Old Brigden Fire Engine

[johnny5]

The old Brigden fire engine seen as it heads north down Christina St., Sarnia in the Canada Day Parade, July 1, 1967. Looks like one of the passengers has a broken nose! Does this engine still exist? Does anyone recognize the passengers??

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[ilmason]

This little engine must have had quite a big day on July 1st, 1967 -- owing to the fact that it also appeared in the Brigden parade on the same day. The photo appears to have been taken at the corner of Durand and Christina Streets, Sarnia. Our Lady of Mercy Church appears in the background and the fence was what used to surround the playground of Our Lady of Mercy elementary school on the same corner. The Brigden fire truck still exists and is owned by the Brigden Fire Department. It is a 1916 Model T Ford truck which was fitted with a 1927 pumper. A description of the fire truck follows: "...after a disastrous fire on Aug. 26, 1927 that destroyed the Brigden Cheese and Butter Company, located on the southwest corner of the Second Line of Moore Township [Oil Springs Line] and Brigden Road...arrangements were made to obtain a fire pumper. [Jim Sinclair, the Brigden Ford dealer,] had a representative of a pump company called and a date was set for a demonstration. The agent guaranteed he could have a stream of water going over the old Basswood Block in three minutes. ...his promise was kept good as he had water going over the roof in less than three minutes. After special discussion, the citizens and the village trustees composed of Dr. Johnston, Joel Shaw and Fred Osborne, made the purchase from Jim Sinclair, the cost of the 1916 Model T Ford Truck being $750 which was a lot of money in those days." In the Brigden Centennial parade on July 1, 1967, the fire truck was driven by Jim Sinclair, the Ford dealer who sold the truck to the village in 1927, Fred Osborne who wrote the cheque for the purchase operated the hand-turned siren, and Dan Mundy stood on the back of the truck. (Recollections of Fred Osborne in Brigden, A Glimpse Into the Past, pg. 163) The fire hall stood on Jane Street. My grandmother (Elzora Mason) who had lived across the road from the fire hall remembered that when a fire alarm was turned in, the old truck was driven slowly along the street on its way to the fire picking up the men who would run towards the fire hall when they heard the alarm.

[johnny5]

Here's a pic of it in colour from an old slide.

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[ilmason]

Two members of the Brigden Kiltie (bagpipe) Band are on board playing the bass drum and (likely) a snare drum. The band was organized by and sponsored by the Brigden Fire Department.