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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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

Oswald Hitchen

Oswald Hitchen

Oswald Hitchen was born on 15 November 1906 in Todmorden, Yorkshire, a son of Elias Hitchen (1874-1949) and Betsy Hitchen née Halstead (1875-1971). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 19...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
W. Humphris Winny, OBE, AMIEE

W. Humphris Winny, OBE, AMIEE

Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, Metropolitan Corps, 1891-1927. Knight Grace in the Order of St John. The 1904 publication "St Martin-le-Grand, Vol. XIV" contains an article written ...

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Captain Frederick Booth, VC, DCM

Captain Frederick Booth, VC, DCM

Captain Frederick Charles Booth VC, DCM. Born Holloway. Served in the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia 1912-17. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 12 February 191...

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, South Africa

War served, WW1
2 memorials
H. J. E. Smith

H. J. E. Smith

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
Southwark Fire Station, HQ and Training Centre

Southwark Fire Station, HQ and Training Centre

This location has hosted 4 buildings important to the history of the London Fire Brigade.  We’ll tell the story chronologically. In 1777 a new St Saviour’s workhouse, by George Gwilt the Elder, wa...

Building, Emergency Services

2 memorials