East Cleveland Image Archive

A fire occurred on the 25th September 1911 at Ruswarp Flour, this image is from a series taken by John Thomas Ross an active photographer and postcard producer from Whitby; he apparently cycled to Ruswarp upon notification of the event.
Image courtesy of John G Hannah, information courtesy of ”Whitby Photographers by Ruth Wilcock”.

Bill Hicks, and happy group of children, outside Loftus Fire Station, date possible early 1970s. Were you one of the group, did you sit in the engine and hear the siren? Please let us know.

Paul Hassan tells us:”The appliance in the background is a Dodge K850 water tender built by Carmichael of Worcester. This was one of the first new fire appliances ordered by the newly formed Cleveland County Fire Brigade in 1974/75. The photograph must be dated after this time. Any further information on the appliance would be appreciated: registration etc. I remember this appliance whilst growing up in Guisborough”. Craig White advises: “There is another photograph on here showing the Loftus crew training at ICI with the rear of a fire engine visible . The registration no. is JDC735N which comes up as a red 1975 Dodge on DVLA website so is probably this one”.

See post ‘Loftus Fire Crew – 1978 – @ ICI Wilton on Exercise’.

Image courtesy Dave Lees; thanks to Paul Hassan and Craig White for the updates.

Do you know anyone in the picture? We now know from David Richardson: ”The fire occurred on the 25th September 1911, couldn’t tell you who anyone one is though.” Other information now available telling us: ”that the fire was discovered by two employees who had started their early morning shift and they alerted the Ruswarp policeman; he asked a local resident to telephone Whitby Police, who in turn alerted the Whitby Fire Brigade. Having experienced difficulty in procuring, it took them nearly an hour and a half to travel the one and a quarter miles with their horse-drawn manual engine. The fire was virtually burnt out when the brigade arrived at 4.20.” it is apparent that this image must have been taken not long after as there still appears to be smoke (or dust) emerging from the upper window spaces! The image is possibly from a series taken by John Thomas Ross an active photographer and postcard producer from Whitby. Photo journalism in it’s infancy.

Many thanks David Richardson for the dating. Other information from ”Whitby Photographers by Ruth Wilcock”

Loftus Fire Station Crew on exercise at ICI Wilton in 1978.

Back row: Ken Verrill, Colin Gallilee, Ivan Gallilee (Station Officer @ Loftus), Jerry McElvaney.

Front Row: Bill Hicks, Keith Gallilee.

Bill Hicks worked at ICI Wilton as a fireman and subsequently became Station Officer @ Loftus, replacing Ivan Gallilee. ICI Wilton were very supportive of local retained fire crews and offered additional training sessions. Ivan was father of Colin and Keith.

John Preston advises: “The Gallilee family had had a long firefighting tradition, Ivan’s dad (my step grandfather) Fred was also in the brigade and I can recall him telling stories of having to catch the horse to pull the pump.”

Image courtesy of Eileen Hicks, thank to John Preston for the update on the Gallilee family.