The Fireboat Alexander Grantham
Introduction
Hong Kong is a city known for its rich history and vibrant culture. Amidst the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, there lies a hidden gem that offers an intriguing glimpse into the territory’s maritime past. The Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, located in Quarry Bay Park, stands as a testament to Hong Kong’s sea salvage history and the development of its society. Let’s embark on a virtual tour of this unique museum and discover its captivating exhibits.
History of the Fire Service
The Hong Kong Fire Services began in 1868 with an announcement in the Hong Kong Government Gazette. The Governor selected a force to extinguish fires and protect lives and properties within the colony and provided necessary fire engines, hoses, accouterments, tools, and complements. The force was called the Hong Kong Fire Brigade and was led by the Superintendent of the Brigade. The pre-war Fire Brigade had a total strength of 62, with a supplement of about 100 Chinese volunteers.
The Brigade gradually expanded to 140 regular members in 1921 and 174 in 1922. However, the development of the Brigade was halted due to the Japanese Occupation, which lost equipment and manpower. Two fire engines were removed to Tokyo to form part of the Imperial Palace Fire Unit in Japan, but returned to Hong Kong at the end of World War II. After the war, new fire stations were put into operation between 1946 and 1956 by which point all government ambulance resources were placed under the control of the Fire Brigade, laying the foundation for the present Ambulance Command.
History of the Fireboat
Built by the Hong Kong Whampoa Dock Company Limited in 1951. The 38.9 metres long, 8.8 metres wide, 15 metres tall Alexander Grantham Bell with a displacement of 511 was launched at Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock on 22 December 1952. The completion of the vessel is recorded in a bronze plate originally in the ship’s wheelhouse engraved “Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co Ltd” and its year of completion, “1953” — the ship’s production certificate.
Communication was initially basic on the fireship. On misty nights as the boat sat at anchor in the harbor, a brass bell on the fire deck would be tolled by the crew every minute to notify other ships of the fireboat’s presence. When the fireship wanted to communicate, even into the 1960s, it would do so by using a signaling lamp to send Morse code signals to exchange messages. One such signal lamp still remains in existence for the fireboat.
The fireboat was manned by a mixture of regular and auxiliary fire crew who manned the fireboats eight fire-fighting monitors clad in their breathing aparatus. And together they were called to action for some very memorable harbour fires.
Seawise University Fire
The Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by Cunard Line, providing a weekly luxury liner service between Southampton, the UK, and New York City, via Cherbourg, France. Built in the mid-1930s, Queen Elizabeth was the largest passenger liner ever built and entered service in 1940 as a troopship during World War II. After the decline in popularity, both ships were replaced by the smaller, more economical Queen Elizabeth 2, which made her maiden voyage in 1969.
Queen Mary was retired in 1967 and sold to Long Beach, California, while Queen Elizabeth was retired after her final crossing to New York in 1968 and was later sold to Hong Kong businessman Tung Chao Yung, who intended to convert her into a floating university cruise ship called Seawise University. Upon arriving in Hong Kong in 1971, the ship faced issues with poor engine and boiler conditions. However it was arson that started a fire on the 9th of January 1972 that saw the ship destroyed, and the keel, boilers, and engines remain at the bottom of the harbor. During this fire the Alexander Grantham fireboat attended and fought the fire as long as it was able to.
New Orient Princess Fire
The Alexander Grantham Bell also attended the New Orient Princess fire. The New Orient Princess, a Panamanian passenger ship, was severely damaged and two people were injured in a fire that began in the sauna room at B Deck aft of the ship. The fire was first noticed at 8:30 p.m. on 25 August 1993, and the Sauna Room Manager noticed smoke emerging from the door. The fire was extinguished on 3 September 1993, but the ship was seriously damaged. The cause of the fire was poor workmanship on the electric wiring for the sauna heater, the absence of sprinklers inside the sauna room, inadequate crew training, and the overall failure of the sprinkler system. The ship was anchored near Cape Collinson and reported to the Marine Department, which ordered the evacuation of passengers and took over the fire-fighting operation.
Museum
The Fireboat Alexander Grantham, named after former Governor Sir Alexander Grantham, served the Hong Kong Fire Services Department until its retirement in 2002. Instead of fading into obscurity, the fireboat was given a new lease on life when it was transformed into the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery in 2007, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). This groundbreaking project in Asia preserved a boat as a historic relic, offering visitors the opportunity to step into a world of multimedia exhibits that vividly bring to life the vessel’s history and the valiant firefighting efforts in Hong Kong. With over 70 artifacts and historical photographs, including relics from fire-fighting and rescue operations, the museum provides a tangible connection to the challenges faced by firefighters and showcases the evolution of their equipment over the years.
