-If there was a fire at recess time, everybody would run to watch the firetrucks pull out, at Chapel Street Public School.
-Back in the 60's my grandfather would take me to the firehall and l would play on the trucks and sometimes we were there when the siren went off and they would put me in the truck and I would go with them what a blast for a young boy.
-In the late 50’s when Chapel was bursting and waiting for Park School to be built Mrs. Evans Grade 6 class was held in the hall of that building.
-It is so funny how pictures and words bring back so many memories to us. I miss Georgetown.
-I remember going to George Kennedy public school, back in the 60"s, when they made arrangements for a fire hall tour. I guess all the town schools did that and I hope its a continuing tradition.
-When l moved to Georgetown that is where I had my class grade 5 Miss Still 1956I believe
-Miss Wilma Stull
-Absolutely
-this was at Chapel street got that mixed up with the Ambulance building on James street.
-I went to school there too, I think it was Grade 5. Miss Stull. Fell in love with Margaret Murry,McGill that year.😊
-Yes, we had classes there. Didn't June Oliver live upstairs? I remember her as being a beautiful girl.
-Yes, Mrs. Oliver was the one who took the calls for fires and turned on the siren when needed.
-I remember in grade 7 when Miss Campbell sent June down to the washroom to wash off her makeup. Not my favourite teacher.
-John and Pearl Oliver were my grandparents. They did dispatch for Fire, Police, Ambulance for many years. All the phones were mounted on the wall. Each had a different ring to them along with a flashing light above them. She had a two way radio connected to the police cars to let them know of a call and to respond. For the ambulance, she had a weekly roster of who was on call. She would answer the emergency call, get the details and then she would have to call the two drivers, give them the information, they would then respond to the ambulance hall, get the ambulance and then off to the emergency. It was also their home upstairs. So much time was spent there with them, family...aunts, uncles and cousins. So many great memories. Grandma was the one who would push the black button on the wall to turn on the siren for the firemen to respond to the firehall. If we were there we as kids would plug our ears, you can image how loud it was up there as it was on the roof.
-My Grandparents lived in the apartment and did dispatch for the fire for years! So many Christmases and Birthday dinners in their little kitchen. IT was a 24/7 job and I remember them getting calls during our visits!
Memories.....
-I cant believe there was only 1 entrance no balcony and that a fire hall. Your gramma told me they were always promise a balcony but it never happened.
-I grew up on the property directly behind and to the left of the hall. Although we called it the fire hall, I don't recall fire ever being there rather Ambulance. There was a Mr. Aseltine {sic} living in the apartment above the hall and to the right. I remember the story of my Dad saying when they bought the house, they couldn't figure out why they got such a great deal on it...then the siren went off in the wee hours of the morning (fire must have been there when I was young?). My understanding is that he made some complaints (which were understandably ignored :)) so he cut the electrical line going to the horn with an axe (I seriously doubt this happened)...in any event, there was a period of time when there was no siren (the guys got pagers?) and as I said they moved from there and it was only an Ambulance service for the majority of my recollection. Mr. Aseltine was one of the couple of seemingly single older men in the neighbourhood. He was kind enough, kept a respectable distance and even though we as kids knew him by name, and would greet him on passing by, he would never really bother us. The other fellow lived above Mrs. Janet McDougall's place...I don't recall his name, and only ever really saw him a handful of times (which is odd retrospectively?).
-That would have been Red Asseltine.. he had daughters Judy and Janice.. wonderful ppl
-"Asseltine" I wasn't sure of the spelling. Widower? I don't recall a Mrs. Asseltine. Do you also know the fellow at McDougall's?
-Jean Asseltine passed away 1996.....Red 2001
-Jean was one of Red's daughters? Wife? If the latter did she live with him in the Ambulance Hall apartment?
