Photograph of the Lauriston Place Firemen

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

52410

Title

Photograph of the Lauriston Place Firemen conducting a practice rescue drill by J. McKean, 1897

Description

One black and white photograph of the firemen of Lauriston Place Fire Station practicing rescuing a victim from a balcony fire. Taken around 1897 by J. McKean. Three firemen climb ladders, one hanging from the blacony. One fireman secures the hose to the water pipe in the ground and another holds onto the pulley transporting the victim from the balcony to the ground. A horse and cart housing the hosepipe stands to the right. Presented on brown card.

Accession number

HH1383

Copyright

The City of Edinburgh Council Museums & Galleries

The Central Fire Service had its headquarters on Lauriston Place, near the site of the present Edinburgh College of Art. Firemen used the building's tower and balconies to practice removing people from burning buildings.

Edinburgh boasts the world's first civic fire service. It was formed in 1824 by pioneering fire fighter James Braidwood shortly before a huge fire broke out in the Old Town and put the new fire brigade to the test. Braidwood believed that to fight fire effectively, you needed to understand the materials and structures which caught alight. He therefore employed men such as carpenters and slaters in his new fire brigade.

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