rhyddings street factory bottoms fire

[Tealeaf]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Steiners had their own firemen, I know because my Grandfather was the fire chief there for years

That didn't do them much good then, did it?

Most of the big companies around Accy had their own fire service. I remember working at Ewbank in the mid-seventies and their in-house fire brigade was comprised of a Land Rover crewed by some of the maintainence men. That - like all the other companies - was their first line of defence. if things got out of hand, then call the Borough/County Brigade. Actually, if you were really sensible, you'd call them first.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

I suppose there was no justification for a fire station in Ossy in the first place; surely it would have been far better for all of us to let the entire town just burn down.

Right there was no justification for Ossy to have a fire station many years before it was eventually closed, just as Rishton & Clayton's fire stations were closed in the late 1940's.
All the major employers at one time had a fire brigade, Lang Bridges & Howard & Bulloughs etc.
Retlaw.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

That didn't do them much good then, did it?

Most of the big companies around Accy had their own fire service. I remember working at Ewbank in the mid-seventies and their in-house fire brigade was comprised of a Land Rover crewed by some of the maintainence men. That - like all the other companies - was their first line of defence. if things got out of hand, then call the Borough/County Brigade. Actually, if you were really sensible, you'd call them first.

I don't know Retlaw, I've seen some photos of him and they seemed to have some decent equipment for the time, I know my other Grandfather was a member of Oswaldtwistle Fire Service when the fire station was in the town hall and the stables for the horses where down the Straits, there's actually a photo of him in the civic society exhibition on the corner of Monarch Street (if its still open) and some of the men are named, I actually did this photo for them enlarged it and inserted the names about 10 years ago

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by jaysay

I don't know Retlaw, I've seen some photos of him and they seemed to have some decent equipment for the time, I know my other Grandfather was a member of Oswaldtwistle Fire Service when the fire station was in the town hall and the stables for the horses where down the Straits, there's actually a photo of him in the civic society exhibition on the corner of Monarch Street (if its still open) and some of the men are named, I actually did this photo for them enlarged it and inserted the names about 10 years ago

This is from the Fire Brigade log book Jan 24th midnight 1901.
Wheatfield Mill Rishton. Fire in winding & warping room. got one jet to work from steamer and stopped the futher advance, played 3 jets from steamer.
Steamers from Harwood & Clayton were also sent for, but Accrington was the first to arrive, & were directing water on the fire long before the others arrived. Returned to station at 6-50.a.m.

You can just imagine the horses nostrils flaring, going like the clappers up Whalley Rd, firemen hanging on for grim death, trying to get there gear on, & the engine driver at the back shoveling coal on to have steam up, trying to keep out of the tram lines, then skidding round the corner at Clayton, then belting down the road towards Rishton.
Them wurt days
Retlaw.