Fire Engines and Fire Brigade
A Morning Exercise. Considerable commotion was caused on Saturday morning, June 15th, shortly after six o’clock by the appearance of the new fire-engine from the Town Hall, and the older engine from the Castle-hill station, accompanied by the Fire Brigade under the command of Supt. Glenister. Arrived at the end of Eversfield place, it was evident that St. Leonards had been chosen as the ground for the first quarterly practice. The hose and engines were connected with the hydrants at Warrior square, and the large engine threw a stream of water completely over the roof of No. 1 in the said square. Experiments were also tried with the Castle engine and with the hydrants alone. The pressure from the latter ejected a large stream to the height of the third floor. Other districts were afterwards visited and similar results obtained.
Fire Brigade Formation. A meeting of about fifty persons took place at the Town Hall on Wednesday, July 3rd, to form a volunteer Fire Brigade, for which the Hastings News had previously agitated. Mr. W. Ransom was voted to the chair. Supt. Glenister gave a clear outline of the duties of a fire brigade and suggested a method of obtaining the ways and means of supporting one. It was resolved that Supt. Glenister present to the Town Council the names of those willing to serve; that Mr. W. Ransom act as treasurer pro tem.; that Mr. Shorter be secretary; that Fire Insurance offices be applied to for subscriptions; and that a committee be appointed to prepare a code of rules.
A Fire at Melbourne Place. On Sunday, the 9th of June, a fire was discovered in a coal-shed and stable in Western road, then known as Melbourne place. The St. Leonards engine was soon on the spot, followed, not long after by the Hastings engines; but, for the want of water, the premises were consumed, and loss sustained of £80 or £90. See “Fires and Firemen” in another volume for impromptu doggerel on this event, as well as for accounts of other fires, and the doings of the Fire Brigade for a period of over 30 years.
Fire at 37 Marina. The kitchen flue caught fire on the 19th of July in consequence of an accumulation of soot in a “flat” which to ordinary means was inaccessible. The soot having burned for two hours heated the walls near the place to such an extent as to set on fire the wainscoating and floor in a bedroom of the adjoining house. The St. Leonards and one of the Hastings engines were soon on the spot, and the fire was extinguished, with but slight damage.
Tivoli Fair
“The Glorious First of June” was rendered inglorious by an attempt to perpetuate that by no means classic institution ycleped[a] Tivoli Fair, the closing scenes of which on the early morning of Sunday, exhibited (so we are told) more that the usual amount of blackguardism[b]
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