-Jean was his wife....yes she lived there with Red
-Red was one of my father's dearest friends.....hockey coaches....Red was a great man, Vimy Ridge survivor
-Shelley Perkins Burns That explains why he presented himself as a quiet individual. As a kid I remember talking with vets that would meet at the library. The older fellas were WW1 vets, the few younger ones were WW2 (still working age 50's-60's). I recall Mr. Asseltine as a large fellow (strong), quiet with a distinctive nose. :)
-Red had 3 daughters Judy Janice and Susan and a son Ken! Red and Jean were the kindest people...glad to call them grandma and grandpa ♡ and all Asseltine's have a distinctive nose ;-)
-Were the Asseltines not serving as the dispatchers for the Fire and Ambulance Services for a number of years ?
-I do recall that Mike .. but not the # of yrs
-I loved Mr. and Mrs. Asseltine
-that was Miss Janet McDougall. By the time you moved in her mother had passed. She worked in the office at Provincial Paper Mill. I think she taught Sunday School at St. John's. I remember the mother had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens.
-Janet had a beautiful English garden, and was a kind person. She became frustrated with us boys at times...eg. She had a bird feeder on a pole in her front yard, which attracted "targets" (birds) for our bb guns and adolescent hunter/gatherer instincts (I swear we just couldn't help ourselves at that age). She let us know in no uncertain terms, that our behaviour wouldn't be tolerated. From a self esteem point of view, there really is nothing quite like having a old lady, all of 5' and 95 lbs, upset with you to bring you back into line. I digress. There was a separate entrance on the front left hand side of Janet's house; even though I've never been in that part of her house, I believe it led to a staircase to the upper floor of the house. While I was her neighbour, there was a guy who lived there but was never introduced to us kids (my folks may have said "that's Mr. so and so"?)...do you know who he was Colleen? In retrospect, I'm speculating that he may have been her partner...but then, I know for a fact her entire estate was willed to the Church (I thought Presbyterian?). I know she had a fiancee who never returned from service (WW2) and never did marry...so the presence of a man (also apparently single) seemed odd...and ripe for gossip. Lol. (She's past on leaving no relatives, I'll imaging "Mr. so and so" has also past on by now?)
-THE mother started the garden before your time. The door on the left let to an upstairs Apartment that Janet rented out. I remember a number of different borders. I also remember a huge claw foot bath tub up their. The house itself was line something out of time with a wood stove and steps up to the living room. Remember dark wood furniture and lace doilies. Janet mother looked like the mother of the old priest in 'Going my Way', down to the funny little hat. She was an old dear. Janet a little stuffy.
-I never got past Janet's front reception room past the mud porch. There was a large ornately carved wooden table. English china plates displayed on wainscotting around the celling line of the room...On one occasion, my younger brother and myself heard a thump on the basement window of our house, when we investigated we found a red cardinal on it's back in the flower bed. As I previously mentioned Janet had an affinity for birds, so we thought we'd bring the cardinal to her for an answer. The two of us, with bird in hand were invited in to the front room; she instructed me to put the bird on the table for inspection (she may have assumed we shot it? lol.). When I laid the bird on it's back, wings spread, it hops to its feet...scrambles around the table and takes a flustered and anxious flight around the room...Janet's scrambling for plates being toppled by this stupid bird...my brother and myself are standing absolutely dumbfounded at the spectacle. We thought what has unfolded was some sort of second coming? Would have sworn the birds neck broken? Come to think of it...that was the last time I was in her house!? Lol!!
-Don't forget the air raid sirens!
-When did we get the fire hall on Maple?
-I'd say mid to late 1970's...more weight on mid 1970's.
-1977 to be exact.
-Who is Mrs. Oliver?
-John and Pearl Oliver were the 1st dispatchers for the Town of Georgetown , they moved into the new fire hall at Chapel st and Guelph st in 1953. They worked 24/7 until July 1972 when Mrs. Oliver passed. The old town hall bell was dedicated to Mrs. Oliver in 1977 when the fire dept. moved to the new hall on Maple ave.
