Curators of the London Fire Brigade’s historic collection have uncovered a series of portrait photos, featuring the first public firefighters to serve London.
The photographs were rediscovered in the Brigade’s historic collection as curators were conducting routine work carrying out an inventory. The images were located within the photography collection files, and show firefighters and officers posed in uniform in formal portrait photograph settings, prominently holding or displaying their iconic brass helmet.
Photographs of early Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters
When cross referenced with the Brigade’s staff records from the time, the images put faces to some of the people involved in keeping London safe at the Brigade’s inception. At that time, service records were written on paper and collated into leather-bound ledgers.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act of 1865 created London’s first publicly funded fire service. The first firefighters of the newly formed Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) were largely drawn from the existing private London Fire Engine Establishment (LFEE) or Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire (RSPLF).
Superintendent John Cliff Bridges
The first firefighter listed in the Brigade’s records is John Cliff Bridges, who joined the Brigade from the LFEE. His picture shows him wearing his uniform whilst sitting on a stool. Already a veteran firefighter with 29 years of experience, John would have been a valuable contributor to the early Brigade. He spent a further 11 years as a firefighter with the MFB, before retiring at the rank of Superintendent in 1877.
In his time as a firefighter, Bridges was posted to Watling Street, Bishopsgate and Farringdon Road fire stations. His service record not only lists his professional achievements but also gives an insight into his personal life. John was a family man, with a wife and five children who would have likely also lived with him at the fire station. When he retired, he was awarded a pension of £164 per year.
Portrait photo of John E Barker
John E Barker is number 278 in the Brigade’s early records. His portrait shows him standing to attention in uniform, sporting a thick beard. Unlike John Cliff Bridges, Barker joined the service from the RSPLF. The RSPLF had been a charity specifically focused on rescuing people from fire. Early MFB firefighters like Barker, with dedicated rescue experience, would have complimented their colleagues from the LFEE who had focussed primarily on structural firefighting. Barker began his career at Highgate Fire Station, serving at several stations across his 24-year career, before he retired in 1884 from his last role as the Officer in Charge of Isle of Dogs Fire Station. His records also show that he was awarded a Good Service Medal in the same year, presented by the then Duke of Cambridge.
The Brigade's curators, Sophie and Stephanie, pictured holding early service records.
Stephanie Chapman, the Brigade’s museum curator, said: “These pictures offer a fascinating look at the first publicly funded firefighters responsible for protecting London. By cross referencing the images with our service records, we’re able to bring history to life, and share the stories of these incredible individuals.
“We don’t yet know why the early Brigade decided to include these photos in our records, but we’re grateful that they did. Firefighting has changed a lot in the last 160 years, and these photos are the first part of that story.”