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Oh! I belong to the Fire Brigade
As communities began to spring up around the major gold
mining centres, so did the need for community organizations
such as volunteer fire brigades. In September of 1868, the
town of Barkerville was practically burnt to the ground!
Afterwards, the townsfolk realized they needed to give more
serious attention to the fledling Williams Creek Fire Brigade.
One of its members was James Anderson, the "Bard of Barkerville," wrote this song which was sung in the old
Theatre Royal where it proved to be quite a hit.
THE FIRE BRIGADE
by James Anderson, the Bard of the Barkerville .
Oh! I belong to the Fire Brigade
And don't you think I ought to!
A prettier boy was never made,
My uniform I bought too!
My shirt of wool, an' scarlet dye,
And pants and belt agree
With helmet and badge on that
Of the W.C.F.B.
(Chorus.. With helmet and badge, etc.)
We have an engine house for show
A stable - but no 'oss
Which grieves me very much indeed,
And makes me rather cross.
We are to have tanks on the hill
And trust our luck for warter -
Were the choice mine, I'd have engine
And hook to Heave n' 'arter.
(Chorus.. Were the choice mine, etc.)
I know hydraulic is the thing,
To break a gravel bank -
And very soon would drown a fire
Tho' I don't like the "tank"
But I'll still muster with the boys,
For we should pull together
"No frog or mouse" shall burn a house
Our Fire Brigade forever.
(Chorus. No frog or mouse, etc.)
Adapted from: Barkerville: A Guide to the Fabulous
Cariboo Gold Camp. Canadian West Magazine:Special Issue.
Bruce Ramsey. No.7. 1987. Langley, B.C.: Sunfire
Publications. p.31
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