Dingwall Town Council

NEW FIRE STATION

Provost Macrae said the new Fire Station, which had been erected at Caberfeidh Avenue, was to be opened during the first week in July. He had been asked to perform the opening ceremony, not as Provost, but as a member of the Area Committee. He had attended many similar openings all over the North, and in each place the local authority had given a dinner to the members of the Northern Area Joint Fire Committee after the ceremony. In this case the County Council would be entertaining members to dinner, but he suggested that the Town Council co-operate to the extent of inviting members of the Local Fire Service to the dinner at the Town’s expense. He said they had given splendid service to the community in the days when they were not paid anything.
Members agreed.
(The Ross-shire Journal, Friday, 14^th May, 1971.)

NEW DINGWALL FIRE STATION

Dingwall’s new Fire Station was officially opened on Friday evening by Provost Alex. Macrae, Dingwall.
The new premises are greatly needed in the Burgh, where the local Fire Service, which is composed of part time men, is one of the most efficient in the country. For years it has been operating from headquarters, which served their purpose well in the past, but which with the modern pace of events-traffic and otherwise-left a lot to be desired.
Quick off their marks at the first sound of the siren, the Dingwall crews are out and away to an outbreak within minutes-and that was into the flow of traffic on the busy North road. One of the “boys” of the Brigade said that on one occasion the engine roared up Tulloch Street on the wrong side of the road! But there were never any mishaps and the brigade always got there and were in action with an efficiency which has commanded great respect over the years.
The new Headquarters, which are sited off Caberfeidh Avenue, are extremely modern, and are a credit to the architects, Messrs Matheson and Mackenzie, Dingwall; and to the main contractors, Messrs Alex Hall and Son, Aberdeen.
Inside the building there is the vehicle area, taking two engines; an assembly area with individual lockers for the men; a lecture room, kitchen, workshop, hose store, showers, and a drying room.
A practice tower has been erected in the grounds of the station, serving a dual purpose, as it is used for drying out the hoses. It was used on Friday, when Provost Macrae sounded the alarm and the men went into action to give a demonstration.
There are thirteen men in the Dingwall Brigade, but only twelve were on parade at the opening ceremony. The latest recruit, Mr. Kenny Nicolson, has not yet been “kitted-out” and he was doing duty in another capacity
The Station Officer is Mr. Huisdean Campbell. Mr Willie Ross is Sub Officer and Mr. George Maclennan, Leading Fireman. Other members are—Messrs John Macleod, John Lawson, Jimmy Paterson, Billy Ross, Neil Leah, John Macrae, Brian Mackenzie and Arthur Gair.
Dingwall owes much to it part time Fire Brigade, which, as a Club, has done so much for charitable causes over a long period of years. During the War the Club raised many thousands of pounds for various charities. Pefferside Park is a lasting memorial to their work. Old and young in the town are annually catered for in many ways, and during the past number of years, the Club has been responsible for organising the town's Gala Week. This year they find that this is just too much for them in time and effort, and the various organisations in the town are taking most of the responsibility off their shoulders.
Who better then to officially open the new station than Provost Macrae, who has been associated with the Fire Service in the Burgh for the past fifty years? A record second to none.
Mr. George Cumming, Stromeferry, Chairman of the Northern Area Fire Service Joint Committee presided at the ceremony. He was accompanied at the entrance to the Station by the Earl of Cromartie, Vice Convener of Ross and Crornarty; and the Rev. Malcolm Buchanan, Castle Street Church of Scotland. Mr. Cumming introduced the new County Clerk, Mr Kenneth Clark, to the company. Mr. Clark, he said, was making his first public appearance since taking up his appointment the previous day. He was certainly being broken in in the right way. Mr. Cumming congratulated Mr. Clark on his appointment and hoped his stay in the County would be for many, many years, and that he would enjoy every one of them.
There was very little Mr. Curnming could say to Dingwall people about Provost Macrae—he was so well known. He congratulated him on his return to the Civic Chair. For many years the Provost had been connected with the Fire Service. As a matter of fact his connection went hack over fifty years, when he joined as a fireman, said Mr. Cumming. He had a long experience of the service as a fireman and now as a member of the Joint Commitee. During the War he was awarded the B.E.M. and was the holder of the Long Service Medal. Some years ago he was awarded the C.B.E. It was a great honour to be given these two awards. Mr. Cumming was sure he was very proud of them. He pointed out Mr. Macrae was not present as Provost of Dingwall The official opening had been arranged before he had been re-appointed Civic Head. It was because of his long service to the Fire Brigade as a fireman and as a member of the Committee that he was performing the ceremony. It was with great pleasure that he invited the Provost to declare the Station open.
Provost Macrae said he owed much to the Fire Service, which had given’ him much pleasure and enjoyment. It was a great body with which to be associated, and to have the companionship of men who gave their services voluntarily. Satisfaction came from their work of controlling flames and destruction.
The Royal Burgh of Dingwall was proud of its new Station, and they thanked the Joint Committee for the trouble they had gone to to provide it. He recalled the previous stations in George Street and Tulloch Street, and recalled the men themselves had built the latter station during the war. It gave them all a great thrill of pleasure to enter into this new palatial building. As he placed the key in the look and opened the door, he wished all the men who entered in, God’s blessing in their hazardous work.
The new building was dedicated in prayer by the Rev. Malcolm Buchanan.
The members of the Joint Committee, who had been meeting in Dingwall earlier, were among the large gathering present at the ceremony. Later, Ross and Cromary County Council were hosts to the Committee and members and former members of the local Brigade, at dinner in the Seaforth Rooms, Dingwall.
(The Ross-shire Journal, Friday, 9^th July, 1971.)

