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8
FIREMEN - THE
PEOPLE'S HERO
PR & MARKETING
COMMITTEE
In January 1854, John Everett Millais witnessed
London firemen fighting a blaze and was so
impressed by their courage that he decided to
make it the subject of a painting. In his studio,
he recreated the light and smoke effects of
fires by using a sheet of coloured glass and by
burning planks on an iron sheet laid on the
floor. The dramatic painting that resulted, “The
Rescue”, shown at the Royal Academy in April
1855, focuses upon individual heroism by
depicting a square-jawed fireman descending a
carpeted staircase inside a middle-class home
to escape a fire behind him.
Dressed in the plain, functional, dark uniform
and leather helmet and boots associated with
the regime of Fire Chief James Braidwood, he
is carrying no fewer than three children - a
baby under his left arm, a girl under his right
and a boy clinging to his back - towards the
outstretched arms of their anxious but relieved
mother. Charles Collins, an artist-friend of
Millais, painted the hosepipe visible in the
bottom left-hand corner. Subsequently, the
'rescue' or 'saved' motif became one of the
most common in the iconography of
firefighting, an unexplored subject that
provides a rich context for Millais's celebrated
painting.
In Britain, the popular perception of firefighters
as heroes dates from the nineteenth century
and was due in the main to the replacement of
private, fire insurance office or company
brigades, whose prime concern was the
protection of property, by a paid, professional,
municipal fire service in major cities whose
priority was to save life and serve the whole
community.
If anyone in the Company feels that he or she
can offer time and expertise to make a
difference to how the Company communicates
and markets itself to its members, the fire
fighting community, fire industry and the City
of London, then our Past Master Viv Jones,
our Chairman, would be very pleased to hear
from you . The PR and
Marketing committee is an excellent forum if
you want to get involved in the work and life of
the WCoFF.
One of our current projects is developing
programmes that will culminate in educational
material surrounding the Great Fire of London
anniversary in 2016. We have already been
working with the Museum of London and the
City of London, who have produced a “walking
tour” pamphlet, which takes people round the
key points in the City where the Great Fire
made its mark. This is a very informative
guide, but the committee is now working on a
more interactive concept.
If anyone would like a copy of the pamphlet,
then please e-mail Past Master Viv Jones and he
will arrange for you to get one
This extract was taken from “Firefighters in art
and media - a pictorial history” - by John A
Walker, ISBN 978 1903427 23 1. It will be an
interesting read for many.
MEMORABILIA
Brian Eves has, unfortunately, had to
give up the management of the
Company memorabilia. Brian has
given many years of excellent service
to this activity, storing, packaging and
posting items to members of the
company all in his own time. He now
has to spend more time caring for his
wife and we, on the PR and Marketing
committee, wish them both well for
the future. His attention to detail and
great knowledge of the Fire Industry
will be particularly missed on the
committee.
Brian Eves
“walking tour” pamphlet