The Beginnings of Fire Protection

[loisand]

This bit of information is taken from City of Birmingham handbook 1939:

In 1682 the newly appointed Churchwardens received "20 leathorne Bucketts".

At the time referred to by Hutton the duties of the Fire Brigade Authority were performed by the Churchwardens, and in 1695, that body, appointed a William Burn to keep the fire engine in order and "to play it four times every year", for which service he received twenty shillings per annum.

In the year 1788-89, the Churchwardens leased a workshop in Temple Street, and had it fitted up as an engine house. In 1792 the Royal Exchange Assurance Company presented to the authorities a fire engine, which was housed in Congreve Street.

:flower: :cat:

 

[mike-g]

FOUND THIS IN A BOOK BY THOMAS DUGDALE ( 1846 )


FIRE OFFICE.
The Birmingham Fire Office was established March 25th 1805. The capital for which the proprietors are responsible is £ 300,000, being 300 shares of £l, 000 each. The capital advanced is £ 220 each share, which has been suffered to accumulate to £ 100,000 before any dividend or interest was paid; and it is never to be below this sum. The price of a share in 1818 was £350.
The Office is in Union-street, and was erected in 1808, at the expense of nearly £ 4000, including the engine house, fire-men's houses, and stable. Two engines are stationed there, ten fire-men are appointed to work them, and horses are kept in the stable to convey them to any place in the town and neighborhood, on an alarm of fire.

 

[O.C.]

In 1837 the insurance companies decided to disband their private branches and after much haggling the City of Birmingham purchased all the equipment in 1874 and opened the first fire station in Little Cannon Street with five fire engines sixteen lengths of hose and thirteen uniforms

 

[O.C.]

In 1882 a Fire station was built in Upper Priory for 6 machines and six horses


The Central Fire station was opened in 1935

 

[elizabeth]

So where would this man have been a fireman in 1873 ?

Mary Ann Biddlestone aged 39, widow, married John Dawson aged 34, bachelor, occupation a Fireman, both living in Great Lister Street, on 9/11/1873

 

[elizabeth]

Bill and Ivor Beard: Two brothers, same medal
Brothers Bill and Ivor Beard both served in the Second World War and, although involved in very different war service, were each awarded the same medal, the MBE (Member of the British Empire), for their war efforts. Bill Beard was 33 at the start of the war, working as chief administrator for the City of Birmingham fire brigade. At that time every local council ran its own brigade. The beginning of the London blitz and the bombing of cities like Coventry and Birmingham led to the amalgamation of the brigades into the National Fire Service. Bill was largely responsible for this reorganisation in the West Midlands region. He stayed with the fire service in Birmingham during the war. In 1948 the National Fire Service was broken up and the responsibilities handed back to the councils. In 1949 Bill was awarded the MBE in recognition of his work for the fire service.

Bill's younger brother Ivor also worked for Birmingham council, as a clerk, but he wanted something more exciting. In 1935 the RAF Volunteer Reserve was formed, and when recruitment began, Ivor was one of the first to join up, in 1937. Learning to fly took up most of his spare time. By the outset of war he was a qualified pilot with many flying hours to his credit and was called up at once. As war progressed it became evident that maintaining the supply of pilots would be crucial, requiring an efficient and intensive training organisation. Ivor became part of this, spending most of the war at the RAF Flying Training School at Sywell aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Ivor taught British pilots as well as those from allied countries and the Free French and Polish forces. In 1945, aged 29, he also received the MBE for his war service. The two medals are identical, except that Ivor's, which is the military version, has a gold line down the centre of the ribbon. Bill's is the civil version, and is plain.

 

[O.C.]

Going back the the start of this thread
In the 1918 Trade Directory there is mention of Charles Juxon Sen (wife's relative)being an agent to Norwich Union Fire Office at Paradise St but in 1833 it is Richard J Juxon who is the agent at Princep St and this time to Yorkshire Fire and Life Ass Office. By 1839 they were makers of firemarks as well as buttonmakers

 

[PeterV]

My Grandfather (and other family members) served at many of the City's fire stations between the end of WW1 and 1951.

The Albion St photo is from a postcard he sent to my grandmother in 1919 and the Lingard St photo is my father playing on a fire engine in 1929 - the family lived at the station then.

 

[Ben Hawkins]

The photos in this thread are great. I bought the remains of a 1922 Dennis two weeks ago (it was due to go for scrap). Turns out it was a Birmingham fire engine (probably registration OK2125 or OK2124). Are there any more BFB photos out there?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Telbert]

Station Officer William Mosedale's life story, including his actions in the Birmingham Blitz has been told in full for the first time in Come if ye Dare, the story of the 11 Civil Defence George Cross receipients.

It is available direct from the author for £12.50. Please PM me with an email address and a flyer will folllow.

Terry

 

[Astonian]

Did you know,
Birmingham,s first parish Fire Engine came into Use in 1695
Under the charge of The Aptly name. William Burn,,,,,
Best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Astonian]

On th 6 January 1820 the Theatre royal in New street was destroyed by fire
And two insurance companies, the North Union and the Birmingham fire office'
Both claimed their Engines had been first on the scene
In 1682 the church warden at st Martins in the bull ring purchased twenty leather buckets
For use in fire, and the earliest records. Of fire appears to be described in 1313
As the big fire of the town of Birmingham
A municipal fire service began in1874" previously insurance companies dealt with fires
Best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,,,,,

 

[smithy82/3]

G'day folks, what was the name of the (factory or warehouse) opposite a fire station at the bottom of Steelhouse Lane, which burnt down sometime between 1948/1950 ?? thanks.

 

[Astonian]

Hi smithy
You are asking about Halfords which was oppersite the fire station which was there huge warehouse
And Offices the fire station did not come out of the station really
It was so fierce they just open end the doors and got all the hose pipes on the go
Sorry that's not true, they did bring one or two out to tackle the fire and to dose down
The General Hospital Nurses accomadation block which was facing the Halfords ware. House
As flames was surching across the roads towards them thank fully they saved it
Only scarred by black windows for them
I think it was 12 Months later they moved the Nurse out of that tower block
And built more new accomadation for them around and down behind the Birmingham mail
Complex and along side of the old general Hospital as it was in those days
There old block of apartments was taken over by the Aston universary research before
They started to build all those universary accom, blocks that standing there now
They demoed the old are including gem street and school
Best wishes Astonian,,,,,

 

[Two]

Contrary to the misinformed previous post.
The Halfords Fire was March 1955.

It is most likely that a "Flashover" would have occurred when the first attempts were made fighting the fire or by a watchman opening a door.
The inside of the building and its contents would have been extremely hot, the heat building up slowly over several hours.
Opening a door (Either by a watchman or during early fire fighting actions) would have let the oxygen required for the fire to take complete hold.
As it was a warehouse/offices and under refurbishment on upper floors, fire compartmentalisation would not have been in place.

When the "Flashover" occurred the building was basically un-saveable.

Fire fighting was hampered by the scaffolding encased around the 6 floors of the building.
The intense heat would have meant that any fire fighting must be done from a safe distance.
The sample pictures show the fire fighting on one corner of the building, dozens of other jets were in place around the building.

No building is worth any loss of life in trying to save it.


View attachment 107125

 

[Astoness]

thanks for that photo two not seen it before....that was some fire by the looks of it and looks to be a very difficult operation for the fire service.

lyn

 

[smithy82/3]

Thanks Lyn and TWO, I,m glad to know no one was injured and it has settled an augment about the Halfords fire, some mates thought it was deliberately lit.. Good pics.
Thanks again.