John Francis Gaffney Sr.
John Francis Gaffney Sr.
JOHN FRANCIS GAFFNEY SR. was born in Camden, New Jersey on September 6, 1911 to John J. Gaffney and his wife, the former Sarah Kenny. The 1911 Camden City Directory shows the family residing at 411 North 8th Street, and the 1914 edition has the family at 814 Linden Street. John J. Gaffney was working as a bartender at that time. Sadly, he passed away around 1918, possibly during the flu epidemic. The 1918 City Directory and the 1920 Census shows Mrs. Gaffney and her family living at 423 North 6th Street. Besides John, there was older brother Joseph, 9, and sisters Madeline, 5, and Margaret, 19 months of age. Maternal uncles Thomas and Kieran Kenny, who had come from Ireland in 1910 and 1916 respectively, also lived at the North 6th Street home. Mrs. Gaffney also took in boarders, mostly Irish-born shipyard workers like her brothers, and a Navy recruiter, Norris Stone. Members of the Gaffney extended family still resided at 423 North 6th Street in North Camden as late as 1959, as older brother Joseph had become a dentist and made his home and office at that address. The home was taken during the 1960s to make way for an expansion of the bridge toll plaza.
Sarah Gaffney remarried in the mid-1920s. Her new husband, Thomas Keough, had been one of her boarders. By 1930 he was working as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service.
John F. Gaffney was working when the 1929 City Directory was compiled, as a clerk at one of the nearby American Stores groceries in Camden.
John F. Gaffney was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on October 1, 1943. When the 1947 City Directory was compiled John F. Gaffney was making his home with his wife Dorothy and son John Gaffney Jr. at 2708 Concord Avenue in Cramer Hill. By 1956 the family had moved to 78 South Dudley Street in East Camden. On February 24, 1964 John Gaffney Jr. joined his father as a member of the Camden Fire Department.
John Gaffney Sr. was still working as a firefighter as late as October of 1970. He passed away on May 26, 1976.
Director of Public Safety Edward Garrity Presents Chief Edward MacDowell
Witnessing, from left: Fireman George Wade, Fireman Harrison MacNeir, Fireman John Gaffney Sr., Fireman James Troutman, Fireman Ernest Tartaglia, Captain Allen Hess, Fireman John Yates, District Chief Harry Wagner (obscured), District Chief Edward Michalak, Fireman Dominick Dalanni, Fireman Howard Lewis, Fireman Henry Keubler
$150,000 Fire Hits E. Camden School; Fireman Overcome
Camden Courier-Post —
Flames Sear 2d Floor
A $150,000 fire ripped through the 74-year-old Garfield School at 29th and Cramer sts. Friday night. One fireman was overcome battling the two-alarm blaze.
Estimate of damage was made by Dr. Anthony Catrambone, Camden superintendent of schools, who ordered the building closed. There was no immediate indication as to whether or not it would be repaired or abandoned as an active unit in the local school system.
Acting Fire Chief Winfield LeViseur said he thought the fire started in a teacher’s cloakroom and had been burning for several hours prior to the first alarm at 7:30 p.m.
Flames were shooting from three windows on the south side of the second floor on Cramer st. as the first of four engine companies arrived. Two truck companies also battled the blaze with 50 firemen taking part.
Fire Chief MacDowell said today that an investigation was underway by Deputy Fire Marshal John Gaffney as to the cause. It is thought the fire began around 4:30 p.m. when the building was closed for the day.
Firemen, wearing gas masks, chopped holes in the ceilings of two classrooms, the cloakroom and the hallway to extinguish flames and hot spots within the loft.
The second floor and part of the first floor was a soggy mess of water, plaster, paper, and glass. An estimate of damage was not available.
Garfield School, built in 1886, is attended by 333 pupils from kindergarten…
No Holiday or Nuthin’ For Garfield Pupils
Anthony Catrambone, superintendent of schools, is not likely to be confused with Santa Claus by pupils of Garfield School.
Embers in the burned building were hardly cool before Catrambone announced there would be no holiday for the Garfield youngsters. They are to report Monday at the Davis School, 34th and Cramer sts. No holiday or nuthin’.
3-Alarm Fire Rakes Building
Camden Courier-Post —
HEAVY BLACK SMOKE pours from a vacant factory and warehouse building formerly owned by the Fuller Brush Company at 6th Street and Atlantic Avenue this morning as a three alarm fire destroyed the structure. The amount of the loss has not been determined.
