Baby Lewis Carr - Honourary Fireman

The following article appeared in the July 19th, 1940 issue of the Daily Gleaner

Lewis Carr, Little Son, of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Carr So Honored was born during May on the day of the fire.

Honorary Membership in Fire Dept, Then Decided -Joins No. 1 Hose Co.

The presentation, this morning of the badge of No. 1 Hose Company of the Fredericton Fire Department to infant Lewis Carr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Carr, 575 Brunswick street made the membership of the little one official. Fire Chief Karl A. Walker pinned the badge to the blouse of the little baby and after cuddling him in his arms for a moment, returned him to his crib and disturbed slumbers.

The reason for the festivities, it will be remembered, is the fact that Lewis came into the world on May 2nd only a few hours before the fire department answered a still alarm from the house blessed by the early arrival. The idea of making the child an honorary member of the department was thought of immediately. As a temporary measure to establish membership, a borrowed badge was presented.

The ceremony this morning was the official act of conferring membership. As soon as pictures of Lewis are available, one will be given to No. 1 Hose Company.

A newspaper in Los Angeles, the "Examiner," carried a despatch telling of the incident in far-away Fredericton. Luke O. Lawson, a motorcycle patrolman of the Los Angeles Police Department, and former resident of Fredericton, recently wrote to Fire Chief Walker enclosing a clipping of the story, which appeared in the July 7th issue of the paper. Mr. Lawson states that his father was an officer in the old 71st Regiment under the late Col. Harry McLeod and his grandfather was chief of customs for New Brunswick. Besides living in Fredericton, the correspondent lived in Marysville and Scott's Mill.

Los Angeles Examiner
July 7th, 1940

Capital Fire Department Has New Honorary Member

FREDERICTON, N. B,, May 2-(Special)-Because his birth, preceded the arrival of a truck from the Fredericton fire department by a short lime, a lusty 10-pound boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Carr, Fredericton, was made an honorary member of the Fredericton fire department today.

A burning chimney at the home of the child's grandfather, William Barber, where he was born, brought the firemen to the house. There was no damage.

Chief Walker was so impressed with the health of the infant, and later with the power of his lungs, that he made him a member on the spot. The official badge of the department will be delivered tomorrow, Chief -Walker said.