Description

The product of over thirty years of research, largely based on the extensive but little used original records of the various London insurance companies, this book examines the history of insurance company fire brigades in London during the period from their formation in 1680 until their gradual amalgamation into a single body from 1833.

It concentrates on a subject which has received little previous attention and is thought to be the first work that specifically focuses on the insurance firemen and porters of the period in London. Detail is provided of the management and operation of the different fire establishments and the working lives of their employees. Many examples are provided of specific incidents and individuals, bringing to light the service that these men rendered to their community, often at great personal risk to themselves, many of them suffering injury or death in the course of their work.

The book should appeal to both general readers, those interested in local and social history, particularly of London, and those with an interest in the history of fire and other emergency services.