Birmingham Fire Office
Image from: Bisset’s Magnificent Guide or Grand Copper Plate Directory for the Town of Birmingham, 1808
[From Birmingham Central Library]
03. Birmingham Fire Office
The engraving shows an image of the Birmingham Fire Office, Union Street, established in 1805 mounted on a plinth. Above the building sit two cherubs and two fire buckets are located on either side of the plinth, an alternative to the usual classical urns. The front of the plinth presents a fire-fighting scene. On the right, men with water buckets are tackling a burning house. Their efforts appear to be ineffective as to the left, a fire engine is rushing to attend the fire. Seated at the front, a woman clothed in classical dress, complementing the cherubs above the Fire Office, holds a shield emblazoned with an image of a stationery fire engine with the legend “Birmingham” underneath.
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