Bootle Fire Brigade

[joefirebobby]

Top of Lord Street in the early 1900's .
At the time Liverpool Fire Brigade was part of the Liverpool Police .
In the event of the escape ladder in the picture being required to be used , a police constable if necessary would ask members of the public for assistance .

[Stan Clayton]

Joefirebobby

Your photo of the Empress of Canada brought back so many memories for me.

In 1953 I was employed by CPR as Office Boy/Dock messenger working in the Gladstone Dock Office so saw the Canada on a daily basis.

Thanks for the memories

Stan.

[joefirebobby]

Yours truly at a fire opposite Aintree race course in about 1976 .

[joefirebobby]

Recently required by the MFRS Heritage and Education Centre , the former Bootle Fire Brigade Dennis F8 fire engine photographed in 1975 by myself , it was taking part of the then Southport to Blackpool Commercial Vehicles Run .

[joefirebobby]

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[joefirebobby]

2 more photographs of the Empress of Canada fire .

[lynne99]

Was the E of Canada ever replaced?

[joefirebobby]

A new Empress of Canada was built in Newcastle in 1961 , the ship eventually became a cruise ship , changed owners and name several times and was scrapped in 2003 .

[Elaine Goulding]

Joe, your posts are so very interesting and really informative. I did not know the fire and police were linked all those years ago. For goodness sake don't stop posting!!
Elaine

[Frank948]

Joe.As we know each other i was driving the Bootle pump last week at the opening of the new Station at Kirkdale.I goes like a dream.On another tac,I was born in bootle Canal St.during the War.Bombed out .my sister went to a local School and she tells me when i was born she told everybody in school i was born on a beach.She had overheard talk i was a (Breech ) birth.Ha Ha.

[Elaine Goulding]

Good one Frank! Dad had a really good friend who used to live in Canal Street. His name was John Dawson, he was not in the Fire Service. Unfortunately he died not so long ago. Lovely man and a big Evertonian. Perhaps you know the family from Canal Street?
Elaine

[Frank948]

Elaine.I did not know any body from my early times in Bootle.AS we got rehoused about 4 times .I remember at about 5 yrs of age living off West Derby Rd.Upper Baker St.Then about 30 yrs later serving at the New Fire Station in West Derby Rd .I remember a job your Dad had when we were in hatton Garden.One Saturday afternoon we had a fire in a old church in Islington Liverpool.It was a bigish job Your Dad along with others went in to the basement and it was dark .When serching found lots of very old coffins ,.I put this on not to show disrepect to any persons but it was part of Fire Service life.

[Charlie35]

Was the E of Canada ever replaced?

The Empress of Canada was replaced by a vessel acquired from France called the De grass,when she first went through the pool the men used to quip " keep off the grass"!

[Elaine Goulding]

Frank, I sincerely hope the coffins were empty!!!!! You are right, I dont think the public realise what a firefighter has to face. I remember that very sad day 9/11 when so many brave firefighters lost there lives. I remember a retired fireman being interviewed, he lost two sons who went into the towers in New York. He said "people watch the fortunate running away from the building, I can only see the unfortunate running into the building, two of which were my sons". Keep posting Frank....good talking to you.
Elaine

[joefirebobby]

Some photos from 1960's warehouse and ship fires in Liverpool .

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[Elaine Goulding]

Hi Joe/Frank and Bert!
I have just introduced a friend who was a fireman to your thread. His name is George Hann and he was stationed at Hatton Garden many years ago before emigrating to Canada. He orginally hailed from Newcastle and married a Liverpool girl. He has recently retired from Toronto Fire Service. He has many fond memories of his time at Hatton Garden. He always says while he has enjoyed his time in Toronto, nothing can beat the great times he had with his scouse mates at "the gardens". The shifts he worked here in Canada are, I think different from home. One shift worked was 24 hours straight. I am going to ask him to get involved with your thread as like everyone else, he really enjoyed all your photographs and like me is looking forward to your continuing posts!!!!
Take care
Elaine

[joefirebobby]

Hi Elaine
Give our regards to George , Frank and Bert may well know him .

[Frank948]

Hi Eliane.

What year did your pal leave the Gardens.Also what watch was he on.Pass our regards on to him.Hatton gardens was a mad house 7 appliances on the run average about 20 calls aday (24 hrs) Loved every min of it.Sorry i have not been on line.Just come out of Hospital (New Knee) so no driving of gading about for 6/8 weeks then more Physo for another 6 weeks.At least i can keep up with events.Be safe .Frank.

[Elaine Goulding]

Hi Guy's,
George is away on holiday at the moment and will return next week. I will find out his watch etc. and when he left England. Good to hear you are out of hospital Frank. Take care of the knee, you will be back on your feet in no time!
Take care
Elaine

[armchair]

1950’s Fire Engine.
I have come across a “flyer” published by a firm called “Atlas Editions”
They are offering a die cast model of a fire engine described as an AEC Regent III with Merryweather body work and features a “wheeled escape” ladder.
To my eye, not having any knowledge of the subject, the model looks very similar to the type of fire engine I remember from my childhood in Bootle. It is decorated as a London Fire Service machine but I would guess that anyone with moderated modelling skill could alter it to represent a Bootle fire engine. (Change registration number, change wording on the side etc. )

BEWARE. It is clearly an introductory offer as it is priced at £1.99 as opposed to a “usual” price of £14.99.

It would appear that the company offers this as an introduction and then sends further example of other vehicles “on approval” at the full price in the hope of further sales SO CHECK THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Further details are available on the website at www.atlaseditionsco.uk. Check other comments on Google before committing yourself to anything.

I have nothing to do with the company and have never used them myself. I have posted this as it may be of interest to contributors to this thread.

Armchair

[armchair]

Sorry. I mis-typed the link above. It should be

www.atlaseditions.co.uk

AC

[Frank948]

Armchair.

The AEC fire Pump as far i know was used by London FB .I dont remember any in Liverpool or Bootle brigades. Of course i could be wrong.I saw the Ad for it on the Web page.Thanks for the interest.Frank.

[joefirebobby]

You are correct Frank , Liverpool and Bootle FB's did'nt have any AECs. although the Isle of Man FB had one .

I just noticed on their web page a photograph of a pre-war Liverpool FB Leyland Metz turntable ladder , although they actually sell a model London FB Leyland Metz TL .

[joefirebobby]

The official 1962 opening of the Liverpool Salvage Corps Headquarters located in Derby Road .
The building is now used by MFRS Fire Control and the Fire Safety Department which covers Liverpool .

[Frank948]

I attended a Sefton Council run event at Derby Park 5 Nov. The heritage and musum took to Fire engines along 60 year old Ex Bootle pump and a 12 yr old Merseyside pump.6 staff were in attendance.Hundreds of people, could have been a couple of thousand came allong.A lot of the public brought children to see the fireworks.A play and some music was put on .The start was 5 30pm but the fireworks did not off till 7 30 ish.I think it could have been arranged better.These are my own views Not Hertiage centre.

[joefirebobby]

A Liverpool firebobby in the Great Homer Street area in the 1860/70's .

[Paul_Patterson]

Hi Joe,

I worked in the old salvage corps building for many years after it was taken over by Merseyside fire brigade. I was a comms engineer.

I remember the first day we took over the building. There was a great big warehouse at the rear containing machinery that had been used for cleaning and drying wool and tobacco products that had been salvaged from local fires.

I have a lot of great memories from working there. I only wish I had taken some photos !!

Cheers
Paul

[joefirebobby]

Hi Paul
I remember the warehouse well , the Salvage Corps also had their own social club there .

[Frank948]

Hi Paul.I also remember the buildings when i was at Westminster rd station we would do drill i the yard.As Joe said it had a great club.I also remember the the Woolfe brothers Sid & George both members of the Corps.Also the great sales they had.A great asset to the fire brigade .

[joefirebobby]

Article from the " Star " .

[armchair]

Regarding the wheeled escape ladders that were in place in the city centre. The caption says the ladders were removed in the 1920s with much public resistance. Clearly they were there for assisting in the early escape of people from upper floors before the fire engines arrived.

My question though is were the ladders secured in any way? My cynical nature tells me that if the ladders were in place today and not locked down, every Friday and Saturday night there would be gangs of drunken half wits jousting with them or ramming them through shop windows, or using them for other anti social purposes.

So were they chained up? Or were people just more civilized and responsible then?

Armchair

[joefirebobby]

I don't think the wheeled escapes were locked , the wheels would have chocks . I think the punishment for vandalising / misusing them would ensure they were left alone .

[joefirebobby]

Lancashire Tar Distillery Hawthorne Road 31st .August 1972 .
At the time this was Lancashire Fire Brigade's area .
A total of 25 pumps including 15 from Liverpool were called to the fire .

Photographs copyright MFRS .


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[lily8]

Brilliant pics Joe thanks

[joefirebobby]