The Lanarkshire Fire Brigade was formed on the 16th of May 1948 and covered the whole county of Lanarkshire including the burghs therein. With Local Government reform on the 16th May 1975 along with Glasgow Fire Service, and parts of Central Area Fire Brigade, South Western Area Fire Brigade, and Western Area Fire Brigade it became Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

1948 to Late '60s                                 Knowetop, Motherwell

Late '60s  to 1975                                Bothwell Road,  Hamilton

1948 to 1962                       Firemaster Alexander H Nisbet OBE  GM

1963 to 1975                       Firemaster John Stewart OBE  QFSM

Notes

Report on fire Cover in Lanarkshire in 1966

Fire Stations 1950

Vehicles 1946

Extracts from Joint Board Minutes.

Radio call signs for Rutherglen were 1st(PE) FM24, 2nd(WrT) FM25, TL FM26, Station Officer FM24A, Station Van FM24B.
(From Billy Sweeney (Mighty Mouse) ex-Rutherglen and East Kilbride. 26/6/2010)

The brigade was made up of two divisions, A was north of the River Clyde and B was south of the River Clyde.

The following stations were built by Lanarkshire Fire Brigade:-

The strength of each Part time Retained Unit was increased by 1 Section Leader.
(Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Annual Report. 1950 – 1951. Page 19.)

Fire Services

 Under the fire services act of 1947, fire brigades, which had been nationalised during the second World War, were returned to the control of local authorities, as from 16 May 1948. The advantage of organisation on a regional basis had been realised, and the act constituted the whole of Lanarkshire, including the burghs, a Fire Area for administrative purposes. Thereupon the county council and the town councils of the large burghs drafted the Lanarkshire Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948. To a Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Joint Committee the county council appoints annually 16 members, the town council of Motherwell and Wishaw four members, and the town councils of Airdrie, Coatbridge, Hamilton and Rutherglen two members each, a total of 28.
As the scheme is at present operated, whole time fire stations are maintained at Motherwell, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Rutherglen, Lanark, and Bishopbriggs. Part time stations are situated at Abington, Bellshill, Biggar, Cambuslang, Douglas, Larkhall, Lesmahagow, Shotts, Stepps, and Strathaven (where a new station has been completed). In view of developments at East Kilbride a station will be erected there.
(The Third Statistical Account of Scotland Vol. VIII. The County of Lanark (1960). Page 95)

 LANARKSHIRE FIRE BRIGADE 1960

                                Full Time Stations                                                Part Time Stations

                                Motherwell                                                            Abington

                                Coatbridge                                                            Bellshill

                                Hamilton                                                                Biggar

                                Rutherglen                                                            Cambuslang

                                Lanark                                                                    Douglas

                                Bishopbriggs                                                        Larkhall

                                plus                                                                        Lesmahagow

                                East Kilbride later                                                 Shotts

                                                                                                                Stepps

                                                                                                                Strathaven

MAIN INDEX                             1948 INDEX