page_title: History of the Belfast Fire Brigade
section_title: 19th century
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Belfast Fire Brigade / 19th century
caption_attribution_description: 1882 Horse-drawn Shand, Mason &amp; Co. steam fire engine
context_page_description: The Belfast Fire Brigade came into existence in 1800, and until 1861 was managed jointly with the local police service. It then provided a dedicated firefighting service to the people of the city of Belfast until its amalgamation with the Northern Ireland Fire Authority on 1 October 1973, when it became the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland, today the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
context_section_description: The 1800 Belfast Police Act established the Belfast Police Board, which was responsible for upkeep of the streets, the removal of nuisances, and provision of a night watch. It established a uniformed police force, the Belfast Borough Police, that also undertook firefighting duties. "They immediately set aside £143.8.2 for the purchase of a new fire engine from Tilley and Company of Blackfriars Road in London."
  During the early 1800s several approaches were made by the Belfast Corporation to insurance companies for financial assistance in the support of the Belfast Fire Brigade, but very limited investment was made. Such financial support was commonplace throughout larger towns and cities in England and Scotland. In 1840 Belfast purchased its first steam powered fire engine; manufacturer Merryweather & Sons supplied the engine the following year; this greatly reduced the time taken for the brigade to attend fire incidents and also increased the area served by the brigade.
  From June 1860 to September 1861 the Belfast Fire Brigade was under the leadership of Eyre Massey Shaw, who, during his short period as superintendent, produced reports in relation to several major fires within Belfast, focusing on the inadequacies of the water mains in the city. In 1861 Massey Shaw took up the role of superintendent of the London Fire Engine Establishment and subsequently became the first chief officer of the London Fire Brigade.
  After Massey Shaw's departure, it was decided to separate the Police and Fire Brigade, with George Reilly being appointed the fire brigade's first superintendent, serving in this position until 1891. In 1892, after Reilly's retirement, the Belfast Corporation sought to fulfil a long planned restructuring of the brigade which saw a move from a semi-professional to a fully professional Fire Brigade. Under the leadership of Superintendent George Parker, who formerly held the position of Chief Fire Officer in Bootle, Liverpool, he sought to introduce new items of protective uniform and equipment. Other major changes which occurred at this time included the phasing out of auxiliary firemen, alterations to working rotas and leave entitlements, along with reviewed rates of pay. In May 1894 the new Belfast Fire Brigade headquarters and fire station in Chichester Street opened. The premises incorporated; fire station, headquarters offices, dwelling houses to provide accommodation for firemen and their families, accommodation for single firemen, and a paved drill yard and 130-foot tall drill tower.
caption: 1882 Horse-drawn Shand, Mason & Co. steam fire engine circa 1868
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