William Rae (firefighter)

William Rae (1869 – 27 November 1904) was a Scottish firefighter who served in the Glasgow Fire Brigade.

William Rae
Memorial plaque, Hunter Street, Glasgow
Born1869
Died27 November 1904
Cause of deathInjuries from fire fighting
Resting placeGlasgow Necropolis
MonumentsMemorial plaque on Hunter Street, Glasgow
NationalityScottish
OccupationFirefighter
Years active1891 to 1904

Rae responded to tackle a fire at the North British Railway Company, Glasgow on 24 November 1904 where he was seriously injured by an exploding boiler. He died of his injuries three days later.[1][2]

Rae was memorialized in Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's Firefighters' Heritage Trail where one of the twelve plaques is dedicated to him.[3]

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
Site of the Ingram Fire Station, Glasgow, 2010

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 newly opened 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's terminus, in Hunter Street, Glasgow, Scotland. The seat of the fire was the gas storage area.[4]

Exploding gas cylinders burnt Rae from the shoulders upwards, although his eyesight was not damaged.[3]

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 30 November 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.[2]

References
  1. Quinn, Bryan (7 November 2013). "In pictures: Glasgow's heroic firefighters". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  2. "On the trail of Glasgow's fire heroes". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  3. "Our Trail has been created to honour firefighters who lost their lives protecting people in Glasgow". www.firescotland.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  4. The Glasgow Herald, Friday, November 25, 1904. Page 9
  5. "Hunter Street, Press Archive, Fire Fighter Heritage Trail" (PDF). Scottish Fire and Rescue Services. Retrieved 3 October 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 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Sad Death of a Fireman". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 October 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 3 October 2021.
  11. "Glasgow Fireman's Funeral". The Scotsman. 1 December 1904. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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