DOGS
Wallace the Fire Dog
Wallace, believed
to be a cross between a collie and a setter, was ‘adopted’ by Glasgow Fire
Brigade in 1894 after he followed a horse-drawn fire engine taking part in a
Lifeboat demonstration.
A dog of unusual intelligence, Wallace made his home at the Central Fire Station
in College Street and ran with the brigade to fires. It was said that Wallace
would lead the fire engine to the fire but in fact he would glance back and the
coachman would point his whip in the direction they were going to turn at the
corner.
At the time, Wallace was even more famous than Greyfriar’s Bobby in Edinburgh.
One female ‘fan’ gifted Wallace rubber boots after hearing that the stone sets
in the roads made his feet sore! More recently, he featured in a series of
children’s books.
Wallace died in 1902 and his body was embalmed and put in a glass case in the
Central Fire Station. Her Majesty the Queen said she was fascinated by the story
of the famous fire dog when she Wallace during her opening of Strathclyde Fie
Brigade’s headquarters in 1990.
Wallace used sit on guard in the foyer of SFR’s North Glasgow headquarters at
Cowcaddens. Since 2012 he has been on display in the Fire Museum in Greenoc.
Such was his fame
in Glasgow, his final illness was reported on a daily basis in both the Scotsman
and Glasgow Herald newspapers!
(Wall Panel in SFRS Greenock Museum and Heritage Centre)
Plug
Was a station dog and the mascot of the Firemen at the Auxiliary Fire Station at Bell’s Laundry at Hawkhead Road, Paisley.
Terry
BRIGADE MASCOT
Terry, a black
Labrador, who for eight years was mascot and watchdog in five Aberdeen fire
brigade stations, is dead. but he will not be forgotten.
At North Anderson drive station he has found a last resting place and over his
grave a stone commemorates his service.
In our picture Leading Fireman Ross is seen tending the grave, Inset is Terry.
Originally the pet of Company Officer Brown, a war time officer in the fire
service, Terry was retained as a watchdog and mascot when his master left the
service.
During the war he was stationed at Mannofield, Craigie, Loanings, Queen's Cross
and Crown street, and ultimately went to North Anderson Drive station.
Terry revelled in a trip on the fire engine and sometimes accompanied the
firemen when they were called out to country heath fires.
When the alarm bell rang, Terry was first aboard the engine every time and was
very disappointed when, owing to the nature of the call, he had to be left
behind.
The gravestone was presented to the firemen, who inscribed on it, in bold black
lettering -
"In memory of Terry, who died December 21st, 1948. Our canine mascot for eight
years."
(Aberdeen Press and Journal. 7th February, 1949.)
Spot
Spot was a wartime
rescue dog (as in a rescued dog, not a search and rescue dog) he was brought up
and stayed in Gourock Fire Station when it was full time during the war, my dad
(Jimmy Collins) who was driver/mechanic said he was rescued from a ship fire.
He did sit between driver and O I C and was always on a Shout but stayed on the
appliance until it was safe for him to do his usual sniff around.
After the war and when Gourock went back to being a Retained Station, spot
stayed with us in ground floor of 17 Royal Street, a 100 yards down from the
Station. My dad continued as a Retained Fireman and was employed as Motor
Mechanic with Gourock Town Council, the burgh yard was next to the fire station.
Spot was always with him and he continued to go on Shouts when the siren
sounded.
He could hear the very first vibration of the house fire bell and often jumped
out the kitchen window(which was often open) and through adjacent closes to the
Fire Station. This was quicker than waiting for dad to get to the door and out
of the house.
My personal recollection was an incident when Spot came home stinking of fish
manure and mum decided to give him a bath in the sink tub. Being very unhappy
already about getting this all washed off, matters got a lot worse when the
siren and bells went down for a Shout, he was determined he had to attend and
mum more determined he was going nowhere. Needless to say it was water and soap
everywhere and one very irate dog who missed a Shout.
(Retired Retained Station Officer Tom Collins, Gourock Fire Station)
Terry's headstone moved from the yard at North Anderson Drve to in front of the new station. 101_5353 82/2009
?, Spot, Jim Collins. Photo from Tom Collins.