-My Grandfather Walt Richardson was a fireman for at least 25 years... i will never forget as kids their yearly Christmas party and the summer Fireman's picnic at Cedarvale Park...The good old days...
-Uncle Walt
-Walt was a great guy we lived on the same street. I remember your Mom use to baby sit me and my brother and sister.
-My Grandfather was the volunteer fire chief back in the sixties. He lived across the street. Every Thursday at 7 pm. you would hear the air raid siren to summon the firefighters to practice.
-I will never forget that siren... every dog in the neighbourhood howling in tune with it..
-Learn something new every day,I did not know Bruce that your grandpa & my uncle was a fireman for 25 years!
-I remember teen choir practice every Thursday night in the 1980's in St. John's United Church and we would have to stop mid-song when the fire alarm would go for a testing period maybe 20 seconds long .... I think it was about 8PM.... I remember the look on Mr. Dale Wood's face while it was going ... it was pretty loud..... 😀 good memory
-That is the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture! Good memories!!!
-My dad had the house built in 1951. In the 50's, before pagers, the siren would alert the firemen of a fire. Mr and Mrs Oliver manned the phone upstairs. They would alert the firemen as to where the fire was. My dad would time the fellow to see how quickly they left the station. Always in just minutes. I remember the Thursday evening practices. I thought the air raid siren was beside Wrigglesworth school. I remember when the old fire hall burned down. Georgetown Little Theatre lost props and costumes as I recall. The original Ambulance garage was across the street and down the hill from the old fire hall. My father in law volunteered with the ambulance service. In the 50's there was little first aid training but they did their best.
-I recall the air raid siren closer to where the post office is (Maple and Hwy 7?)
-that would be by Wrigglesworth school on Guelph Street.
-Went to Grade 6 in the basement of that building when it was a fire station. June Evans was our teacher.
-And you loved all the music and singing we had! 😜
-Yes I enjoyed the Music and singing I just can not do either. It was Ken Harrison who would tell me to just mouth the words.
-Back in the 60's my grandfather would take me to the firehall and l would play on the trucks and sometimes we were there when the siren went off and they would put me in the truck and I would go with them what a blast for a young boy.
-In the late 50’s when Chapel was bursting and waiting for Park School to be built Mrs. Evans Grade 6 class was held in the hall of that building.
-It is so funny how pictures and words bring back so many memories to us. I miss Georgetown.
-I remember going to George Kennedy public school, back in the 60"s, when they made arrangements for a fire hall tour. I guess all the town schools did that and I hope its a continuing tradition.
-When l moved to Georgetown that is where I had my class grade 5 Miss Still 1956I believe
-Miss Wilma Stull
-Absolutely
-this was at Chapel street got that mixed up with the Ambulance building on James street.
-I went to school there too, I think it was Grade 5. Miss Stull. Fell in love with Margaret Murry,McGill that year.😊
-Yes, we had classes there. Didn't June Oliver live upstairs? I remember her as being a beautiful girl.
-Yes, Mrs. Oliver was the one who took the calls for fires and turned on the siren when needed.
-I remember in grade 7 when Miss Campbell sent June down to the washroom to wash off her makeup. Not my favourite teacher.
-John and Pearl Oliver were my grandparents. They did dispatch for Fire, Police, Ambulance for many years. All the phones were mounted on the wall. Each had a different ring to them along with a flashing light above them. She had a two way radio connected to the police cars to let them know of a call and to respond. For the ambulance, she had a weekly roster of who was on call. She would answer the emergency call, get the details and then she would have to call the two drivers, give them the information, they would then respond to the ambulance hall, get the ambulance and then off to the emergency. It was also their home upstairs. So much time was spent there with them, family...aunts, uncles and cousins. So many great memories. Grandma was the one who would push the black button on the wall to turn on the siren for the firemen to respond to the firehall. If we were there we as kids would plug our ears, you can image how loud it was up there as it was on the roof.
