The History of Sheffield's Fire Brigades

Early History

Until the beginning of the 18th Century, Sheffield had no fire fighting equipment except a few "leathern buckets” which were hung in the Chancel of the Church and in the Town Hall.

“Leather Buckets”- kept in the Church and Town Hall for fire-fighting purposes.

Water for fire fighting in those days was provided in a most unusual way.  Records show that a William Barker lived in Balm Green in 1379. In 1434 steps were taken to make some sort of reservoir for storing water from the many springs running down from the hills surrounding Balm Green.  This reservoir was situated on approximately the same site as the City Hall at the top of Balm Green and became known as Barker's Pool.  In 1572 Robert Rollynson who appeared to be a public benefactor, made extensive alterations to this "Pool" by erecting a wall around it, and providing sluice gates.  When these were opened water was allowed to run down channels in the middle of the streets.  The water could he used to cleanse the streets as well as for fire fighting in conjunction with the leather buckets.

In the Burgery Accounts for 1620 there is an entry which states "To Thomas Wheelwright for dressing buckets 1/6d" proving that someone attended to these items.  The 1/6d appears to be an annual fee because it was paid for a number of years.

The earlier types of fire bucket were made solely of leather and were sewn with leather thongs.  The seams were "caulked" with pitch and the dressing done by Thomas Wheelwright meant that an inspection of the seams and the application of pitch were necessary.  In 1697, 2/6d was paid to Nathaniel Mearls for "Kitts" (small buckets) when the bakehouse was on fire.

The earliest known example of a fire pump was used by the Greeks in 300 B.C.  The use of this device was lost in the Middle Ages and was not recovered until the 16th century.  The earliest pump to be used on fires in this country was in the form of a squirt.  It was designed to direct a jet of water onto a fire, and was constructed in the form of a syringe, the body being held by two men whilst the third forced home the plunger.

However, it was not until the Great Fire of London in 1666 that the necessity for more efficient fire fighting apparatus was realised in this country and in 1667 the establishment of Insurance Fire Brigades brought about a greatly increased development of manual pumps which required relays of men to keep their tank full of water.

In the year 1703 the Town Trustees purchased their first fire engine and organised men to operate it.  It was housed in an old building on the north side of the Chancel of the Parish Church, and was occasionally taken out for a practice at the cost of one shilling with another shilling for filling the engine with water when "played".

Photograph: 'Sheffield Fire Brigade - A Brief History'

A hand drawn, manually operated fire engine, provided by Messrs. J. T. and W. Wilson., for use in their Snuff Mills.  The base contained water, kept filled by bucket chain, and the two transverse poles were operated up and down by volunteers.  Two pistons inside the upright box were thus made to pump water through leather hose connected to the coupling at the front Early photograph showing a demonstration of this type of pump From: the History of Edinburgh Fire Brigade

According to the Burgery Accounts for 1704 the sum of' 10s 0d was paid to one William Frost, being his annual wage for cleaning and maintaining the fire engine.  The payment was made again in the following year but it was stated that this would be the last time it would be made,

For nearly 40 years little is recorded about the activities of the fire engine.  Either Sheffield was very lucky or the fires that did occur were not serious enough to be mentioned in official reports: but it must be kept in mind that the population of Sheffield at this time was less than 10,000.

In 1759 repairs were carried out to the Fire Engine and equipment by one Aeran Loton at a cost of £21 14s 7d.  In 1760 one shilling was paid for the leveling of the causeway in front of the engine house.  In 1784 the Town decided that a new fire engine was needed and one was purchased from Messrs. Hadley & Sons at the cost of £45 17s 0d plus 4s 0d carriage from Tinsley!  The first Fire insurance was taken out in Sheffield in 1790 and in 1800 the Royal Exchange and the Phoenix Fire Insurance Companies paid £20 and £21 respectively to the Town Council towards the upkeep of the Fire Brigade.

In 1804 the Town Council paid £15 15s 0d to the Water Company for the use of water and fire plugs for one year.  Perhaps because of increasing costs the Town Council, on the 14th February, 1805 said that in future the Town Trustees would not pay for the expense of the fire engine attending fires, but that the persons on whose property the fire occurred would be liable for the charge.  Indeed, a Mr. John Furniss was asked to pay 30s 0d for the attendance of the engines and firemen at his premises when on fire.  Following this rather drastic measure it was then resolved that the Insurance Companies should be asked to take over part of the responsibility by making an allowance towards the upkeep of the service and payment of the Firemen's Wages: and eventually on the 27th February, 1807 the Town's Fire Engines were presented to the Directors of the Birmingham Fire Office who undertook to keep them in repair and employ men to work them.

