London Fire Brigade Gallery

Fireboat tackling fire at Colonial Wharf, East London

A fireboat tackles a fire at Colonial Wharf, Wapping High Street, East London, 27 September 1935. This was a typical big Thamesside fire of the sort which the London Fire Brigade has tackled for over 100 years. The nine-storey warehouse was full of crude rubber and burned for four days, during which time a number of explosions took place. Sixty pumps, 20 special appliances and three fireboats, manned in all by 600 firefighters, fought the huge blaze: they successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding warehouses

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

LCC-LFB Change from brass to cork fire helmets

A significant landmark when on 14 July 1934 the LFB started to replace its traditional brass helmet with a new compressed cork design. It would be four years before the changeover was completed. The death of a firefighter, when his brass helmet touched a live cable during firefighting operations, brought about the policy change. Here the brass helmet, introduced by Captain Eyre Massey Shaw (Metropolitan Fire Brigade), a symbol of London's firemen for over seventy years, meets a modern, safer replacement

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

LCC-LFB Islington fire station stables

Islington's first fire station opened in 1860 in Florence Street. The station pictured here was located in Upper Street, and opened in 1899. Horses would remain in use in the London Fire Brigade until 1921, although motorised fire engine were being introduced into the service in increasing numbers from the early 1900s. Coachmen were designated firemen responsible for driving the horse drawn engines, and the horses were stabled at the fire station in stalls within or adjacent to the engine room

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library