The First Hampshire Volunteer Artillery “Fire Brigade” and Its Fire Occurrence Book for Southampton, 1894–1909

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prior to Southampton’s municipal organisation of fire-fighting from its St. Mary’s Road, members of the waning British Volunteer Force operated a fire service there 1894–1909. This article examines their hand-written incident logbook. The study complements existing knowledge of fire-fighting in the provincial Victorian and Edwardian town, casting the Artillery Volunteers into a previously undocumented role as urban peacetime responders. Key findings include the limited fire-fighting technology and general lack of safety awareness or co-ordination to protect inhabitants from loss of life and property.