In 1869 the Sheffield Council after much negotiation took over the responsibility for fire cover from the Insurance Brigades. The Council advertised for a Chief Fire Officer and by June of that year, thirty-seven applications had been received.  From these six were selected for the short list:

After they had been interviewed Mr. John Pound was appointed Superintendent of the Brigade as from the 15th July, 1869, at a salary of £100 per year, a house, coal and gas to he provided for his use.  Perhaps the decision of the Corporation to take over and run the Fire Brigade was brought to a head by a series of large fires namely:

The first Fire Station was in Norfolk Street opposite Milk Street.  Mr. Pound had to form the new Brigade with 15 young constables and for eleven months living quarters were a problem as many of the men lived as far away as Spital Hill.  When a fire occurred at night the men were called off their beats by whistle, and in the daytime Mr. Pound had to pick up any Constable he could find.  The first fire attended by the new Brigade occurred on the 30th July, 1869 at a Cabinet Case Makers in Arundel Street. It took fifty minutes to obtain water because the fire occurred on the day before the Corporation required the Water Company to give a constant supply.  Towards the latter end of the year the water was again turned off at night and so Mr. Pound insisted on a turncock being in attendance at the Fire Station to turn on the water in case of fire.

In 1870 the Corporation took a lease of 17 houses in Hill Street and Balm Green and the Firemen were installed in them, electric bells being connected to the houses.  On the 24th June, 1870, the appliances were moved to a new Station at Barker's Pool, which was formerly the Weights and Measures Office.  In 1874 Hose Carts and fire extinguishing apparatus were placed in each of the four Divisional Police Stations at Attercliffe, Broomhill, Highfields and Langsett Road. For four years after its inception the Brigade had to drag the engines by hand as it was not possible to obtain horses from the Angel yard in Angel Street in any reasonable time.  On the 20th September, 1873 a call was received to a fire at Fulwood and the Brigade had to wait 45 minutes for the horses.  Before they were able to start an Alderman and several reporters came to the Station and the next day there was a long report in the press.  After the next Council meeting two horses were purchased but there was no stabling for them and they had to stand in the yard of the Angel Inn at Moorhead; but eventually a 10 years', lease of a stable and coach house in Backfields was obtained

In 1876 the Corporation purchased its first Steam Engine and on the 25th December, 1883 the Brigade removed to a new Fire Station at Rockingham Street which had been erected at a cost of £16,318.

Horse drawn steamer outside new fire station Rockingham Street

Fire escape pitched at the front of Rockingham Street Fire Station

The second Steam Engine was purchased in 1884 and in 1894 another manual engine was replaced by a steamer.  In 1895 five Kingston Fire Escapes were purchased and placed at each of the Divisional Police Stations. At this time the establishment of the Brigade was one Superintendent, one Sergeant, three engineers and 15 Firemen.

The appliances consisted of three steam fire engines, one manual engine, two tenders, three telescopic fire escapes and one escape carried on a four wheeled tender and pulled by five horses.  Each of the Divisional Police Stations had a fire escape and hose cart.

Typical horse drawn fire escape outside West Bar Fire Station

Captain Pound and members of Brigade with two horse drawn steam pump fire engines, 1894

Superintendent Pound retired from the Fire Brigade in 1895.

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