William Rae (firefighter)

William Rae was a Scottish firefighter who served in the Glasgow Fire Brigade and the first UK firefighter to die in the line of duty in the 20th century.[1][2] He died as a result of injuries sustained while fighting a fire at the North British Railway Company in Glasgow.

Memorial plaque to William Rae, in Hunter Street, Glasgow.

Personal life

Rae was born in 1869. At the time of his death in 1904 he was married and had four children, the oldest child was 10 years old.

Fire fighting career

Rae, a carpenter by trade, joined the fire service in November 1891 and rose through the rank to become a merit class fireman. From 1897 to 1904 he was in charge of the joiner's shop.

In 1904, Rae was stationed at the Central Fire Station at Ingram Street, Glasgow.[3]

Hunter Street fire

On 24 November 1904 Rae and other members of the Glasgow Fire Brigade attended a fire at the North British Railway Company, in Hunter Street, Glasgow, Scotland.

Exploding gas cylinders burnt Rae from the shoulders upwards, although his eyesight was not damaged.[4]

Death

On 27 November 1904, at the age of 35 years, Rae died of his injuries at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Lord Provost Sir John Ure Primrose as well as representatives from Edinburgh, Paisley and Greenock fire brigades attended Rae's funeral on the 30th Nov 1904. His coffin was carried by horse and ladder carriage to the Glasgow Necropolis, where he was buried.[11]

Memorial

A memorial plaque is situated in Hunter Street, Glasgow and is featured as part of the Fire Fighter Heritage Trail.[12]

References
  1. Quinn, Bryan (2013-11-07). "In pictures: Glasgow's heroic firefighters". Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  2. "On the trail of Glasgow's fire heroes". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  3. "Our Trail has been created to honour firefighters who lost their lives protecting people in Glasgow". www.firescotland.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  4. "Our Trail has been created to honour firefighters who lost their lives protecting people in Glasgow". www.firescotland.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  5. "Hunter Street, Press Archive, Fire Fighter Heritage Trail" (PDF). Scottish Fire and Rescue Services. Retrieved 3 Oct 2021.
  6. "Fireman Fatally Burned". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 28 November 1904. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Lincolnshire Echo, Monday 28 November 1904, page 4". Retrieved 3 Oct 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Sad Death of a Fireman". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 Oct 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Untitled". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 28 November 1904. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "William Rae". www.graemekirkwood.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  11. "Glasgow Fireman's Funeral". The Scotsman. 1 December 1904. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "On the trail of Glasgow's fire heroes". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
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