A few days after Cornwallis arrived in Chebucto (Halifax) Harbour in June of 1749, two hand pumped fire engines were unloaded from his ship, the Sphy… [read more...]

1752 First Fire Regulations • On September 29, 1752 Edward Cornwallis' successor, Governor Peregrine Hopson, and his Council enacted the … [read more...]

1753 The Earliest Known Structure Fire • At the end of the summer, on September 1, 1753, the Royal Gazette (the only newspaper in circulation… [read more...]

• Formed on January 14, 1754. • More information can be found here.   [read more...]

The Fire Regulations of 1762   Or an ACT for appointing Firewards, ascertaining their Duty, and for punishing Thefts and Disorders at the … [read more...]

Empowering the Citizens of Halifax: The 1782 Amendment   • In 1782, the Legislative Assembly’s Act of 1762, entitled “an … [read more...]

1783 The Union Engine Company • In 1783, the Act entitled “an Act for appointing Firewards, ascertaining their Duties, and for punishin… [read more...]

A New Fire Engine (1784)   • In 1784, a letter was sent to the Governor by the justices of the Peace to request the purchase of a new… [read more...]

The Court House Fire (1789)                                 &n… [read more...]

The Hand in Hand Fire-Company (1789-1863)   • The Hand in Hand Fire-Company was founded on January 28, 1789, and the earliest set of … [read more...]

The Phœnix Fire-Company (1789-1853)   • This company was founded on January 29, 1789, one day exactly after the founding of the… [read more...]

• On Friday, August 17, 1792, seven buildings were destroyed by fire on Granville Street; it was described in terms that suggest the public view… [read more...]

The Governor’s Fire Company   • In the “Nova Scotia Calender” of 1794, an almanac published by Anthony Henry in Hal… [read more...]

1797 The Firewards for the Town of Halifax • In 1790, the Act of 1762 was amended for a fifth time, this time to increase in the number of Fi… [read more...]

1801 The Sun Fire Company • The Sun Fire Company was founded on Friday, February 13, 1801. • More information can be found here. [read more...]

The Fire Service Expansion (1806-1819)   • Citizens at large were always very much a part of every fire, but this period was characte… [read more...]

The Heart and Hand Fire-Company (1810-1842) • Founded on April 3, 1810 • More information can be found here. [read more...]

• Formed in 1812 • More information can be found here. [read more...]

• Starting on December 19, 1812, the quarterly meetings of the Firewards were held at the Exchange Coffee House instead of the Mason Hall. At on… [read more...]

1816 A Major Conflagration • Mr. Stark's store on Sackville Street caught fire on October 9, 1816, a little before 10:00 in the evening. … [read more...]

As per the regulations of 1752 (still in force at the time), Firewards were empowered to give direction for pulling down or blowing up any such … [read more...]

1817 Regulating the Conduct of the Military at Fires • On January 9, 1817, as a result of the committee formed on December 20, 1816, to confe… [read more...]

 The St. Paul’s Church Grounds Engine House (1817-1837)   • On September 19, 1817, the U.E.C.’s secretary informed t… [read more...]

The last known fatal duel in Nova Scotia occurred on the morning of July 24, 1819; you may wonder what the connection is to the present topic, as you… [read more...]

•Samuel Cunard was born in Halifax on November 21, 1787, to Abraham Cunard and Margaret Murphy. Self-educated for the most part, Samuel trained … [read more...]

A Changing Society (1821)   • On Monday, September 17, 1821, at around two o’clock in the morning, a fire broke out on Sackvill… [read more...]

1827 Hand Pumped Fire Engine Donated to Halifax A fire engine that had been ordered in November 1826 by the Halifax Fire Insurance Company, arrive… [read more...]

On February 1, 1831, a residence known as Studley House caught fire; it had been built by Judge Alexander Croke, circa 1802, where Dalhousie Universi… [read more...]

Report of Committee of Fire Wards, August 7th, 1912 Under authority from the council, and in response to advertisement in the newspapers, the comm… [read more...]

The Morning of The Explosion Firemen were among the first to respond to the disaster, rushing to the Mont-Blanc to attempt to extinguish… [read more...]