St. James' Place Fire House

[richardh]

What would this firehouse look like? I have searched the net but I can't find anything even close to showing me what it looked like. I gather it was a wooden building situated at the centre of the square.

Does anyone have any info on the firehouse?

thanks
R

[Archaic]

Hi Richard.

Monty or Rob might be able to give you info on the firehouse, but I'll check my files just in case.

Coincidentally, I was looking up Victorian-era firehouses in New York a few days ago because one of my forebears was a New York City fireman in the 1890's. (I found him and his fire-station, which was pretty cool. )

Best regards,
Archaic

[Monty]

Hi Richard,

I'm on a training course right now so nots at home to review my sources so this is me working from memory here.

The fire station was a wooden structure but it converted to a brick one around the time of 1888ish. It is speculation that this was the works James Blenkingsopp was watching over.

As far as I recall there is no photo of the actual station but there is, I think, a written description somewhere, with its pump out side etc.

When I get home I shall have a root around for it.

Cheers
Monty

[Archaic]

Hi Monty, you must be psychic!

Wasn't the St. James' Place fire station also referred to as "Houndsditch", or am I misremembering? (I asked Rob but haven't heard back yet.)

Richard, I think you might enjoy this website for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, as there are pages devoted to London firefighting in the Victorian era, including some nice photographs.

There's also a page commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the London Blitz. Isn't it amazing that it's been that long?

London Metropolitan Fire Brigade website: http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/Metrop...ireBrigade.asp

Thanks & best regards,
Archaic

[Rob Clack]

I don't know what the Fire Station looked like but I have a drawing of the building that was on the site in 1910. It may be what was on the site in 1888 but i am not 100% certain. The iron railings on the right are not part of the building but belonged to the Urinals which might have been the works Blenkingsop was watching over.



This is the fire station attached to Moor Lane Police Station from an 1899 photo. It's also smaller than the St James Place one would have been but there could have been a similar design. The small post to the right is a fire alarm signal.



Rob

[Monty]

I can't recall I'm afraid.

I've just got back from Bolton and knackered.

Ah, the very dab Rob, many thanks. Remember looking into the road works in the Place a few years ago? Trying to find some reminants.

There was also a fire alarm next to the Aldgate pump.

Monty

[Rob Clack]

Ah, the very dab Rob, many thanks. Remember looking into the road works in the Place a few years ago? Trying to find some reminants.

Monty

Yeah I remember that. Can't remember if I took some photos or not. I'll have a look.

Rob

[Monty]

Can't recall myself.

Can recall there not being much to see.

Apart from cobbles

Monty

[Rob Clack]

Just had a look. Didn't take any photos so probably nothing of interest there. Not even the cobbles

Rob

[Archaic]

Hi Rob. Thanks for the photos.

Do you mean that little metal thing that looks like a toll-booth is a fire-station?

Would those have been sprinkled all over the city? And was a large fire-station called by a different term, maybe "fire-house"?

I wonder if they ever used little emergency-booths like that in America.

Thanks,
Archaic

[Archaic]

West Hampstead Fire Station Then & Now

Here's a nice photo-montage of the West Hampstead Fire Station about the time it was built in 1901, and the station as it looks today.

I found it on this blog called 'London Fire Journal': http://londonfirejournal.blogspot.co...tte-cards.html

Best regards, Archaic

[Rob Clack]

Hi Bun,

There not actual Fire Brigade Stations, probably more a sub station/watch house, it's not my area so I am not really sure.

Here's a list of Fire Brigade Stations in London from 1882:



And this is Whitechapel Fire Station from 1902.



Rob

[Archaic]

Hi Rob.

Thanks, that's a beautiful photo of the Whitechapel Fire Station. But how in the world did they get manage to get a photo with the streets so clear of traffic? I would think the street would be busy even in the early morning when there was barely enough light to take a photo. Do you think it's possible they cleared the street for a photo of the new fire-station?

I don't see St. James Place/Houndsditch mentioned on the 1882 Metropolitan Fire Brigade list, so I guess that means either it was built after 1882, it was not a fully-manned fire-station but a small "watch-station", or it was part of a separate City of London Fire Brigade.

Does anybody know?

Best regards,
Archaic

[richardh]

Thank you all so much for your replies and help.

Rob, That drawing and accompanying photo really help me.

thanks all.

Richard

[Rob Clack]

Hi Rob.

Thanks, that's a beautiful photo of the Whitechapel Fire Station. But how in the world did they get manage to get a photo with the streets so clear of traffic? I would think the street would be busy even in the early morning when there was barely enough light to take a photo. Do you think it's possible they cleared the street for a photo of the new fire-station?

I don't see St. James Place/Houndsditch mentioned on the 1882 Metropolitan Fire Brigade list, so I guess that means either it was built after 1882, it was not a fully-manned fire-station but a small "watch-station", or it was part of a separate City of London Fire Brigade.

Does anybody know?

Best regards,
Archaic

I have another photo slightly eastwards from the 1880s and the traffic isn't very busy in that one, It was probably an early morning shot as there don't seem to be that many people about yet.

The St James Place Fire Station was probably just a small sub station belonging to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

Rob