Bootle Fire Brigade

Post your photo's and video memories about Bootle here...
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joefirebobby
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:58 pm

Photographs copyright MFRS .

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joefirebobby
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:58 pm

New Brighton Tower Fire 1969 .

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lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Thanks :D
Shelagh
Posts: 1873
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:40 pm

Thanks Joe for good clear photos, very sad to see the tower burning..
Seeing the rifle range and penny arcades brought childhood memories back, always in New Brighton as kids, loved the big wheel and watching the riders on the wall of death, I still like the place and often take the grandchildren there, they love it, but the magic of the ferry, fairground and tower have gone, not to mention the wonderful New Brighton baths..Oh Well!
just have to make do with the memories :wink:
Shelagh K!
Frank948
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:55 pm
Location: Walton

My late wife Norma and a group of girls from work the (Royal Insurance) went to watch the Fab four .Then got the last ferry home. I went on a standby the next morning from Hatton garden.
F A Mullen
Elaine Goulding
Posts: 871
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Canada

Hi Frank, you said in your last post your late wife Norma worked for the Royal Insurance. Which building did she work in? I worked for the Royal for many years, starting off in the Globe Building, next door to the Town Hall in Dale Street. I then moved to Old Hall Street when the new building was built next door to the Echo. Last time I went home to Liverpool I went to the Echo to place my mum's obituary after she died and was surprised to find the Royal are no longer occupying the main building as the majority is used by the Echo. What a fabulous building that was . Princess Alexandra opened it sometime in the 60's I think. It had a gym, bar, library and a fabulous cafeteria. How things changed I remember that day so well as it was the first member of the Royal Family I had ever seen!! I even used to meet my Dad at the Royal when I finished work and he finished his shift at "the gardens" and we would go and have a drink in the bar which at the time was subsidised, so you can imagine how hard it was getting him out!!! Then he would say, "can I bring some of the lads from the station with me"!!! I still keep in touch with many of the people I worked with who have now retired and when I went home to see mum we would get together for a drink and talk of the great times at the Royal...........Good memories
Hope you are well Frank. Just had an email from Gerry Henshaw. He is doing ok, but obviously missing Helen. Fortunately he has a lovely family who take good care of him. Sorry to go off topic!!!! Take care
Elaine
Elaine

Bianca Street, Bootle - moved to Canada 1982
Frank948
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 1:55 pm
Location: Walton

Eliane. I know its off topic Norma and her Sister Sheila (Forster) Norma left in 1968 when we married. worked in High Park St Liverpool 8.Re Gerry Henshaw saw him last month at the FB Ex members club we shared a bottle of Scotch well 5 of us did.Then Gerrys daughter gave me a lift home.Back to the Tower Fire i remember 10 fire engines being parked in the lower yard at Hatton garden then going by coach and van across to the job.
F A Mullen
joefirebobby
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:58 pm

Photograph taken circa 1930 .
This photograph purchased by me from Sefton Council ( Digital Archives ) .

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lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Thanks Joe :D
Elaine Goulding
Posts: 871
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Canada

Great picture Joe, thanks for posting.
Elaine
Elaine

Bianca Street, Bootle - moved to Canada 1982
joefirebobby
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:58 pm

Thanks Lynne and Elaine , I think it is a great photograph .
Great civic pride on display .
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Any idea who the Mayor is? I think it looks like Mr Mahon, but it is too long ago for that>
joefirebobby
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:58 pm

Philharmonic Hall Hope Street destroyed by fire in 1933 .

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nicolas
Posts: 196
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:10 am

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xkopite
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:01 pm

These are great pictures, are there any more of this fire in Duke Street please.
xkopite
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:01 pm

Hey Joe you have posted lots of great pics of the brigade on here, many thanks for your time and effort.
Would it be possible to post more 1960s fire fighting pictures please.
Thanks again.
nicolas
Posts: 196
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:10 am

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fletcher 8106
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:16 pm

first time posting....i was in merseyside fire brigade from 1974 to 1978...stationed in hatton garden control room..
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filsgreen
Posts: 3392
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 8:28 am

Welcome to the forum, Fletcher, there are a plethora of photos, courtesy of Bob. :D
rayhow
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 3:54 pm

