Fire Fighters, Brigades & Families
The Fire Services Museum is always delighted to receive donations of historical details, items and photos, regarding fire fighters and brigades, of days gone by.
We thought this website would be a great place to feature and share some of these donations, from families whose relatives were fire fighters and/or brigade members.
**If you have a story to tell about a family fire fighter or brigade history relevant to the metropolitan or country areas of Victoria up to 1973, that you would like featured on this page, please forward photos and/or brief history and contact details to the Curator via email or post, click here to see address.
Firie Families
Fire Fighter Samuel Dando
MFB 1897 - 1920
Fire Fighter Samuel Dando joined the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1897. He commenced his training at Eastern Hill, Main Fire Station, which now houses the Fire Services Museum Victoria.
By 1901 Fireman Dando was posted to the Lord Street, Richmond Brigade. Prior to joining the fire brigade, Samuel was a coachbuilder and his father was a blacksmith and had a forge at 277 Church Street, Richmond (where MacDonalds now stands). Samuel knew horses and family correspondence notes that he was a "teamster" when stationed at Lord Street Station.
Fireman Dando married in 1900 and the first four of his seven children were born in the Lord Street Fire Station house. The Dando family lived in various Fire Station houses over the next twenty years.
Fireman Dando was subsequently posted to South Yarra, Footscray, Williamstown and finally the Roseberry Avenue, Preston, Fire Stations.
The last family photo shows Fireman Dando, driver, and other members of the Preston Fire Brigade, "turning out" in a Hotchkiss Hose Carriage, circa. 1917. The last born of the Dando children can be seen standing at the gate in the background.
Fireman Dando was forced to retirement, approx., 1920, due to injuries sustained during a fire. He died in 1923. That same year the family moved into their first non-Fire Station home.
(Photos copyright property of family)
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