Identity of Fire Station

[clearly]

What a truly fantastic response with sincere thanks to all who contributed, especially Birkbeck who found the picture.

A little background: this photo has been hawked around all the antiquarian and photo buffs in Carlisle for weeks, without success. I suggested Rootschat as the best site I have ever come across for this sort of thing. How long did it take to identify this:- one hour and four minutes. Brilliant by any standard.

Again, many thanks to everyone.

Chester

[jess5athome]

Good morning,

I'm not sure there is room to get the "RO" behind that chaps leg without seeing the "R" or part of it. Also, if you google Rowntree & Co fire brigade there are no photos showing that style of dress. They all have black trousers and boots.

John915

Hi, I think they may, to be honest, if they have "N" and "T" behind the chaps left leg, they could well get the "R" and "O" behind his other one? 

I noted the white trousers and wondered if it is possibly a "Posed" photograph by some of the workforce or maybe employee's being trained to do the job.

Regards always
Frank.

[clearly]

Actually, there is ample room for R and O. I have copied and pasted the existing R as well as the C (which is usually a fatter letter than O) and it fits with room to spare

It may be that there is Ltd at the end of the first line which would allow for the indent of FIRE at the start of the second line.

[Birkbeck]

Re the white trousers, I wonder whether they had dark and white trousers in their kit. See here:

https://goo.gl/images/1IknX1

[Geoff-E]

They would be workmen in the factory. When the alarm went off they would report to the fire engine in whatever they were wearing. As it was a food factory they would be wearing light coloured clothes.

[jess5athome]

Actually, there is ample room for R and O. I have copied and pasted the existing R as well as the C (which is usually a fatter letter than O) and it fits with room to spare......................

Nice touch

Frank.

[jess5athome]

I think the white shoes points to them being employees as well.

Frank.

[John915]

Good morning again,

Still not convinced, yes they do fit but for two things.

1, You don't have the same spacing between letters as there is between the "R" and the "E".

2, The top row would be centered above the bottom which only has an "F" missing.

I believe the name starts "M" or "W".

Also the building is different in the two photos, the posted photo shows the corner of the building. The Rowntrees one shows a square block jutting out. Then there is the fire engine itself, googling "Row trees fire brigade photos" there are none showing a fire engine like the one posted. Surely if they had one like it then the photos would have it.

John915

[clearly]

Here is a possible explanation of the white shoes and trousers. The photograph show Bootham School Fire Brigade in action c1911 and dress is identical.

It would account for all the "Fire Brigade" members in the original photograph being clean shaven, except for the driver who is probably one of Rowntrees firemen. I would assume that the boys were on a visit to the factory to learn some fire fighting techniques.