-My Grandparents lived in the apartment and did dispatch for the fire for years! So many Christmases and Birthday dinners in their little kitchen. IT was a 24/7 job and I remember them getting calls during our visits!
Memories.....
-I cant believe there was only 1 entrance no balcony and that a fire hall. Your gramma told me they were always promise a balcony but it never happened.
-I grew up on the property directly behind and to the left of the hall. Although we called it the fire hall, I don't recall fire ever being there rather Ambulance. There was a Mr. Aseltine {sic} living in the apartment above the hall and to the right. I remember the story of my Dad saying when they bought the house, they couldn't figure out why they got such a great deal on it...then the siren went off in the wee hours of the morning (fire must have been there when I was young?). My understanding is that he made some complaints (which were understandably ignored :)) so he cut the electrical line going to the horn with an axe (I seriously doubt this happened)...in any event, there was a period of time when there was no siren (the guys got pagers?) and as I said they moved from there and it was only an Ambulance service for the majority of my recollection. Mr. Aseltine was one of the couple of seemingly single older men in the neighbourhood. He was kind enough, kept a respectable distance and even though we as kids knew him by name, and would greet him on passing by, he would never really bother us. The other fellow lived above Mrs. Janet McDougall's place...I don't recall his name, and only ever really saw him a handful of times (which is odd retrospectively?).
-That would have been Red Asseltine.. he had daughters Judy and Janice.. wonderful ppl
-"Asseltine" I wasn't sure of the spelling. Widower? I don't recall a Mrs. Asseltine. Do you also know the fellow at McDougall's?
-Jean Asseltine passed away 1996.....Red 2001
-Jean was one of Red's daughters? Wife? If the latter did she live with him in the Ambulance Hall apartment?
-Jean was his wife....yes she lived there with Red
-Red was one of my father's dearest friends.....hockey coaches....Red was a great man, Vimy Ridge survivor
-Shelley Perkins Burns That explains why he presented himself as a quiet individual. As a kid I remember talking with vets that would meet at the library. The older fellas were WW1 vets, the few younger ones were WW2 (still working age 50's-60's). I recall Mr. Asseltine as a large fellow (strong), quiet with a distinctive nose. :)
-Red had 3 daughters Judy Janice and Susan and a son Ken! Red and Jean were the kindest people...glad to call them grandma and grandpa ♡ and all Asseltine's have a distinctive nose ;-)
-Were the Asseltines not serving as the dispatchers for the Fire and Ambulance Services for a number of years ?
-I do recall that Mike .. but not the # of yrs
-I loved Mr. and Mrs. Asseltine
-that was Miss Janet McDougall. By the time you moved in her mother had passed. She worked in the office at Provincial Paper Mill. I think she taught Sunday School at St. John's. I remember the mother had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens.
-Janet had a beautiful English garden, and was a kind person. She became frustrated with us boys at times...eg. She had a bird feeder on a pole in her front yard, which attracted "targets" (birds) for our bb guns and adolescent hunter/gatherer instincts (I swear we just couldn't help ourselves at that age). She let us know in no uncertain terms, that our behaviour wouldn't be tolerated. From a self esteem point of view, there really is nothing quite like having a old lady, all of 5' and 95 lbs, upset with you to bring you back into line. I digress. There was a separate entrance on the front left hand side of Janet's house; even though I've never been in that part of her house, I believe it led to a staircase to the upper floor of the house. While I was her neighbour, there was a guy who lived there but was never introduced to us kids (my folks may have said "that's Mr. so and so"?)...do you know who he was Colleen? In retrospect, I'm speculating that he may have been her partner...but then, I know for a fact her entire estate was willed to the Church (I thought Presbyterian?). I know she had a fiancee who never returned from service (WW2) and never did marry...so the presence of a man (also apparently single) seemed odd...and ripe for gossip. Lol. (She's past on leaving no relatives, I'll imaging "Mr. so and so" has also past on by now?)
