Early fire brigade - hand in hand insurance company

An engraving of men from the Hand in Hand Insurance Company. Before the establishment of regional fire brigades, fires were tackled by insurance companies. Despite their frock coats and breeches, these men are wearing helmets similar to a modern day firefighter. The Hand-in-Hand was established at a meeting in Tom's Coffee House, St Martin's Lane, London and was first known as Contributors for Insuring Houses, Chambers or Rooms from Loss by Fire, by Amicable Contribution. Two other fire offices, the Fire Office and the Friendly Society, already existed at this time but the Hand-in-Hand was the first established on the mutual principal. In May 1697 the society's first loss, £1 12 shillings, was settled on two houses in St Stephen's Alley in the parish of St Margaret's

Companies Conflagration Eighteenth Fires Insurance

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