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Ambulance
The nearest St John's Ambulance depot to Fremantle is now in Keegan Street O'Connor.
1901
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Library:
A horse drawn army ambulance leaving the traffic bridge at the southern end. Pearse's Tannery and Boot factory in Swan Street, North Fremantle can be seen in the background. Fremantle Library photo #1731, c. 1901.
The bridge in the photo is the Renovated High Level Bridge which was opened 18 June 1909.
1927
UGLY MEN'S PRESENT FREMANTLE'S NEW AMBULANCE
A SPLENDID GIFT
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Daily News:
The formal presentation of the new motor ambulance to the citizens of Fremantle by the local branch of the 'Uglies' took place on the Fremantle Oval yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering. Amongst those present were the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Gibson), Mr. E. H. Gray, M.L.C., Mr. F. Rowe, M.L.A., Mr. John Cooke (president of the Citizens' Ambulance Committee), Mr. A. Clydesdale (president Perth Ugly Men's Association), Messrs. J. M. Farrell, and W. A. Murphy (president and secretary respectively of the Fremantle branch), and Dr. H. G. Tymms (St. John's Ambulance Brigade).
In addressing the gathering Mr. Clydesdale congratulated the Fremantle Ugly Men on their splendid achievements. The branch had been formed six years ago, and had more than justified itself. So long as the 'Uglies' existed there was no need for poverty in Fremantle. He had been informed that it was the intention of the branch president (Mr. Farrell) to retire from office in the near future, and he sincerely hoped that Mr. Farrell would be prevailed upon to serve for at least another 12 months. As president of the Perth asThe new Fremantle ambulance Help The new Fremantle ambulance sociation he knew full well the enormous amount of work done by Mr. Farrell, who he thought had the confidence of the Fremantle residents. Touching on the functions of the 'Uglies,' Mr. Clydesdale [said] that his branch expended £8,000 annually.
Mr. Farrell said that it gave him much pleasure to take part in the function. When it was suggested to his executive that their carnival should be continued for a period in order to raise funds for the ambulance they readily consented. A word of praise was due to the unselfish band of voluntary workers who assisted.
In returning thanks Mr. Cooke paid a tribute to the work done, by Mr. Howe, who had been connected with the ambulance committee since its inception six years ago. The 'Uglies' had presented his committee with a fine ambulance, and he hoped that it would be a long time before it was called out.
Mr. Rowe, M.L.A., briefly thanked the 'Uglies' for their gift, and said that £500 was needed every year to maintain the new ambulance, and he hoped the public would respond liberally to an appeal made bv the committee. He desired to pay a tribute to the builder of the new vehicle (Mr. H. H. Follington).
An appeal for petrol made by Mr. Murphy met with a ready response, sufficient to run the new ambulance for six months being promised by various persons present.
All-British Make.
Built on a Bean truck chassis, the vehicle has accommodation for four stretcher cases, two above and two below. The body is lined with English oak, and is roomy and comfortable. That the new ambulance is 'all-British' make and, according, to two of the speakers yesterday, the finest of its class in the Commonwealth, are factors of which the 'Uglies' should be proud. Daily News, Monday 20 June 1927, p. 5.
1946
West Australian:
FREMANTLE AMBULANCE.
New Van Dedicated.
A new St. John ambulance van for Fremantle was dedicated and handed over at a ceremony during the annual competitions of the Fremantle St. John Ambulance Centre at the Fremantle Oval yesterday afternoon. It was dedicated by Canon E. M. Collick, and was handed over by the Mayor of Fremantle (Mr. F. E. Gibson, M.L.C.), on behalf of citizens and subscribers, to Mr. F. H. M. Hardouin, president of the centre.
It was stated that before 1922, when the Fremantle Motor Ambulance Committee was formed, an old horse ambulance had been doing duty at Fremantle. In 1926 committee was renamed the Fremantle Citizens' Ambulance Committee, and in 1929 the Fremantle centre of the St. John Ambulance Association was formed, with two vans. In 1930 there were 490 calls. in 1937 there were 1,040, and in 1946 there were 3,432, involving 28,511 miles by the four vans and three permanent drivers.
[photo.] A new ambulance was presented to the Fremantle centre of the St. John Ambulance yesterday at the annual competitions on the Fremantle Oval. Canon E. M. Collick is seen dedicating the ambulance. The vice-president of the association (Mr. H. Hass) is on the left and the president (Mr. F. H. M. Hardouin) on the right.] The West Australian, Monday 21 October 1946, p. 15.
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St John's Ambulance depot had been in Parry Street, next to the Tennis Club, since 1936. The service moved its base in 2019 from Parry Street to Keegan Street in O'Connor.
Stephen Pollock, 'Council has eyes on St John's site', Herald, 2016.
Fremantle council is trying to move St John’s Ambulance out of its Parry Street headquarters.
St John’s has a lease on the council-owned building which expires in August 2019, but mayor Brad Pettitt says the site beside Fremantle Park could be put to better use.
He wouldn’t be drawn on potential uses, but the council has for several years been trying to locate sites on the fringes of the CBD for potential car parks to replace the two it’s sold on Point and Pakenham streets and the two that will be transferred to Sirona if its Kings Square deal goes ahead. The council has announced plans for a small car park next door on a redeveloped Fremantle Park.
Ambulances have been operating form the Parry Street site since1936 and first aid training classes started in 1937.
“We’ve asked St John’s to look at other possible sites,” Dr Pettitt says.
“The hospital could be a possibility as it is nowhere near full capacity.”
St John ambulance property manager Michael Longman says they’re weighing up their options.
“As far as maintaining the current location or relocating, this will be negotiated further both with the council and as part of the internal investigation that is commencing,” he says.
“St John utilises data to inform the best location of the ambulance service in any given area to ensure response times are the most efficient.”
References and Links
Pollock, Stephen 2016, 'Council has eyes on St John's site', Fremantle Herald, 19 August.
The c. 1927 photo near the top is not the one from the newspaper but was put up in Facebook 23 May 2016 by the Fremantle Library. However, it seems it is the 1927 ambulance. Allen Graham writes that it is.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 23 May, 2017 and hosted at freotopia.org/organisations/ambulance.html (it was last updated on 11 December, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.