-THE mother started the garden before your time. The door on the left let to an upstairs Apartment that Janet rented out. I remember a number of different borders. I also remember a huge claw foot bath tub up their. The house itself was line something out of time with a wood stove and steps up to the living room. Remember dark wood furniture and lace doilies. Janet mother looked like the mother of the old priest in 'Going my Way', down to the funny little hat. She was an old dear. Janet a little stuffy.
-I never got past Janet's front reception room past the mud porch. There was a large ornately carved wooden table. English china plates displayed on wainscotting around the celling line of the room...On one occasion, my younger brother and myself heard a thump on the basement window of our house, when we investigated we found a red cardinal on it's back in the flower bed. As I previously mentioned Janet had an affinity for birds, so we thought we'd bring the cardinal to her for an answer. The two of us, with bird in hand were invited in to the front room; she instructed me to put the bird on the table for inspection (she may have assumed we shot it? lol.). When I laid the bird on it's back, wings spread, it hops to its feet...scrambles around the table and takes a flustered and anxious flight around the room...Janet's scrambling for plates being toppled by this stupid bird...my brother and myself are standing absolutely dumbfounded at the spectacle. We thought what has unfolded was some sort of second coming? Would have sworn the birds neck broken? Come to think of it...that was the last time I was in her house!? Lol!!
-Don't forget the air raid sirens!
-When did we get the fire hall on Maple?
-I'd say mid to late 1970's...more weight on mid 1970's.
-1977 to be exact.
-Who is Mrs. Oliver?
-John and Pearl Oliver were the 1st dispatchers for the Town of Georgetown , they moved into the new fire hall at Chapel st and Guelph st in 1953. They worked 24/7 until July 1972 when Mrs. Oliver passed. The old town hall bell was dedicated to Mrs. Oliver in 1977 when the fire dept. moved to the new hall on Maple ave.
-My Grandfather Walt Richardson was a fireman for at least 25 years... i will never forget as kids their yearly Christmas party and the summer Fireman's picnic at Cedarvale Park...The good old days...
-Uncle Walt
-Walt was a great guy we lived on the same street. I remember your Mom use to baby sit me and my brother and sister.
-My Grandfather was the volunteer fire chief back in the sixties. He lived across the street. Every Thursday at 7 pm. you would hear the air raid siren to summon the firefighters to practice.
-I will never forget that siren... every dog in the neighbourhood howling in tune with it..
-Learn something new every day,I did not know Bruce that your grandpa & my uncle was a fireman for 25 years!
-I remember teen choir practice every Thursday night in the 1980's in St. John's United Church and we would have to stop mid-song when the fire alarm would go for a testing period maybe 20 seconds long .... I think it was about 8PM.... I remember the look on Mr. Dale Wood's face while it was going ... it was pretty loud..... 😀 good memory
-That is the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture! Good memories!!!
-My dad had the house built in 1951. In the 50's, before pagers, the siren would alert the firemen of a fire. Mr and Mrs Oliver manned the phone upstairs. They would alert the firemen as to where the fire was. My dad would time the fellow to see how quickly they left the station. Always in just minutes. I remember the Thursday evening practices. I thought the air raid siren was beside Wrigglesworth school. I remember when the old fire hall burned down. Georgetown Little Theatre lost props and costumes as I recall. The original Ambulance garage was across the street and down the hill from the old fire hall. My father in law volunteered with the ambulance service. In the 50's there was little first aid training but they did their best.
-I recall the air raid siren closer to where the post office is (Maple and Hwy 7?)
-that would be by Wrigglesworth school on Guelph Street.
-Went to Grade 6 in the basement of that building when it was a fire station. June Evans was our teacher.
-And you loved all the music and singing we had! 😜
-Yes I enjoyed the Music and singing I just can not do either. It was Ken Harrison who would tell me to just mouth the words.
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