I was on duty at Strand Rd when we got the shout for the tar works although it was Lancs County we were the 1st machine there we were Fred O'Donnell Billy Leatherbarrow Russ Knight Sean McManus and myself Ray Howard.
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filsgreen
Posts: 3392
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 8:28 am

Thanks for the story, Ray and welcome to the forum. :D
Kc3343
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 12:25 pm

Hi
I've just come across this site whilst researching my grandad William John Ball. It has been really interesting reading all the stories and pictures. My grandad was a AFC during the war and based at westminister road, I have a photo of him with his colleagues, don't know the date but it's between 1941 and 1947. Hes the tall man in the middle at the back. Maybe someone out there knows the date, or may recognise someone from their own family
Kirsty
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BOBHAMO
Posts: 5930
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: BIG CITY

Welcome Kirsty :D :D
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just resized your photo
might have some photos of westminster road
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
Kc3343
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 12:25 pm

Thank you, any info or pictures are appreciated, it's fascinating and humbling to find out about him. My mum loves to reminisce and to here anything about her dad. Unfortunately he died when she was only 7 so not many memories
Thanks Kirsty
miv donelan
Posts: 278
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:09 pm
Location: Ashton-in-Makerfield

My dad, Stan Coppinger, was also in the AFS during the war Kirsty, he was based at Strand rd. He continued with the fire brigade until his retirement in the early seventies. Due to injuries caused after a fall from the engine he spent the remaining years of service in the control room.
Matt
Posts: 1198
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:02 pm
Location: vancouver island

Hi Kirsty,my dear wife's mother(RIP) is standing next row down right in front of your grandfather.
She is the shorter of the two ladies either side of him.Her name was Rosaline Lynch and she used to live in 307 Westminster Road.
My wife can narrow the date the photo was taken a little.Rosey was born 1921 and married Thomas Worrall (Sheila's dad) in 1945
so 45,46,and 1947 are not possible.Sheila's brother has the same photo and Sheila thinks there is a date taken on it.
Hope you get more answers
Sheila and Matt
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BOBHAMO
Posts: 5930
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: BIG CITY

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1942
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1950. all liverpool
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westminster road staff and crew 1940
bobhamo
bootle born altcar road
Kc3343
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 12:25 pm

Thanks Sheila and Matt, good to have a smaller range of dates, and other names to put to the faces in the photo. My mum will be fastinated by the stories and all the other photos here.
Kirsty
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Dan
Posts: 4730
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm

Design and plans for Bootle Fire Station from Academy Architecture and Annual Architectural Review 1899.

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From Building News 1898

January 11 1898

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February 18 1898

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Regards

Dan
Last edited by Dan on Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

I think that passed me by when I was liitle, even though we did have a house fire and were very much in debt to Bootle fire service.
Where was the fire station?
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Dan
Posts: 4730
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm

Bottom of Strand Road at the junction with Irlam Road. You can't miss it Lynne.

Regards

Dan
lynne99
Posts: 1206
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Not been back for years,
jimmyx3
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:38 pm
Location: orrell park

Hi joefirebobby, my grandfather John O'Connell was in the Bootle AFS during WW2, he is seated in the front row of the photo attached, he is seated on the extreme right as we look at it, wearing his hat at a rakish angle and it looks like he has a cigarette in his hand! would there any way of finding any record of his service, and what is the procedure for booking a visit to the museum in Bridle road.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Best regards Jimmy

Ps, have you any idea of where would the photo have been taken, as the houses in the background do not seem to be located by Bootle fire Station?
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"Three Days in June." Parachute Regiment, https://phelmets.wixsite.com/mysite
henry
Posts: 1869
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:45 pm

The houses could be Irlam road
HENRY BORN FLORIDA STREET OFF STRAND ROAD
jimmyx3
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:38 pm
Location: orrell park

henry wrote:The houses could be Irlam road
Hi Henry, I don't think so, as the station seems pretty well hemmed in, in my granddad's photo shows some wasteland and a wooden fence, I wondered if they had other locations as lay-up areas so engines could maybe reach other places quicker or in case of Bootle fire station getting bombed, they would not get everyone.
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"Three Days in June." Parachute Regiment, https://phelmets.wixsite.com/mysite
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