PHOTO: The pride that exudes from the ranks of the Bristol Fire Department was never more evident than it was on Sunday, June 9 when members of the Ever-Ready Engine & Hose Company No. 2 gathered in front of their fire station on Thames Street prior to the start of the annual Bristol Fireman’s Sunday Parade.
Founded on May 24, 1924, this particular company is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, but in actuality; the birth of this dedicated group of firefighters began in the mid-1800s.
According to the history books, “In 1846, the King Philip Fire Company Number 4 was founded, making it one of the oldest fire companies in this town’s proud history.” However, the Hydraulion Engine and Hose Company Number 1, which was first organized on May 11, 1836, during a town meeting and formally organized on July 22, 1843, resulted in it being the oldest fire company in Bristol.