LOCAL LIFE
Garford celebrates centenary of fire service
by Greg Martin
There will be no tears shed when 101-year-old Garford Hale departs this place later this month.
No, the hardy and still spritely centenarian isn’ t being bid farewell at a funeral service!
He’ s off to a new home where his 10 decades of service as a firefighter will continue as a member of NSW Fire and Rescue. Gotcha? Garford Hale – full name, Garford Type 15 Hale- is a 1924 fire engine and is being relocated from his home in The Slopes to another abode within NSWFR.
But this magnificent machine isn’ t being placed in mothballs, no, Garford will have a new lease of life being put to work as a showpiece at Fire and Rescue events.
Eventually, Garford will find his resting place at Penrith’ s superb Museum of Fire. The Museum of Fire is home to an impressive collection of fire-fighting vehicles and memorabilia.
The Museum has one of the largest fire collections in the world, featuring a rotating display of historic fire engines dating from the late 18th century up to the 1980s, along with uniforms, phones and radio and alarm systems, firefighting tools and protective equipment.
“ Parting is such sweet sorrow” for Juliet from Romeo, but for Gerard
Duck and his fellow Garford owners, they are delighted to donate him to a new home where he will continue his long service to NSW Fire and Rescue.
Garford has been the star boarder for many years at The Slopes home of Gerard and Judy Duck.
Garford arrived in this country from the USA in late 1924 and was in service as a fire engine until 1961, serving firstly in Auburn, then Narranderra( 1932), Coonamble( 1934), Kurri Kurri( 1939), Blacktown( 1944) and in Toongabbie from 1954 until being put out to pasture. And pasture it was, as he languished in a paddock for many years until being discovered and fully restored by Gerard, his late father, John, and their fellow longterm firefighters at Richmond, Bob Green, Phil Salt and Brett Williams.
“ After the fire engine was withdrawn from service it was purchased by the owners of St George Leader newspaper and used for promotional purposes before being put out to pasture,” Gerard explained.
“ We all went to work on bringing the machine back to its former glory as there was significant work to be done including on the gear box and a broken rear axle, as well as searching far and wide for such things as pump parts and brass fittings.”
Gerard Duck with his old mate, Garford. The pair have given decades of service to NSW Fire and Rescue. Photo: Kathryn Johnston.
After restoration, Garford became a member of the Historic Fire Engine Association and down the years he’ s been one of the star performers at numerous fire department open days and other events.
In fact, Garford will be playing a starring role in Riverstone on Saturday, July 12, when the local fire station celebrates its centenary.
The first fire brigade was formed
in Riverstone in 1925 when the NSW Fire Board asked Charles Davis, a local storekeeper, to nominate two men suitable to form the brigade.
That duo was John Weaver as captain and Harry Head as his assistant.
Both men were paid as part-timers and six others were volunteers- Les Bray, Harry King, Albert Keegan, George Wiggins, M. G. Arnett, A. Rankine.
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THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 182 // JULY 2025 9