Year 2 were lucky to have the fire service come and visit them following our learning on the Great Fire of London. Although there was many negative consequences of the Great Fire, one positive was the development of the Fire Brigade – see below. 

Owen, Stuart and Wayne spoke to us about their exciting job before asking Mrs Beckett to dress in their uniform. The children then went outside to meet Aimee and had a fantastic time squirting the playground with the fire engine’s hose.

From BBC

In 1666 there was no fire brigade, no hosepipes and no protective clothing. Each parish church had to keep equipment in the event of a fire – including buckets made of leather and fire hooks, which were used to pull down burning buildings.

An inventory from the same year shows the parish of St Botolph’s, Billingsgate, half a mile from Pudding Lane, had 36 buckets and a ladder. But these proved of little use in the event of a fire which spread so fast.

Early fire engines were essentially a large barrel on wheels. They only delivered six pints of water per squirt, were hard to steer and unreliable.

After the fire, new rules were brought in and every parish had to have two fire squirts, leather buckets and other fire equipment.

The new designs for the City also included a requirement for a quayside to be opened up along the River Thames to make homes by the river accessible.

Finally, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was formed, bringing with it new fire stations, a new uniform and a new rank system.

Now the London Fire Brigade, it celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

Families if you want to learn more, listen to Dan Snow’s Podcast!