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History of Westville Fire Department
In the early years of the Westville Fire Department, the original equipment consisted of pumps and reels of hose which pumped water from various wells, ponds and brooks. A $5 reward was offered at one time to anyone reaching the town hall when the fire whistle (mine whistle) blew, in order to carry the equipment to the fire quickly. Competition was keen for the first reward, due to the value of the dollar at the time, but later the town reduced the award to $1.
The first fire brigade foreman was John A. MacDonald and the assistant was W.A. Morgan. On July 6, 1896, Duncan Weir was made fire chief, and at that time several houses caught fire in different parts of the town, including one at the corner of Queen and Park streets, one at the Drummond Mine and one at the Acadia Mine.
Andrew Roy became the next fire chief of Westville. A team of horses provided speedy transportation. The fire department had horse-powered hose reel and received $2 for it, but sometimes the men had to haul the reel themselves.
In 1925, Westville bought its first fire truck, a Model-T ford, which carried fire extinguishers and about 1,000 feet of hose. James MacNeil became the fire chief, taking over from Mr. Roy who went into the armed services. Mr. MacNeil was himself replaced by Mr. Hiram Langille, until he also returned to the service, and served as chief for a number of years. John Banty Cameron succeeded Mr. MacNeil as chief and held the position for a few years.
In the early 1930’s a second truck purchased from New Glasgow carried a 50 gallon chemical tank of Soda S Acid and about 1,000 feet of hose. Mr. Cameron then resigned as chief and John Hale took over. In 1948 another tank truck and pumper was purchased. It carried a 125 gallon tank and booster pump.
Some of the early fire chief’s were Alex Marshall, Joe Wright, Bert Connors, and Rod MacDonald who became chief in 1963. His first project was dress uniforms for the firemen. Also a second-hand GMC tank truck was purchased from an oil company. The firemen assisted the town in purchasing a second truck which carried 1,150 gallons of water and pumped out 200 gallons a minute. This truck carried back packs and foamite nozzles, first aid kits and ladders. In the early 1950’s a fire alarm system was installed.
Arts and Letters Club
The Arts and Letters Club
was active for many years in the town.
The first president of this literary
organization was Mrs. Rod Fraser.
The purpose of this literary group was to keep
abreast of the latest books and news events
during the time
before the emergence of the public libraries.
Meetings were held at the homes of the members.
Westville Hospital Auxiliary
The Westville Hospital
Auxiliary was organized in the early 1950’s, with Mrs. H.B.
Whitman as the first president.
The chief aim of the
auxiliary was to raise money and donate funds to the
Aberdeen Hospital for necessities. Fund-raising projects
included teas, card parties, a “new-to-you” shop in the
former Fraser’s Drug Store, and personal donations.
Meetings were held at
member’s homes.
With declining membership,
the few remaining members joined the New Glasgow Hospital
Auxiliary.
RCMP Constable Roy Fraser, of Westville, Nova Scotia, was the model for the Mountie figure on the stained-glass memorial windows dedicated in 1943 in the RCMP chapel at Regina. These beautiful windows are a memorial to the sons of the Maritime provinces who have given their lives in the course of duty as members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The North West Mounted Police and The Royal North West Mounted Police. Constable Fraser retired in the fall of 1978.
Westville Men Who Served With the RCMP
The following is a list of men from Westville who served with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
| John T. Luscombe | Frederick Alexander Regan |
| Norman H. Rudolph | John Roy Fraser |
| James Nikolson Reid | William C. Hicks |
| George Erwin Reid | William Roy |
| Charles Williamson | Gary MacLean |
| David A. Hatfield | Robert Stewart |
| W.C. Henderson | William Campbell |
| Allister MacEwan | Allan Clifford Hale |
| Robert Fraser Porter | Lawrence William MacNeil |
| Roland Bernard MacNeil | Richard Ross Chabassol |
| Warren Seymour Leadbeater | John Gregory Cunningham |
| Stewart Shane Leadbeater | William Fraser Rudolph |
| Douglas Fraser Morrell |
Westville Red Cross
The Westville Branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society was formed during World War I. Yarn and flannel were distributed to be knitted for the soldiers.
During World War II several groups were formed throughout the town. These groups met regularly and did sewing as well as knitting. A Junior Red Cross was formed in the schools.
The Branch continues to be active. Quilting is done weekly at the rooms in the Post Office building. The town members, assisted by the members from the rural districts, raise money through craft sales. The proceeds are sent to headquarters and when there is a disaster funds are available to assist the victims.
The Branch has consistently stocked a loan cupboard over the years with supplies available for convalescents.
History of the Police Department
The history of the Westville police department begins with a petition in February of 1871 when 58 “freeholders” drew up a request to the Court of General Sessions, the predecessor of the Municipal Council, asking that the village of Westville and vicinity be formed into a police division.
The petition cited the need for such a police division as being twofold: the village was rapidly increasing in size, and the number of colliers in the village and its immediate vicinity. The collieries belonged to three coal companies. The Acadia Coal Company, the Nova Scotia Coal Company and the Intercolonial Coal Mining Company.
The next year, 1872, the petitions were repeated, this time signed by 65 people, and it was approved.
The first Stipendiary Magistrate was A.M. Fraser, later Stipendiary Magistrate of New Glasgow. At the July term of the Court of General Sessions in 1875. “Police Regulations for Westville Police District” were drawn up and were confirmed.