The Council also recommended that the inhabitants should encourage that Office by giving it preference in any insurances they had to place.

Firemen were to attend all fires but when the premises were not insured with the Birmingham Fire Office the occupier had to defray the expenses.

In 1808 the Sheffield Fire Office was established in George Street, a Mr. Staniforth being appointed as foreman.  In addition to this a Fire Engine and Escape were kept at the Town Hall and a portion of the Police Force were organised into a Brigade under Superintendent Otter.  Within a very short time the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Office opened up a Fire Station in Norfolk Street, a Mr. Richardson being the foreman.  Then the Royal Fire and Life insurance Company established a Station in Bank Street, with Mr. Thomas Holmes as foreman.  At a meeting at the Town Hall on the 18th April, 1811 it was agreed that the Birmingham Fire Office be at liberty to station one of their engines at Attercliffe, the insurances effected there to be considered as Sheffield insurances.

Sheffield Fire Office, established in George Street, 1808 Photograph: 'Sheffield Fire Brigade - A Brief History'

Photograph: 'Sheffield Fire Brigade - A Brief History'

Insurance Brigades

"Fire Marks" were attached to the insured building and these enabled the Insurance Brigades to identify the property insured by their Company.  Sometimes several Brigades would attend a fire and having found out (by means of the fire mark) with which Company the building was insured, the rival Brigades would either return to their stations, or in some cases actively obstruct the Brigade who were attempting to put out the fire; as for example, by cutting the hose. The fighting between Brigades very often led to persons insuring their property with more than one Company to make sure that any fire would be extinguished by one or other of the Brigades.

Fire Marks:

One Insurance Company had an advertisement which stated that they would attend fires in Sheffield whether the property was insured by them or not.  This Company seems to have realised that fire does not discriminate between properties and the other companies soon appreciated that they must work together, as is well illustrated by the following article taken from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph for Thursday, May 7th, 1868.

"The destructive fire, the details of which we recorded in the Telegraph yesterday morning, was discovered by Charles Butler, night Cabman to the Sheffield Carriage Company, who was standing with his cab in Angel Street at two o'clock. Having ascertained where the fire was, he instantly roused the people in the adjacent houses, and then ran to one of the Fire Offices.  Had it not been for his promptness we should doubtless have had to record the loss of life as well as property.

The first engine on the scene was the "Royal" which was speedily set going, and poured a stream into the first floor by the window; but so fierce was the fire that for some time the water was quite powerless in subduing it.  The Alliance engine quickly followed, and with a hose, ran up the passage, attacked the fire in the rear, and here, as in the front, the body of water was quite inadequate to the body of the fire. On the arrival of the Liverpool and London engine the exertions of the Royal were aptly supported in front, while the Alliance succeeded in checking the spread of the flames at the back.

For a time the three engines continued to work with steadiness, but still the fire burned with fury, threatening the contiguous buildings.  After the most praiseworthy exertions, on the part of the three Brigades, the force of the flames in the lower part of Mr Tasker's shop was somewhat reduced but, as if in mockery of all attempts at subjugation, the fire broke out with redoubled fury in the upper storey, at which elevation neither strength of water nor power of engine could reach it. For considerable time it blazed with destructive and unchecked force, but when a large engine belonging to the Royal was brought upon the scene, a strong and continuous stream of water reached the upper storey and effectively suppressed it.

By three o'clock the fire was under control, and shortly after completely extinguished.  Though the attempts of the firemen to circumscribe the area of the destruction were, under the circumstances marvelously successful, the premises of Messrs. Coker, Shaw and Robertshaw were more or less damaged both by fire and water.  It is gratifying to be able to record that by the timely warning which was given the people who were sleeping in adjacent houses got safely out, and found a comfortable refuge in the Angel Inn.

From what we can learn, we understand that the fire originated in a fireplace in connection with a newly erected machine in the back shop, and communicated with the room above, which was stored with combustible material.  The loss sustained by Mr. Tasker has been estimated at £4,000 which is only partly covered by insurance.  The property is insured in the Alliance and Sun Fire Offices".

Photograph: 'Sheffield Fire Brigade - A Brief History'

A large engine of the period 1868

In 1869 the Sheffield Council after much negotiation took over the responsibility for fire cover from the Insurance Brigades