"The photographs date from the early years of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, established following the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865, which created London's first publicly funded fire service."
"Curators are now cross-referencing the portraits with handwritten service records to match faces to names - a process that is beginning to bring some of London's earliest firefighters back into view for the first time in over 150 years."
"Among those identified so far is John Cliff Bridges, believed to be the first firefighter listed in the Brigade's records. His portrait shows a veteran firefighter seated in uniform, with nearly three decades of experience already behind him."
"Another rediscovered portrait shows John E Barker, a bearded firefighter who joined from the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire. His career spanned 24 years, taking him from Highgate to the Isle of Dogs."
An unopened box of photographs of London's first firefighters was discovered in the London Fire Brigade's archives. The images, dating back to the early years of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, show uniformed firefighters in formal settings. Curators are cross-referencing these portraits with service records to identify individuals. Among those identified is John Cliff Bridges, the first firefighter in the Brigade's records, who served for nearly four decades. Another identified firefighter is John E Barker, whose career spanned 24 years, providing insights into the lives of early firefighters.
#firefighters #london-fire-brigade #historical-photographs #metropolitan-fire-brigade #fire-service-history
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