Fire Fighting Medals & Awards

Lot 1253    Day 1    Fire Fighting Medals & Awards

Estimate $1,700
Bid at live.noble.com.au

UNITED FIRE BRIGADES ASSOCIATION OF N Z, Long Service Medal for five years service, uniface, in silver (38mm), no maker (Teutenberg design), with (2) 2 Years Service bars, reverse inscribed 'Presented To/Firen. Reuben Bird/by the/Nelson City Council/for 5 years service/Dating from Mar.1874' (cfD&C.L3; O&D.115). Dark toned, otherwise good very fine and very rare first type.

The following courtesy of National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past, from the Nelson Evening Mail, 28 August 1926, p7:-^^'OBITUARY - MR REUBEN BIRD^The death occurred this morning at the age of 76 of Mr Reuben Bird, an old and highly respected citizen. The late Mr Bird was a member of the first Artillery Company in Nelson. He was a great lover of music and a fine cornet player, and was connected with local volunteer and private bands for many years. He was one of the first to receive the volunteer long service medal. He was also a member of the Nelson Volunteer Fire Brigade, from which he also secured the long service medal. His mother was the first white woman to land in Nelson, on February 1st, 1842, from the Fifeshire. The late Mr Bird was for a long period associated with the butchery firm of Bird Bros. He leaves a widow, two sons and a daughter.'^^It is also worthy of mention that Mr Bird's father was the contractor for the first bridge built over the Maitai River and was one of the first settlers to be interred in the old Collingwood Street Cemetery.^^Reuben Bird was buried at Nelson Cemetery. The members of U.A.O.D. Maitai Lodge No.15, of which he was a member, were invited to attend.