LIBRARY ETC. BUILDING VICTORIA AVENUE OCT 2020
1856 – Francis White Popham gave land in Victoria Avenue for a school. The National School was established with Willam Sutherland as its headmaster. It moved to new premises in Albert Road in 1871
1866 – A volunteer Fire Brigade had been formed and the Town’s first fire engine called Nil Desperandum was bought by public subscription. It was kept at John Buckell’s grocery premises in the Old Village (now the Village Inn 2020)
1871 – The vacated School premises were taken over by the Town Local Board and 300 books from the Mutual Improvement Society were lodged there.
1878 – It was announced that the Boards new offices and Boardroom were complete. The Board gradually moved to the Town Hall but the Surveyor’s department remained until at least 1920.
1886 – A formal Shanklin Fire Brigade is formed following concerns over the efficiency of a totally volunteer brigade.
1889 – Sibden Road was adopted.
1891 – The Brigade officially moves to their new premises in Sibden Road. It is assumed they operated in the previous years whilst premises were being prepared from Buckells yard.
The Brigade had no horses of their own and had to hire horses from Bartletts mews and yard opposite the Fire Station whenever they had a call. Apparently on at least one occasion horses were not available so the crew had to pull the engine themselves.
Bartletts eventually became Victoria Avenue Service Station and is now a block of flats.
1895 – On the 16th July an Ambulance was donated to the Town by an anonymous donor and that was stationed at the Fire Station. It remained there until 1904 when it was moved to the Town Yard which was part of the present day Orchardleigh Road Car Park and accessed from the lane running behind the Fire Station building. It was then moved with the Town Yard to Batts in 1925.
1897 – Sibden Road name was officially changed to Victoria Avenue.
1907 – Shanklin Fire Brigade purchase their first steam fire engine
1919 – Council were reminded of their obligations under the 1892-1919 Public Libraries Act.
(Was this when the Library was established in the building?)
1924 –£9.10s was allocated for renovation of the interior of the Fire Station.
1926 – Library was mentioned at the Town Hall.
1926 – 31st August official address was noted as The Council Chambers Victoria Avenue.
1927 – Suggested that the Mortuary should be created adjacent to the Fire Station but was not approved and the scullery at the Town Hall was adapted.
1927 – Tenancy of a room(s) within the building was offered to the British Legion and we believe this was accepted for a few years.
1929 – May. Chief Officer Mathews requests that certain modifications are made to the building following the acquisition of the Town’s first motorised Dennis fire engine.
1941 – Aug 18th. Shanklin Fire Brigade is merged with the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) to form the National Fire Service (NFS). Main Fire Station remains at Victoria Avenue.
1942 – July. The Fire Brigade was moved to Davies Garage in Landguard Road beneath the Gloster Hotel.
1943 – Jan 4th The site was bombed and a number of local and London firemen on leave were killed. The Brigade were immediately moved back to Victoria Avenue but operated from Bartlett’s Garage opposite the previous station building.
1947 – Feb 2nd. A plaque unveiled at Victoria Avenue station commemorating the lives of fireman lost during the War. Plaque is now in the engine house of the current fire station.
1948 – Shanklin Fire Brigade now form part of the IW County Fire Brigade.
1951 – Sept.28th. Victoria Avenue vacated and current Landguard Road Station occupied.
The Library continued from the building until its move this year (2020) to Falcon Cross Road.
SHANKLIN & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY OCTOBER 2020
Terry Nigh, Archivist
