three counties column
Each month Richard Knight will feature an item from Three Counties Hospital from his collection of history and memorabilia . This month is Part 1 of a
feature on the Three Counties Asylum Fire Brigade
Fire was a constant threat at the Three Counties Asylum , There was such an abundance of naked flames from open fires , chimneys , gas lights , gas cookers and personal smoking that the outbreak of fire was imminent . The asylum was built in such a rural location it had to be prepared to fight its own fires at a moment ’ s notice . There were no fully skilled professional firemen employed at the asylum , the fire brigade was made up from non-uniformed attendants who worked there , these men had minimal training and fought many fires to the best of their abilities with the minimum amount of equipment at their disposal .
Above : a colourised black and white photo of the Three Counties Fire Brigade
Original adverts for the “ Corridor ” Fire Engine ( left ) and the “ Tozer ” Engine ( below )
To combat any outbreak of fire the asylum had many internal and external underground fire hydrants , the idea being a hose could be quickly attached outside and the natural water pressure would produce a jet of water adequate enough to kill the flames , this worked sufficiently well outside if there was a roof or chimney fire .
To fight any outbreak of fire in the wards the asylum had internal hydrants , sand and water buckets along with two corridor engines and eleven Tozer engines supplied by Messrs Merryweather at a cost of £ 66.4.0 the asylum turned the internal water tower supply off between the hours of 7.00pm and 6.00am . This meant the inside hydrants would be rendered useless as these were only connected to the internal water tower supply , this situation put the asylum in a very precarious and dangerous situation .
The Tozer and Corridor appliances did not actually have an engine , they were a portable pump system which held its own water supply ( approximately ten gallons per fill ) These could be operated by a single person but worked better with two as one man or woman could operate the pump while the other pointed the hose at the flames .
In 1897 it was reported that these appliances had worked very satisfactory in the hands of the fire brigade
One big problem was the hydrant fittings inside the asylum , these were a different size to the external hydrants , this meant the hoses internally and externally could not be connected together if they were needed to make a very long hose extension .
Next month part 2 of the story on Three Counties Fire Brigade .
Arlesey Town Football Club
Arlesey Town Football Club is a members owned , volunteer run football club based in Arlesey , Bedfordshire . Founded in 1891 , its senior team plays in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central which is at Steps 4 of the National League System .
Upcoming Fixtures
Pre-Season Friendlies Saturday , 9th July 2016 , 3:00pm , Arlesey Town v Stevenage Borough Thursday , 14th July 2016 , 7:45pm , Arlesey Town v Hemel Hempstead Tuesday , 19th July 2016 , 7:45pm , Arlesey Town v Leighton Town Saturday , 23rd July 2016 , 3:00pm , Arlesey Town v Dunstable Town The Club plays its football at the aRMadillo Stadium , Hitchin Road , Arlesey , Bedfordshire , SG15 6RS
Treasurer Needed The Club is actively seeking a Treasurer to take control of the financial aspects of the club and be an active member of the committee . The role would be on a volunteer basis only but would provide a unique insight into how a football club works and allow you to take pride
in it ’ s success ! If you are interested in football and would like to be involved in the running of a small club in this capacity , please contact Rory McLerie on 077-6969-4358 .
Rock Against Cancer Arlesey Town Football Club are proud to support and host this unique all day family event on Saturday , 30th July 2016 . The event will include :
• 10 live bands • Fairground rides • Magic Man , raffle
• Stalls , food wagon and Ice Cream van • 3 licensed bars Tickets are £ 6 in advance or £ 8 on the day ( under 16 ’ s – FREE entry when accompanied by an adult ). Tickets will be Issued as Wrist Bands and are available from : A Bite To Eat , 2 Hitchin Road , Arlesey Frontline Auto Centre , Unit 1b , Portland Industrial Estate , Arlesey Members Bar , Arlesey Town Football Club , Hitchin Road , Arlesey Pitstop Burger Van , A507 ( Between Stotfold & Baldock , Westbound )
Function Suite for Hire In addition to its Members Bar , Arlesey Town Football Club has a Function Suite available for hire suitable for all types of events . Catering for groups up to 150 and with a fully stocked bar , the venue is perfect for private parties . Please call 01462-734-504 for more information or to make bookings .
12 on the button issue 47 July 2016 | 01462 834265 | steve @ onthebuttonarlesey . co . uk | www . on-the-button . co . uk