Fire early today razed a condemned two-story brick vacant factory and warehouse building formerly owned by the Fuller Brush Co. at 6th st. and Atlantic ave. There was no estimate of the loss.
Deputy Fire Marshal John Gaffney said a man who declined to identify himself reported seeing two boys about 14 years of age, running from the building only minutes before the fire was discovered. Gaffney said he has begun an investigation into the cause of the blaze and to locate the youths.
There were no injuries reported but members of Engine Company 8 at 6th st. and Kaighns ave., who were among the first on the scene, escaped being burned seriously and losing a 1,000-gallon pumper after they were engulfed in a ball of flame that shot from the north wall of the structure.
Heavy black smoke could be seen over a wide area.
Spotted Smoke
The first of three alarms was reported at 6:10 a.m. when Donald Fuhrer, an employe of Modern Hard Chrome, located across the street from the building, spotted smoke over the roof of the warehouse.
Two more alarms were reported at 6:15 and 6:18 a.m. as the fire raged out of control, endangering Modern Hard Chrome and Modern Auto Body plants, both of which are adjacent to the factory building.
Capt. Philip Farrow, 46, of 219 N. 6th st., with Engine Company 8, reported that he had never seen a building go “so fast in all my 21 years on the fire department.”
Ball of Flame
Farrow said when he first arrived fire was burning on the south side of the building near the roof. He said the pumper went to Atlantic ave. and firemen were hooking up to a hydrant when a ball of flame shot out and engulfed the men and truck. He said Robert Thomas, driver of the pumper, was forced to put his heavy coat over his head to protect himself so that he could drive the pumper out of the area. Farrow said the men didn’t have time to unhook the hoses.
Fire Chief Edward MacDowell said the building was condemned by the city last summer after a section of the roof collapsed spilling bricks and wooden timbers to the street and sidewalk.
Licks Utility Poles
Mild warm air fanned the blaze and kept heavy black smoke close to the ground and for long periods of time firemen worked in total blackness shifting two-and-a-half-inch water lines from one area of the building to another.
During the early minutes of the blaze, fire licked at utility poles on Atlantic ave. and burned electric wires carrying the only source of power to West Jersey Hospital about six blocks away. The power to the hospital was not cut off.
Before the blaze was declared under control at about 7 o’clock, flames shot 125 feet out from the east side of the building setting small grass fires on vacant land near S. 7th st.
Firemen used two aerial ladders along with 10 other pieces of equipment and 50 men to fight the blaze. The rescue squad also stood by as a precautionary measure.
Chief MacDowell said the building was more than 50 years old. It once was the site of the city’s first supermarket known as the Giant Tiger.
The fire chief said the city has been trying to get the building demolished but was having difficulty because of the number of owners involved.
Spring Clean-Up Week
Camden Courier-Post —
SPRING CLEAN-UP WEEK in Camden began Monday and will continue through Saturday with emphasis given on fire safety by “Sparky,” the dog and “Smokey,” the bear, who will travel through the area with firemen giving fire prevention talks. From left to right are Col. Bedell, director of public safety; City Fire Marshal Baxter as “Sparky”; Deputy Fire Marshal Gaffney as “Smokey”; and District Fire Chief Marks.
County Jail Fire Drill Successful
Camden Courier-Post —
County Jail Fire Drill Successful
Sheriff Segal and his staff at Camden County jail yesterday held a fire drill and inspection of fire-fighting equipment which was called “highly successful” by fire officials.
Nineteen of 142 inmates were evacuated in a drill that took only 45 seconds under direction of Segal and Undersheriff Jack Belfi.
Inspectors John Gaffney and Edwin Wirtz of the Camden Fire Department said all equipment in the jail was found to be in perfect working order.
Segal said drills would continue periodically each month with various sections of the jail participating.
Dinner Set For Retired Fire Capt.
Camden Courier-Post —
A testimonial dinner for retired Camden City Fire Marshal Maurice F. O’Brien will be held at Kenney’s, Camden, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
The affair will be sponsored by members of the city Fire Department and friends, Spencer Smith, chairman, said.
O’Brien, 63, of 22 Fairview Court, will retire as a fire captain on Saturday. He retired as city fire marshal last Jan. 1. He entered the fire department June 6, 1930.
