The figure on the left is an insurance fireman and the figure on the right is a salvage porter. In the background there is a picture of a manual pump which was used extensively by insurance brigades. The equipment in the foreground is a selection of fire hooks and axes.
The Great Fire of London was a severe blow to the city and fire insurance brigades were developed as a way to deal with future fires. Much later, independent insurance brigades joined together to form the London Fire Engine Establishment (LFEE).
The LFEE started with only 19 fire stations and 80 men.
