Person    | Male  Born 17/1/1828  Died 25/8/1908

Eyre Massey Shaw

Soldier and fire brigade chief. Probably born at Glenmore Cottage, Ballymore, Ireland. After a short military career, he was appointed Chief Constable of Belfast, being responsible for both the police and the fire brigade. In 1861 following the death of James Braidwood in the Tooley Street fire, he was engaged as head of the London Fire Engine Department. Knighted on his last day of service.

He was immortalised in Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Iolanthe' in which the Fairy Queen sings "Oh Captain Shaw, type of true love kept under, could thy brigade with cold cascade quench my great love I wonder?". By a happy chance, Shaw was sitting in the middle of the stalls on the opening night of the operetta. Died at the Grand Hotel, Folkestone.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Eyre Massey Shaw

Commemorated ati

Eyre Massey Shaw

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

Read More

Other Subjects

H. Harwood

H. Harwood

Either lost his life, or gave distinguished service to the London Fire Brigade, and was buried in the Highgate Cemetery plot between 1884 and 1955.

Person, Emergency Services

1 memorial
Sub Officer Edward Alfred Hollet
War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Capt. H. A. Fenton, LMSSA (London)

Capt. H. A. Fenton, LMSSA (London)

Assistant Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 (Prince of Wales's) District, 1928-1939. Officer in the Order of St John. SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 19 MARCH, 1946 carries th...

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Lawrence E. "Curly" Woodhead

Lawrence E. "Curly" Woodhead

Canadian firefighter and competitive diver. A section leader from Saskatoon, he died while training in Hampshire. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research and also found the photo: Section L...

Person, Emergency Services, Canada

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Sgt Robert Bentley

Sgt Robert Bentley

Aged 36, was shot dead after entering the house in Cutler Street where robbers were trying to break into the jewellers behind.

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

H. S. Hilder

H. S. Hilder

Worked at the Stock Exchange and died in WW1.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Western Postal District war memorial - Mount Pleasant

Western Postal District war memorial - Mount Pleasant

EC1, Rosebery Avenue, Mount Pleasant Sorting Office

The Post Office relocated the Western Postal District war memorial in 2013 as they had closed down the Rathbone Place premises. The memo...

1 subject commemorated
Woodford Green Men's Club - WW1

Woodford Green Men's Club - WW1

IG8, High Road Woodford Green, 499 - 501

This plaque is very decorative,with an ornate frame, at the top of which is a roundel showing a stag on a shield. It was perhaps not int...

War dead | WW1
13 subjects commemorated, 1 creator