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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Top-of-the-hill on Saturday 21 November 20 20:37 GMT (UK)
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I am just reading a press report from 1893 of a fire in a village timber yard. The Volunteer Fire Brigade were called, and "promptly arrived on the scene". As the Brigade was based 3 miles away, and someone presumably had to gallop or cycle madly to get them, then they had to gallop to the fire, I can't imagine they arrived very promptly! The timber stock was partially insured.
I have a picture of this yard a few years later with the workmen posed each holding a tool, (except my grandfather, the young apprentice, who is holding a horse!)
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There is a story told amongst firefighters of today, that fires historically burned slower. Today's fire engines can do speeds in excess of 70 mph, whereas the old-time engines were pulled by cart horses and did 40 mph max. But they still managed to get there in time to put the fire out.
Therefore -
Fires burned slower in the old days!
Regards
Chas
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Or was it a case of more local fire engines and they therefore got there in the same time as a faster one that came from further away?
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Now I come to think about it, there was a pond next to the yard, which may have helped. It was the idea of a "prompt" arrival that caught my attention.
Chas - cart horses doing 40 mph? Can this be right?
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During the late evening and night of 5th January 1867 Croydon’s parish church was devastated by fire; the Croydon Advertiser recorded the dramatic event in these words.
"... in the excitement and hurry of getting first to the scene of the fire, everyone had forgotten to call the turncock, and 35 minutes elapsed between the call (to the volunteer fire brigade at the top of Crown Hill) and the first flow of water, the sequel being with the exception of the tower and north and south walls, the entire fabric fell a prey to the flames, and a victim to brigade mismanagement".
I believe reinforcements were called and they arrived on the last train from London!
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I did some research into our local volunteer fire brigade, as my great grandfather was a member. They were often delayed when they couldn't catch the horses! When they upgraded to a motor-powered vehicle, they had to go to the next village (up some very steep hills) because their firebrigade was at another fire. When my great-grandfather's engine arrived at the fire they discovered their own engine was on fire, and they had to put that fire out first!! True story! I know that a new station was designed in Sheffield so that they didn't have to catch the horses; they opened doors, the horses went in and were hitched up and went out the other side. It saved lots of time. They also had steam-powered fire engines.
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During the late evening and night of 5th January 1867 Croydon’s parish church was devastated by fire; the Croydon Advertiser recorded the dramatic event in these words.
"... in the excitement and hurry of getting first to the scene of the fire, everyone had forgotten to call the turncock, and 35 minutes elapsed between the call (to the volunteer fire brigade at the top of Crown Hill) and the first flow of water, the sequel being with the exception of the tower and north and south walls, the entire fabric fell a prey to the flames, and a victim to brigade mismanagement".
I believe reinforcements were called and they arrived on the last train from London!
A similar situation occurred in Stocksbridge, West Riding. The church burnt down and the fire brigade were blamed for not calling in all the men, and the fire brigade blamed the council, who had tarmacked over the hydrants and water had to be fetched from the river. It was a catalogue of errors with everyone blaming everyone else.
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Interesting to hear these accounts. It has given me a new thing to look up. I have the whistle that belonged to my great uncle, so want to research his brigade. - Harborne (now part of Birmingham)
FS
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If you're interested in a bit of background reading, I published my research here... https://www.stocksbridgetimespast.co.uk/stocksbridge-fire-brigade
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I researched a fire in Douglas, IOM that happened in 1868.
The fire brigade had one horse - allegedly traveling at 3 mph!
The fire was observed in Douglas town at 6:50 am; the fire brigade arrived at 7:40!
The nearest fire hydrant was 130 yards away.
The (new) hose they had was only 100 yards in length, and had to be joined to an old hose, which was bursting in several places.
The fire was about a mile and a half from the town.
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Chas - cart horses doing 40 mph? Can this be right?
Well,
A Mongolian wild ass (Equus hemionus) has a top speed of 39.8 mph,A Zebra (Equus zebra) has a top speed of 40 mph and
A Horse (Equus ferus caballus) has a top speed of 54.7 mph.
So I think 40 mph for a carthorse is not far off.
Regards
Chas (who is going to stick to his HobbyHorse)