Pictou County Postcards
Vintage Postcards from Pictou County, Nova Scotia

THE NEW GLASGOW FIRE DEPARTMENT

NO TITLE - FIRE AFTERMATH, NEW GLASGOW, NS - 1906.

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Collection ID#: PC 00232
Photographer: Unknown
Printer: Unknown
Publisher: Unknown
Postmark: New Glasgow, N.S. Dec 27, 1906

Provost Street, New Glasgow. A. H. McCulloch & Sons Dry Goods store remains can be seen at left.

Addressed to Effie Marshall of Providence, Rhode Island, the sender of this postcard wrote "Dear Effie, Got your photo and thought it was lovely. This is a picture of a fire we had here on the front street. But this is the back view of it. Do you remember us. Your friend ..."

RUINS OF I.O.O.F. BLOCK, JAN 22, 1913

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Collection ID#: PC 00671
Photographer: Unknown (same person who took photo for PC00689)
Printer: Unknown - Real photo postcard with AZO stamp box
Publisher: Unknown
Postmark: Unused postcare

This postcard (and another taken by same photographer - see PC 00689 below) are the only photos that I have ever seen of the fire that destroyed the IOOF block on January 22, 1913.

This building stood on the northeast corner of Provost & Forbes Street and the lot was the site of the Primitive Church, which burned in The Big Fire of 1874, and then later the site of the Royal Hotel which was also destroyed by fire in 1882. In 1888 the Norton Lodge Number Six of Oddfellows began construction on a three story building, which housed two stores (Bent & Cahoon Hardware and L. Higgins Boots and Shoes) on the ground floor, with storage for the hardware store on the second floor and the lodge meeting rooms on the third floor.

The lot was eventually sold and the Roseland Theatre was built on the site in 1915.

RUINS OF IOOF BLOCK JAN 22-13

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Collection ID#: PC 00689
Photographer: Unknown (same person as PC 00671)
Printer: Kodak - AZO real photo postcard
Publisher: Unknown
Postmark: None

More about this fire can be found in the book "More About New Glasgow" by James Cameron, Kentville Publishing Co., 1974, on pages 88 thru 90. New Glasgow had it's fair share of fires over the years.

NEW GLASGOW TRAIN STATION AFTER THE FIRE

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Collection ID#: PC 00601
Photographer: Unknown (Real photo postcard)
Printer: Unknown (Azo stamp box)
Publisher: Unknown
Postmark: Unused card

Someone has written Frances Pushie on the back of this card in pencil along with what appears to be the date Feb 9, 1914? I had always thought that the fire was in 1923 but can find nothing to substantiate this 1914 date, or anything that speaks of an earlier fire. Can anyone shed some light on this?

NEW GLASGOW FIRE DEPT - 1920

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Collection ID#: PC 00564
Photographer: Arthur Hambleton, Eureka, NS
Printer: Unknown
Publisher: Real Photo Postcard, Arthur Hambleton, Eureka, NS
Postmark: Unused card

A very rare real photo postcard with the photographer identified as Arthur Hambleton. The license plate numbers on the vehicles have been identified (from left to right) as 2901 NS, "Box", 36697, 3006 NS.

The vehicle on the may be the American LaFrance Fire Company of Canada, Triple number twelve combination chemical, hose and 350 gallon pump truck that the town ordered in the summer of 1917 for the sum of $9000 for the motor and another $2225.50 for the chassis.

In his book More About New Glasgow on page 66, James M. Cameron identifies the drivers as A.E. MacDougall ($95 a month) and John "Speedy" McEachern ($80 a month).

NEW GLASGOW FIRE DEPT - 1920

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Collection ID#: PC 00564
Photographer: Unknown
Printer: Unknown
Publisher: Real Photo Postcard
Postmark: Unused card


This is most likely the vehicle with the box like front end, that is shown in the left hand bay of the garage on PC 00564 above.

Both cards are from the Albert Sangster collection.

Fire Hall, New Glasgow, N.S.

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Collection ID#: PC 00573
Photographer: Unidentified
Printer: The Heliotype Co. Ltd., Ottawa
Publisher: The Heliotype Co. Ltd., Ottawa
Postmark: Probably June 23, 1935, New Glasgow, NS

Addressed to Mr Dougald McIntosh, c/o Queen Hotel, Bathurst, N.S., the sender, Hilda Langille, writes "Dear Dady, I got your letter today was glad to hear from you. Mama is better. The rest of us is well. Write soon. Love and best wishes and now say good by from your daughter.

N..G.F.D. Victory Loan Parade, May 31, 1941

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Collection ID#: PC 00571
Photographer: Unidentified but probably Artcraft Studio
Printer: Unknown - Real Photo Postcard
Publisher: Unknown but probably Artcraft Studio
Postmark: Unused card but dated May 31, 1941 in title

While the photographer / printer / publisher is not directly identified on this card, it is likely that this is an Artcraft Studio card. Postcard #PC 00572 (shown in the New Glasgow / Parades and Events section) is clearly identified as an Artcraft Studio card, in the title, the two cards were together when purchased, and the handwriting in the titles is identical.