This Day in History: 1909-08-04

This was the official opening day of the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Brigade held at the Newcastle Council Chambers. A hydrant and hose was demonstrated. Oswald L. de Mamiel, who was a Vice-President of the Fire Brigades’ Association of Western Australia, had gone to considerable trouble to establish a brigade in Newcastle. The hydrant, hose, etc, recently came to hand, and on that Wednesday some of the local young men acting as temporary volunteers had a couple of jets of water running in the main street. The pressure was high, so much so, in fact, that a stream of water was thrown over the Victoria Hotel, opposite the Chambers.

Sources:
Newcastle herald, 31 July 1909, 6; 7 Aug. 1909, p.3.