‘Fires in Theatres’ written by Chief Officer Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, is one of the most important books in our LFB Museum collection.
Theatre fires were usually caused by the gas lamps, which would be used to illuminate the stage. By 1884, 41 theatres had burnt down across the world, in which 1,200 people sadly died.
In “Fires in Theatres” Shaw laid out his recommendations for improving fire safety. This included that all walls, including internal walls, should be of strong construction and that all areas should have strong divisions.
He also devised the theatre fire curtain which we see in theatres today. They were made of metal, so that when a fire started, they could be used to divide the theatre from the auditorium.
Also put forward in the book are his arguments that theatres should have good water supplies, rising mains and proper hydrants, and that the exits should be in proportion to the number of people allowed in the audience.
This second edition copy of the book, published in 1889, has been hand signed by Shaw and gifted to his sister Dora.
The inscription reads: "Dora, from her affectionate brother EMS, Nov 1 1889'