Station Focus: Hamilton Fire Brigade (1888 - 2016)

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the opening of the new Lambton Fire Station at an event held in 2016. This book included the history of five stations. These were New Lambton, Lambton, Hamilton, Adamstown and Broadmeadow Fire Brigade's. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable.

This week our station blog is slightly different as we take a look at a closed Station. Hamilton Fire Station was closed in 2016 following its amalgamation with the Lambton and New Lambton Fire Brigades to form the new No. 357 Lambton Fire Station.

Hamilton Fire Brigade outside the station on their Garford Appliance, 1921 [Museum of Fire Collection]

The Establishment of a Volunteer Fire Brigade at Hamilton

On Friday 26 May 1882, in a Meeting was held in the Hamilton Council Chambers to discuss the possibility of establishing a Fire Brigade. Unfortunately, only sixteen people attended the Meeting and little support was offered to the venture owing to the cost to equip the Brigade. Further, a sufficient water supply was not yet available in Hamilton and so many questioned how efficient a Brigade could therefore be. It was suggested, that instead of a Brigade, an alarm be installed in the town to summon all to any fires and that a large supply of buckets be left in a convenient location for any such instance. 

Hamilton Council was informed in February 1887, that unless any support was provided, the nearby Fire Brigade of Honeysuckle would have to close down (the Honeysuckle Brigade was later re-named West Newcastle and in 1916 the Board of Fire Commissioners re-named it simply Newcastle). At the Council Meeting in March 1887, it was declared illegal to provide funds to the Brigade, as it was located a substantial distance away and was not a ‘Hamilton’ Fire Brigade. 

The following year, a number of benefits were held to fund a local Hose and Reel Brigade in Hamilton. The Honeysuckle Brigade did not collapse as they thought they would and provided support to the Hamilton establishment when they could. From this time, the Hamilton Hose and Reel Brigade, as it was named, served the town ably. On 4 February 1888 a meeting was held to officially create a Hamilton Fire Brigade, known as the Hamilton Pioneer Hose and Reel Brigade. The original members of the Brigade were C. Dagwell (Captain), J. Boyer, J. Mowett, N. Baily, B. Tudor, F. Myers, 

R. Wonders, W. Murray, W. Milton, J. Smith, J. McCourtie, T. Keddie, V. Burridge, H. Tudor, J. Powell, P. Miller, G. Blythe, J. Edgar and J. Davies. On 27 May 1888 a working bee was held to construct the wooden Station adjoining the Council Chambers and at 9pm that evening it was finally completed, with the keys handed over to the Captain. This was to serve as a temporary Station while steps were undertaken to erect a purpose built Station.

Hamilton’s Second Fire Station

On 29 September 1898, Captain G. H. Tudor and Vice-Captain P.M. Myers made the trip to Sydney to have a meeting with the Colonial Secretary. The men were seeking a grant of £200 (approximately $30,000 today) to build a new Fire Station. While the full amount was not promised, the Colonial Secretary agreed to ensure that enough was provided for a suitable building. At the time, Hamilton was experiencing a great amount of success in local Firefighting competitions and the money they won was also put towards the building of the new Fire Station (this amounted to approximately £94, which is equal to approximately $13,700 today). The land was purchased in 1898 for £82 (approximately $12,000 today) and the building cost £340 (approximately $50,000 today).

The new Station was opened on James Street on Saturday 2 March 1901 with much fanfare. There was a large procession around the town, which included all the local children and approximately 150 Firefighters from other local Brigades. The Station was praised as being of the highest order with provisions for additional appliance storage and a new telephone system. Over 200 people came to take part in the festivities.

Five years later, after a second storey was added to the building, the Station was officially re-opened on Saturday 27 October 1906. Mr. Beuntagton, the Chief Officer of the Pretoria Fire Brigade in South Africa, happened to be in Australia at the time and so attended the Ceremony. He remarked on how impressed he was with the enthusiasm the community had for the celebrations and their Fire Brigade. The upper floor had cost £223/9 (approximately $31,880 today) with an additional £44/15 (approximately $6,384 today) spent on the attached bell tower.

A Timeline of Firefighting in the Lambton Area

1875 – Lambton Fire Brigade established

1888 – Hamilton Fire Brigade established

1891 – Adamstown Fire Brigade established and their Fire Station is officially opened.

1896 – New Lambton Fire Brigade established

1897 – New Lambton’s first purpose built Fire Station is officially opened (same site as that still used in 2016)

1901 – Hamilton’s first purpose built Fire Station is officially opened (located in James Street)

1902 – Lambton’s Fire purpose built station opens (same site as that still used in 2016)

1905 – A Fire Brigade is established at Broadmeadow and Broadmeadow Fire Station is opened later in the year

1914 – Lambton receives a new Fire Station after the previous one was destroyed by a cyclone in

1913. The new Fire Station would remain in use until 2016.

1921 – Adamstown officially opens a new Fire Station located on the same site as the previous Station.

1924 – Hamilton Fire Brigade officially opens a new Fire Station. This Fire Station would remain in use until 2016. At the same time Broadmeadow Fire Station is closed.

1934 – New Lambton opens a new Fire Station upon the same site as the previous station.

This Station would remain in use until 2016.

1945 – At the end of World War Two Adamstown and Lambton Fire Stations are closed and the volunteer staff transferred to New Lambton and Hamilton Fire Station’s.

1948 – Lambton Fire Station is re-opened and the staff transferred back to their original Station. However, Adamstown Fire Station remains permanently closed.

2016 – Lambton, New Lambton and Hamilton Fire Stations move into a new Fire Station on address

~Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team