Firefighters guide
A brief history and overview of the major record series that relate to firefighters
Historical Overview
From the mid 19th century Sydney's fire protection was provided by volunteer and insurance company brigades. The Fire Brigades Act of 1884 formally constituted a government organised fire service, the Fire Brigades Board. Initially one central fire station was supported by 22 volunteer fire companies. The Fire Brigades Board was replaced by the Board of Fire Commissioners on 1 January 1910 under the Fire Brigades Act of 1909. The new Board was responsible for fire service provision in Sydney and all other urban areas of NSW.[1]
The first metropolitan fire station in Sydney was located on a site on the west side of Castlereagh Street between Liverpool and Bathurst Streets. By 1909, the number of permanent Brigade employees had risen to 220, comprising the Superintendent, Deputy-Superintendent, Senior District Officer, six District Officers, nine Station Officers, eleven Sub-station Officers, 134 firemen, 33 Coachmen, four Special Service and 20 auxiliaries at 19 stations.[2]
The fire brigade service continued to increase with the construction of fire stations in country and metropolitan districts. On 4 April 1958 the NSW Board became responsible for fire protection in the ACT.[3] In 1985, the first women fire fighters entered the brigade.[4] The New South Wales Fire Brigades was established under the Fire Brigades Act 1989.
List of select record series
Board of Fire Commissioners
NRS 510 Personnel record books, 28 Apr 1884-2 Sep 1955
Search the records in this series in the Fire Commissioners Personnel Index
The following information about staff is given: name; where and when born; height; previous occupation; marital status and number of children; promotions; examinations; and details of appointment, offences and awards
Item List:
Dates | Fiche | Item |
|---|---|---|
28 Apr 1884-15 Feb 1900 | 2053-58 | [11/16226] |
1 Jan 1900-15 Jan 1909 | 2059-64 | [3/12672] |
15 Jan 1909-14 Mar 1913 | 2065-70 | [3/12673] |
25 Mar 1913-16 Aug 1917 | 2071-76 | [3/12674] |
16 Nov 1917-17 Aug 1923 | 2077-82 | [3/12675] |
17 Aug 1923-19 Aug 1927 | 2083-88 | [3/12676] |
20 Aug 1927-31 Aug 1928 | 2089-94 | [3/12677] |
3 Sep 1928-15 Dec 1933 | 2095-2100 | [3/12678] |
2 Feb 1934-1 Jul 1938 | 2101-07 | [3/12679] |
1 Jul 1938-7 Aug 1942 | 2108-13 | [3/12680] |
14 Aug 1942-3 Dec 1945 | 2114-19 | [3/12681] |
4 Dec 1945-31 Oct 1947 | 2120-25 | [3/12682] |
15 Jun 1951-25 Jun 1954 | 2126-32 | [3/12684] |
31 Oct 1947-15 Jun 1951 | 2133-39 | [3/12683] |
25 Jun 1954-2 Sep 1955 | 2140-45 | [3/12685] |
More records
Series | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
NRS 511 (Fiche 7001-7002) | NSW Fire Brigades register of signatures - 22 Nov 1884-14 Aug 1912 [14/1722.1] Fiche 7001 - 14 Aug 1912-30 Dec 1955 [14/1722.1] Fiche 7002 | 1884-1955 |
- [6/18048] | Staff register, City stations | 1927-1967 |
- [3/7883.14-.15] | Personnel registers - Country stations | 1910-1931 |
NRS 501 [3/12995-13001, 3/6973B-6973D, 3/13022, 10/30615-30618 part, 6/11876-77] | In Orders These circulars include appointments and promotions, transfers; leave, and notices of deaths of Brigade members. | 1901+ |
NRS 502 [6/11866-11875] | Volunteer Staff In Orders These circulars include appointments, transfers, leave and notices of death. | 1931-1979 |
- [3/1781.2] | Country volunteer register Arranged alphabetically by fire station. | 1910-1916 |
- [11/3157-3161] | Volunteer staff registers, Country stations Arranged alphabetically by fire station. | 1910-1974 |
NRS 514 [11/16222] | Volunteer Long Service Medal and Bar register This is a register of medals (for 15 years service) and bars (for 30 years service) presented to volunteer firemen. | 1910-1967 |
NRS 515 [3/13002] | Reserve Corps Arranged in alphabetical order by brigade. | c.1939-1955 |
NRS 517 [3/13020.1] | Seniority list of fire brigade staff | Nov 1944 |
NRS 519 [14/1722.2-1726, 18/1267-71] | Personal files of senior officers | c.1890-1988 |
[3/1786] | Register of NSW Fire Brigades Reserve Corps | 1939-1957 |
Access to the records
Staff summary records such as registers and history cards of Fire and Rescue NSW and its predecessors are open to public access after 50 years. Individual staff records containing sensitive personal information, excluding staff summary records, are open to public access after 100 years.
To obtain permission to view and copy records that are closed to public access contact:
Fire and Rescue NSW
Right to Information Officer
Locked Mail Bay 12
Greenacre NSW 2190
Further reading
Colin Adrian, Fighting fire: a century of service 1884-1984, Sydney, George Allen & Unwin, 1984.
Footnotes
[1] Colin Adrian, Fighting Fire: a century of service 1884-1984, George Allen & Unwin, 1984, p.8
[2] Adrian, op.cit p.95
[3] NRS 484, Board of Fire Commissioners of New South Wales Annual Report, 1958, [14/1594] p.4
[4] NRS 484, Board of Fire Commissioners of New South Wales Annual Report, 1985, [14/1594] p.42