O’Brien is an Army veteran of World War I, and a member of the League of the Sacred Heart, the Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association and the Police and Fire Club.
Assisting with the dinner arrangements are Edwin Wirtz, John Moore and John Gaffney, inspectors in the chief combustibles inspector’s office.
Fire Safety to Highlight Clean-up Week in Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
Mayor Issues Appeal
This week—May 5 to 11—is Spring Clean-Up Week in Camden. In a proclamation announcing the week, Mayor Pierce said the purpose of it is to eliminate conditions that create fire hazards.
“Major causes of substantial damage result from untidiness and carelessness in storage, unnecessary collection of trash and debris in and around the home,” the proclamation said.
During the week, City Fire Marshal George Baxter and City Fire Inspector John Gaffney will conduct fire safety demonstrations in elementary schools in Camden. They will be dressed as Smokey the Bear and Sparky the Dog, well-known fire fighters.
Distribute Literature
In conjunction with activities for the week, Baxter said a major effort would be made to distribute literature on how to protect against fire and fire dangers.
He suggested that homeowners inspect their properties for these, among other, fire hazards: the workshop for wood shavings, oily rags, scraps and old paint; electrical appliances to see if cords and plugs need repairs; the garage, the trash. He advised residents to get rid of dead grass and brush around the house.
In keeping with the spirit of Clean-Up Week, several residents of Parkside section last week made a mass sweep-up of their block—the 1400 block of Bradley ave.
Their object was to push the broomstick as a weapon against blight and set an example of “urban cleanliness” for all to follow.
Other Areas Cited
But some other areas of Camden last weekend needed to be cleaned up much more than the 1400 block of Bradley ave. These included the 600 block of Cedar st. in North Camden, and a blighted back yard at 348 Sycamore st., South Camden.
One former resident of the 600 block of Cedar st. visited the area last week and told the Courier-Post she boarded up her house awhile back and moved to the suburbs.
“The (city) sweepers can’t get through the block,” she said.
Looking along the street she indicated where trash was curb-high under a row of second-hand cars parked at the curbs. The cars stay there despite signs that prohibit parking on sweeper days, she said.
Other Laxities
Present residents of the area complained that when the streets aren’t kept clean other laxities set in.
Children don’t respect the property of others. Adults neglect their houses.
One home owner reported she paid $59 for six storm windows which children “pelted with stones.” She also spent $35 for two concrete steps, but children crushed them, she added.
The people who care about the block have conflicting opinions about who is to blame for its decline.
“Give Tenants Nothing”
Said a housewife who is a landlord herself: “They (landlords) expect high rents but give tenants nothing in return except perhaps a leaking roof over their heads.”
Says another landlord: “It’s the fault of the tenants.”
Average assessments of the homes run between $1,500 and $1,800—roughly half their market value. But a man who owns a two-story brick house there couldn’t give it away, he said.
A friend to whom it was offered said, “I wouldn’t take it. It would cost more to fix it up than it’s worth—ceilings are down, bricks need repointing, the plaster walls are cracked.”
Replicas of the house described are on both sides of Sycamore street. Their cost to the city is hundreds of dollars in reduced ratables; to owners, thousands more if they try to sell.
“Just As Bad”
On the other side of town, in South Camden, some areas are just as bad as the 600 block of Cedar ave.
The backyard at 348 Sycamore st. is strewn with trash, a discarded mattress and other debris. The owner, Mrs. Madeline Saracino, of 329 Sycamore st., said tenants moved recently and didn’t clean the place. A neighbor reported that rats live in the cellar.
Many Camdenites wish residents of the city’s blighted areas would take a hint from the people living in the 1400 block of Bradley ave., and get in the spirit of Spring Clean-Up Week.
John Gaffney at the H.C. Sharp School — 1964
John Gaffney Sr. at the H.C. Sharp School, 1964
May 1966
John Gaffney Sr. during Camden Fire Department fire prevention activities, May 1966
Yorkship School — Fire Prevention Program
John Gaffney at the Yorkship School on Collings Road in Fairview, contacting the faculty as part of the Camden Fire Department Fire Prevention Program
John Gaffney at Cooper Hospital — October 1966
John Gaffney Sr. demonstrating fire extinguisher use at Cooper Hospital, October 1966
Fire Department Personnel Card
John Francis Gaffney Sr. — Camden Fire Department