Happy days with the Fire Brigade Club
By Bert Philip, Harlow, London

<PHOTO> about 44 people including 19 firemen.
An article in the Ross-shire Journal — Dingwall Fire Brigade Club, dated August 13 — reminded me of my years as a member of the DFBC.
Early in 1939 I joined the National Fire Service and simultaneously was elected into the Dingwall Fire Brigade Club by my fellow firemen.
I have enclosed a photograph of the founder members, I am the third from the left in the back row. The club president, Provost Sandy McRae (later to become Provost McRae CBE), deputy president Major Smith and club secretary Tommy Gray were the club’s elected officials. There are many notable persons in the photograph of Dingwall and Ross-shire.
I was followed into the NFS and the club by my younger brother, the late Highland Councillor David Philip of Conon Bridge who sadly passed away in July 2003. A club member for many years, also my friend and colleague of over 60 years, Joe Campbell, also sadly and so recently passed away. We were the young element participating in all club activities.
Now in my 80th year it is with much sadness I find myself the sole survivor of the 1939 group of the Dingwall Fire Brigade Club.
I did a break in my Fire Service and Club work when I was enlisted into the army for military service in World War II, returning to club duties for a few years prior to taking up permanent employment in London.
To serve the community was the hallmark of the club. The many requests for assistance included such as stewarding the drama and music festivals in the Town Hall, joining many groups on their fundraising events and one tradition special to all members on Christmas morning — visiting the elderly and infirm with tea caddies, boxes of biscuits and tobacco, with a word of good cheer.
A word about the Saturday night dances and Pefferside Park. The Saturday night dances raised thousands of pounds which was periodically distributed to local charities, clubs and groups etc in and around Ross-shire. In time it was decided that something of a lasting nature should benefit the town of Dingwall, the question was what?
Dingwall Town Council, under Provost Sandy McRae resolved the problem by assigning wasteland for development as a leisure park. The club welcomed this gesture and embarked on the project with firm determination acknowledging the cost to be many thousands of pounds to completion.
Tremendous assistance was given to the club by the community who generously gave financial, material and physical help of all kinds, such as local tradesmen dismantling the Castle Street Tennis Court Pavilion and rebuilding it in the park. Also the stone gates which were donated by the Ross Memorial Hospital and rebuilt by a club member. Great assistance was also given in landscaping the grounds.
In conjunction with Dingwall Town Council and the Local Community, the project was anchored and financed by the DFBC and Pefferside Park was established in 1949.
There is so much early history of the DFBC as yet untold, but that will be for another time, another day.
To the DFBC Members of today, I congratulate them in continually serving the community and bringing so much joy and happiness to so many.
My kindest regards to you all.
(Ross-shire Journal, February 4, 2005. Page 12.)

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