Over the past year, we have come to appreciate our emergency services and frontline workers more than ever before - but today we have an extra excuse to pay them tribute.

That is because today marks Firefighters Day - 24 hours in which we can reflect on the hard work, dedication and sacrifice portrayed by firefighters up and down the country who have committed their lives to protecting others. 

With that in mind, North Ayrshire Heritage Centre went a wander down memory lane to look at our own local fire heroes, centring on the history of Irvine Burgh's Fire Brigade.

Irvine Times: National Fire Service Irvine Personnel. Photo credit: Brownie BearNational Fire Service Irvine Personnel. Photo credit: Brownie Bear

Irvine Town Council acquired a fire engine soon after 1781 and towards the end of the 18th century, the entire ground floor of the Tolbooth was altered to provide a chamber for its storage.

By 1836, Irvine had three fire engines which were pulled by hand, possibly similar in style to the Ardrossan Burgh fire engine, held at the Heritage Centre, which were manually operated.

In 1852 the fire engines were fitted with shafts so that they could be pulled along by horses and in 1860 the old grammar school at Kirkgatehead was turned into a fire station. Street hydrants to provide the fire engines with water were installed in 1882 and the volunteer firemen received training four times a year.

Irvine Times: Ardrossan fire engine, similar in style to the Irvine fire engine. Photo credit: North Ayrshire Heritage and Cultural ServicesArdrossan fire engine, similar in style to the Irvine fire engine. Photo credit: North Ayrshire Heritage and Cultural Services

In 1922 Irvine’s own fire brigade was disbanded and the fire engines and appliances were disposed of, with the town now having to rely on the services of the fire brigade units in Kilmarnock and Ayr and later in January 1938, with the threat of war looming, the Auxiliary Fire Brigade was established as part of the Civil Defence Service.

In 1940, the Brigade acquired a fire engine which had the words “Royal Burgh of … Fire Brigade” written on its side. The word Irvine was deliberately left out and it wasn’t until the end of the war that Irvine was inserted into the blank space.

For more interesting history on Irvine Burgh's Fire Brigade, including the full story up until near-present day, head to North Ayrshire Heritage and Cultural Services on Facebook.