Firefighter Gallery

LCC-LFB Bishopsgate fire station, City of London

Bishopsgate fire station, located at 162 Bishopsgate, City of London, 10 July 1904, showing the combination of horse drawn and mechanised fire engines. The horseless engine is a self-propelled fire engine called the Fire-King with a top speed of 25 miles per hour and weight of 5.5 tons. The station finally closed in 1964 with the opening of the new Barbican fire station

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

LCC-LFB Fire display at Brigade HQ Southwark

The London Fire Brigade encouraged, for very many years, a good public image by opening its doors to the public to special fire brigade displays. On Saturday afternoons, during the summer months, it was a regular feature to see displays at the Southwark Headquarters. As the picture shows it drew large, and frequently a boater-hatted, crowds. A motorised fire engine works two firefighting jets, while a turntable ladder is fully extended to the top of the drill tower. Where there was space to stand and watch the public took every opportunity to do so

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

NFS London Region control room and officers, WW2

With the Fire Service nationalised in 1941 the London Fire Brigade was combined with its surrounding Fire Brigades to form the London Region of the NFS. It covered an area similar to Greater London today. The region was divided into five districts, with Lambeth as Regional Headquarters, although each district also had its own headquarters. The NFS returned to local authority control in 1948

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library