Museum launches book of Fire Station Memories

Rochdale Fire Station : an Illustrated History

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Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum has entered the world of publishing with the release, this week, of its first local heritage book.

“Rochdale Fire Station : an Illustrated History” has been compiled by three of the museum’s volunteers, curators Bob Bonner and John Godman and trustee Geoff Bottomley. The 60-page publication tells the story of Rochdale’s 1933 Maclure Road fire headquarters from its conception right up to the present day.

Profusely illustrated with over 180 images, many never before published, the book makes good use of the museum’s extensive images archive, in particular its Rochdale Fire Brigade and Clifford C. Ashton collections. Clifford was a renowned and prolific local news photographer who, as well as attending hundreds of major fires, also recorded many aspects of the local fire service.

The new book will be launched at the Open Day event taking place this Sunday (1 September) at Rochdale Fire Station and Museum.

The Open Day, which features visiting preserved fire engines, a full range of present-day fire appliances and equipment, as well as working exhibits and stalls, will be the last of the popular “Joint Open Day” events, at which the museum volunteers and Rochdale firefighters come together to show the public how the service has developed. The new fire station, on Halifax Road, is expected to open at the beginning of 2014.

The Museum is hoping its forthcoming bid to buy the whole Maclure Road site with a view to creating an enlarged and improved museum of firefighting will be successful. A decision on the sale is now expected within weeks.

“I hope the public will support our last major joint open day with our colleagues in the modern service,” said Curator Bob Bonner. “Hopefully the Museum will continue to hold events in the future, but this will certainly be the last open day of its kind at Maclure Road. The launch of our new book will be a fitting way to mark this special occasion.”

The open day runs from 10am to 4pm with free admission.

“Rochdale Fire Station: an Illustrated History” is published by Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum and costs £9.99. ISBN number 978 0 992 6454 03.