Vamping Horns

Brooklyn firemen, ca.1870, v1989.27.50.10; Brooklyn Firefighting Collection, 1989.006; Brooklyn Historical Society.

The library reference desk often answers questions about Brooklyn firefighting history.  Last year, a researcher was interested in 1850s badge rolls for the old Eastern District, which was comprised of the consolidated areas of Williamsburgh and Bushwick. Firefighting was a volunteer service, and members of each Engine, Hook & Ladder, Hose, or Bucket Company was issued a badge number.  The badge rolls are large ledgers that list name, occupation, residence, badge number and date issued, and are a ripe people-finding resource in BHS library’s extensive Brooklyn Firefighting Collection.

The researcher had acquired a 19^th century foreman’s trumpet, similar to those exhibited by the Brooklyn firemen posing in the photo above.  The trumpet was inscribed to the foreman of Brooklyn's Victory Engine Company 13, which was located in a firehouse on Clymer Street.  The job of the foreman was to direct his men and shout orders while fighting the fire, which in the day’s parlance was called “vamping.” The foreman vamped by use of a “speaking-trumpet,” which became a traditional symbol of the volunteer duty. A foreman was said to “carry the trumpet” or “swing the trumpet” for his company, and it was custom to present a brave foreman with an engraved silver or brass vamping horn (Kernan, 1985, Reminiscences of the Old Fire Ladies).

Come visit Othmer Library where the ref desk vamps research questions, and the stacks blaze…

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. Interested in seeing even more historic Brooklyn images? Visit our new website here.  To search BHS’s entire collection of images, archives, maps, and special collections visit the BHS Othmer Library Wednesday - Saturday, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Sources:

Armbruster, Eugene L.  Brooklyn's Eastern District. Brooklyn, N.Y. 1942.

Boucher, Mike. Early Brooklyn and its Volunteer Fire Department, “The Unofficial Home Page of FDNY.” Retrieved from http://nyfd.com/history/bfd3.html.

Guide to the Brooklyn Firefighting Collection (1825-1949). 1989.006; Brooklyn Historical Society.

Kernan, J. Frank. Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. Together with a complete history of the paid departments of both cities. New York: M. Crane. 1885.