Page 164 - Archived Back Issues

FIREMEN - THE PEOPLE'S HERO
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.
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.
PR & MARKETING COMMITTEE
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 (vtj@vimpex.co.uk). 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
Brian Eves
“walking tour” pamphlet
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