London Fire Brigade history and stories

History and stories:

London Fire Brigade Museum's historical objects show the impact of London Fire Brigade from the Great Fire of London until today, and the stories of the brilliant people involved

Find out about the people, events and history that define London Fire Brigade

Trailblazers

The people who built and shaped London Fire Brigade.

Fires and incidents that changed history

These are the incidents and fires that have helped shape the modern Fire Brigade, changing and challenging how we respond to incidents.

The First World War

Learn about firefighting during the First World War

The Second World War

Learn about our firefighters actions during the Second World War

Equipment and uniforms

Learn about the historic equipment and uniform London's firefighters have used

Historic vehicles

Learn about the historic vehicles and appliances that have served London

Victorian firefighting

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) was formed in 1866 after insurance companies told the government they were unwilling to be responsible for London's fire protection due to escalating compensation costs.

Early firefighting and the insurance brigades

Did you know that there were no fire brigades before The Great Fire of London? Discover how and why the first brigades were established.

A historic fire station from the early 1900s

Fire station history

Each fire station has its own unique history