, Hosking Place. Large ware- at 7:30 pm in the house in Castlereagh, Moore (now Martin Concord Citizens’ Centre Some extracts from a talk given by Station Officer S. Heart from Fire Brigade Place) and Pitt Streets were involved. Fire- Derek Williams, 9746-9649 Headquarters, to the Concord Historical men were hampered by narrow lanes and Society in September 1971. insufficient water supply. Falling walls frac- Other Committees tured water mains beneath the footpath, As arranged The first fire in Sydney, of historic interest, causing considerable loss of water. Watch the newsletter caused the destruction of the first church in the colony. This building, of wattle and daub, To learn more, come along to our June Museum meeting. Lorraine Holmes, 9743-2682 was built in 1793 and completely destroyed by fire on 1st October, 1798. The site is now Archives/Local History marked by a monument in Richard Johnson (Vacant) Place, near the intersection of Hunter, Heritage Castlereagh & Bligh Streets. It would appear Bob Jones, 8765-9347 to be the first case of arson in the colony as Wed. 14th June - Stephen Woods a £100 reward was posted by Governor from the NSW Fire Brigades Oral/Family History Phillip for information as to who started it. Lola Sharp, 8753-0659 Wed. 12th July - Mayor Angelo * In 1837 Assurance Companies began to or- Tsirekas speaking on his experi- ganise their own fire brigades. They were ences walking the Kokoda Track CONCORD formed principally to minimise their losses HERITAGE MUSEUM and protect their insured buildings. Each Wed. 9th August - Annual General 5 Wellbank Street Company fixed a distinctive “firemark” Meeting and Election of Officers and Committee Open 2:00 - 4:00 pm (plaques of light metal or lead, many quite on 1st and 3rd colourful) to insured buildings to help firemen Wednesdays & Saturdays The Introduction of Brass Mortlake Volunteer matic harnessing would be operated, Helmets in Australia – the having him in readiness for the prac- Fire Brigade (1901 – 1929) tice – travelling north down to the river, Concord Connection turning left and back via Hilly Street to In October 1901 a Volunteer Fire Bri- the Station. This seemed to have When the Metropolitan Fire Brigade gade of 12 volunteer firemen was es- suited Sloper’s sense of responsibil- was formed in Sydney in 1884 the tablished by the Metropolitan Fire ity to such a degree that, on the oc- London Fire Brigade uniform, includ- Brigade Board. A manual engine with casion of a genuine alarm, it was ing the brass helmet, was adopted. 12 feet of suction hose and 600 feet almost beyond human effort to con- Originally the helmets were imported of delivery hose was allotted to it. vince Sloper that he had to travel from England but following the out- During the same year the Board of the south. From then on it was decided break of the Second World War and day purchased a site in Burwood to vary the direction of all future trial the formation of a new Fire Brigade Road, Mortlake for the sum of £160 for runs. system in the UK, brass helmets be- the purpose of building a Fire Station The name “Sloper” was derived from came unavailable. there. In 1903 the Board of the day a comic paper character of a London In 1940 the New South Wales Fire Bri- erected a wood and iron Fire Station publication; a goodie, tall character gades sought expressions of interest on that site, at the cost of £300, and a in striped trousers, checked coat and from local Sydney firms to produce horse was allocated to the brigade to straw boater, who captured the inter- Brass Helmets. Eventually the draw the manual fire engine. est of young and old of that period. Rhodes firm of Ryder & Bell was con- According to Fire Brigade Headquar- In 1905 two horses had been allocated tracted to produce them. No assist- ters there is no official record from to the Brigade and in 1912 a perma- ance was received from the UK what point the Brigade operate be- nent Officer, a Mr. Jamieson, was at- manufacturers and Mr. Ryder, starting tween October 1901 and the erection tached to the Fire Station. A red brick from scratch, produced new moulds of the Fire Station in 1903, or whether cottage was built on the adjoining al- and tools. the engine was drawn by manual ef- lotment by the Board as a residence Production commenced in 1947 for fort or by a borrowed horse. for Mr. Jamieson’s use. The Brigade NSWFB. Ryder & Bell went on to None of the earlier residents can re- and all the equipment then came un- produce other uniform and rank insig- call whether the manual fire engine der the control of the Board of Fire nia for the fire brigades. was ever used for the purpose of ex- Commissioners of NSW by virtue of From May 1964 the brass helmets in tinguishing a fire or by which method the Fire Brigade Act 1909. In 1918 NSW were replaced by an American it was drawn to the site of operation. the Brigade was motorised, having at design made from polycarbonate. In this stage acquired a motor hose car- By further research and enquiries some other states they continued in riage. That is to say, a vehicle with a among the earlier residents, it is be- pump. limited use up to the late 1970’s. lieved that the manual fire engine was (We are proud to have one of these brass housed at the old Pig & Whistle build- In 1925 a Garford Motor Engine, com- helmets on display at our museum.) ing at the top of Hilly Street, near a plete with pump, was allocated to the laneway. Fire drill was frequently Station where it remained until 1928. carried out at this site and all trial runs It is interesting to note that, although started from there, the engine being the Fire Station was originally located Sydney Ferries manually drawn to an impromptu des- at Mortlake, it was always known as tination named by the Captain. Then Passengers on the Sydney ferry- Concord Fire Brigade, a position away they would go to extinguish the which still exists today, although the boats often commented on the imaginary fire and return to the Pig & Brigade is stationed in North euphorious names that distinguished Whistle. Strathfield. the fleet. Charlie Sanders, the founder of Sand- The Mortlake property was purchased According to ancient mariners, we ers Boatshed, was the first Captain by St.