Fire Company Tambourine

A tambourine that belonged to Chief William Arthur Richardson (1872-1935) of Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 is a recent addition to the society’s collections.  Richardson moved to Basking Ridge by 1910 from Pennsylvania where he had been a fireman and had started using the tambourine in parades.  He served as chief in Basking Ridge in 1918 and 1919.

From the dates written on the bottom, the tambourine was used in parades beginning in Pennsylvania and New York in the 1890s.  An inscription for Dayton’s Hall, Feb. 21 and 22, 1911 shows that Richardson was present at a fire department fundraiser held there that year.  Dayton’s Hall stood on North Finley Avenue where the current Presbyterian Church parking lot is.    The last inscription was for an event in Bernardsville in 1927.

Names and Dates Written on Tambourine

[Top]
____  Wolfe
[other writing smeared and illegible]

[Bottom]
Bernardsville 5/5/27
_____ Gladstone 3/10/12
W.A. Richardson
Daytons Hall Feb. 21 & 22, 1911
Stirling April 1, 1917
Far Hills Apr 21, 1911
Mendham, NJ March 17, 1912
P O N [?]
Elmira [?] NY I.O.O.F. 6/10/1903
Ansonia [?] PA F&AM 11/8/1901
Wellsboro 8/11/03
Harrison Valley 3/19/00
Jersey  St[?] 3/17/98
Tioga PA 2/21/98
Williamsport GAR 7/3/1901
Gettleton [?] PA 2/22/97