Group    From 1865 

London Fire Brigade

Categories: Emergency Services

The London Fire Engine Establishment, formed in 1833 under the leadership of James Braidwood, was a private organisation funded by insurance companies, mainly aimed at saving material goods from fires. In 1865, following the Tooley Street fire and others, the publicly-funded and managed Metropolitan Fire Brigade was created, under the control of the Metropolitan Board of Works, later the LCC. In 1904 it was renamed as the London Fire Brigade.

From 1833 the first headquarters were at 68 Watling Street (see Beyond the Flames for some details and a photo), in the City of London. In 1878 moved into an old workhouse on Southwark Bridge Road, extended in 1883. 1937 moved into its Lambeth HQ. In 2007 it moved from there to 169 Union Street, Southwark, practically adjacent to its previous Southwark home.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
London Fire Brigade

Commemorated ati

Dudgeon's Wharf explosion - red plaque

Unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the fire.

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Eyre Massey Shaw

Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, 1830 - 1908, first chief officer of the Metropolitan Fi...

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Fire Brigade HQ - Southwark

This stone relief was located above the main entrance to the former headquart...

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Great fire of Tooley Street

2021: This plaque has been replaced with a similar plaque, re-branded to prom...

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James Braidwood

What a great plaque. The inscription is inside a laurel wreath, in front of a...

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Show all 9

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
London Fire Brigade

Creations i

Dudgeon's Wharf explosion - oblong plaque

The unveiling of this plaque was reported in the East London Advertiser of 24...

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Sidney Street siege and fire

Our colleague Alan Patient decoded JEECS into ‘Jewish East End Celebration So...

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Stephen Maynard - steel plaque

Plaque erected on the 30th anniversary.

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Other Subjects

Fm. Alfred Charles Smee

Fm. Alfred Charles Smee

Fireman killed in the Dudgeon's Wharf explosion. Andrew Behan has researched Smee: Fireman Alfred Charles Smee was born on 16 September 1921 and his birth was registered in Islington. He was the t...

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy

2 memorials
Harry Richard Skinner

Harry Richard Skinner

Auxiliary Fireman Harry Richard Skinner was born on 8 December 1908 in Southwark, the third of the six children of John William Skinner (1874-1934) and Louise Skinner née Spratley (1879-1959). His ...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
J. W. Sanders, FRCS

J. W. Sanders, FRCS

Corps Surgeon in the St John Ambulance Brigade, Metropolitan Corps, 1887-1890.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Albert William Mears

Albert William Mears

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Albert William Mears was born on 5 January 1909 at 11 Flint Avenue, Bromley by Bow, Pop...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Miss J. M. Hoare, MBE

Miss J. M. Hoare, MBE

Lady District Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, Metropolitan Corps, 1893-1932. Commander (Sister) in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial