by Maurice Smith

I recently had the opportunity to scan through a fascinating and irreplaceable book, loaned to me by my volunteer firefighter (now retired) friend, Jim Rennie, who has been  the book’s custodian for many years.

 Gathered in its pages, and written by many different authors, are anecdotes providing a glimpse into volunteer life in small town Ontario in the first half of the 1900s.

The story begins Nov. 20, 1903 when a group of concerned citizens were called together by the then reeve of Stouffville, Richard Underhill, to form the first official volunteer fire brigade. The opening page lists the names of the 40 men who answered his call and voted to ask the village councillors to appoint J.G. Martin as their first volunteer fire chief.

Not until March of the following year did the village council agree that each volunteer attending at a fire emergency would be paid 25 cents per hour and those attending training sessions 20 cents per hour. A fire in July of that year cost the local citizens the grand sum of $5.50.

Over the first few years various pieces of equipment and clothing were accumulated by the volunteers. Subsequently, council appointed William Smith as caretaker of this paraphernalia and agreed to pay him an annual stipend of $10 for his efforts.

While training and completing their tasks to the best of their ability, there are comments on a few pages which indicate the firefighters did not always agree with decisions made by the town councillors. Matters like the cost of accident insurance and a new hose reel became causes for lengthy negotiation.

Apparently this close-knit group of volunteers was not only involved in fighting fires, as many comments are also recorded concerning parties and dances sponsored to raise funds to broaden their service to our community. Oyster and Christmas suppers, concerts, car washes, dances, euchre nights and Bavarian festivals were organized by these men and attended by the local citizenry.

Many local organizations were recipients of their funds and even the ladies who voluntarily answered the telephones, then raised emergency alarms, were presented with a small gift at Christmas time. In 1942 a dance was held with the proceeds being presented to The War Victims Fund. The Muscular Dystrophy Society was close to the hearts of many and the book documents the generous donations being made over the years to this organization.

Approval to build a new fire station on the east end of Main Street at a cost of $21,500 is documented and dated 1960. To assist with the construction of their new home the volunteers agreed to donate their own man-hours, which were valued at $7,000.

Eventually the process for “paying” the fire fighters was restructured when town council agreed on a set amount to be charged to a fund for emergencies attended by the volunteers. At the end of the year, each man was given a percentage of these funds as remuneration. The 1964 volunteers each received $296.40 for attending 76 fire and/or emergency calls.

The volunteers vote annually to elect from their group people to assume the positions of fire chief, deputy fire chief, secretary treasurer and equipment caretaker. In 1959 a gentleman named Walt Smith was voted in as fire chief. Elected year after year, he eventually became the full-time chief and retired after providing the longest tenure in this role in Whitchurch-Stouffville history. Fire Station 51, opened in 2009 on Weldon Rd., is adorned with the name Walter J. Smith.

The book I refer to at the start of my column is the original meeting minute book from the Whitchurch-Stouffville volunteer fire brigade. It documents activities for the period 1903 to 1972 and will soon find its rightful place with other ‘days of yore’ memorabilia, in the heritage/public education area of the town’s new fire hall. There it will be on display for all visitors to see.

For those interested in this aspect of our town’s history, this book is a must view.

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