Entries by Ric Carlyon

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Fires Following the ‘Quake: Napier 1931

This is an account of devastating fires that swept through Napier’s business district following a major earthquake at 10.47am on 3rd February, 1931. Some say the uncontrollable fires caused more damage that day than the earthquake. The story’s told through the eyes of Napier’s Fire Chief, Superintendent William James Gilberd* who led the fire-fight.    […]

September 13, 2020 /0 Comments/by
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Asher Asher, Auckland’s First Fire Chief

Asher Asher was a businessman in early Auckland who led the town’s first volunteer fire brigade. But there’s a challenge to this fact in the writings of another pioneer, William Daldy. But based on evidence, its safe to say that Asher Asher was indeed the first fire chief in Auckland with the title Superintendent. Asher Asher was […]

September 12, 2020 /0 Comments/by