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Eyre Massey Shaw

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1320: 332: 428: 173: 487: 1307: 231:), and the Superintendent of its predecessor, the London Fire Engine Establishment, from 1861 to 1891. He introduced modern firefighting methods to the Brigade, and increased the number of stations. Prior to entering firefighting, Shaw was in the British Army, followed by a spell as Chief Constable of 380:
As London grew during the late 19th century, Shaw expanded the number of fire stations. In 1861, the LFEE had comprised 17 land and two river stations and 129 men; when he retired 30 years later, the brigade's estate comprised 55 land and four river stations, 127 street escape and hose-cart stations,
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to become a priest, but following his degree, he decided to travel to the United States. He travelled for four- to five years, and in that time witnessed a number of large fires and the techniques being used at that time to fight them. This started a fascination with firefighting that would last for
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addresses herself, " … In that we gain/A Captain Shaw!/(Aside.)Oh, Captain Shaw!/Type of true love kept under!/Could thy Brigade/With cold cascade/Quench my great love, I wonder!" a reference to Shaw's popularity with certain aristocratic ladies of the town. Shaw was present in the stalls at the
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His appointment was regarded as successful both on policing and firefighting. He was credited with quelling rioting between Catholics and Protestants whilst maintaining the respect of both, as well as transforming a poorly organised fire service, including making extensive recommendations for
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Shaw submitted his report to the government on 29 September 1887, and in it he placed the blame firmly with the architect, Phipps. Phipps defended himself from the blame, deflecting to the fact that a number of changes had been made during construction from the designs that he proposed.
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In his work with the Fire Engine Establishment and later the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Shaw became most concerned with the fire safety of theatres. Theatres were frequent sources of fire, with combustible scenery covered in oil paints in close proximity to naked flame gas lamps.
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Shaw was an influential thinker on firefighting, publishing at least seven books on the subject. He is noted for his introduction of uniforms and the famous brass helmets (c. 1868), and for introducing a ranking system. He also introduced the use of the
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675 personnel and 131 horses. Sloping floors in fire stations allowed engines to move out more easily ('on the run', a term still used today). Under his leadership, he also procured steam fire engines, contacting the main manufacturers,
33: 389:, and working with them to develop an engine which could be pulled by two horses and produce several jets at high pressure (on average, 300 gallons of water per minute). 549:, playing the Fairy Queen, addressed herself directly to him. Legend has it that he stood up and took a bow. In 1886 Shaw was named in an adultery lawsuit involving 412:
After his resignation from the fire service, Shaw became managing director of the Palatine Insurance Company and chairman of the Metropolitan Electricity Board.
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for consideration. Despite not being experienced or qualified for the job, he was awarded the position and moved to Belfast to take up the role of Inspector of
963: 1187: 1387: 281: 1357: 443:, setting out some of the risks and methods specific to theatres. He was particularly concerned with the lack of regulation and control in the sector. 651: 839: 1372: 362: 1108: 1377: 933: 1402: 296: 196: 992: 350:. The position was advertised, and Shaw was engaged, despite having only a little over a year's experience of managing a brigade. 1407: 1397: 638: 746: 858: 1273: 354: 292:). He also married within the year a Portuguese lady from Lisbon. They had two sons; the first named after his father. 224: 311:
advertised for someone to be the superintendent of both police and fire services for the city, and Shaw submitted his
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In September 1861, the head of London's insurance company fire service, the London Fire Engine Establishment,
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on his last day of service. Shaw died at Folkestone on 25 August 1908 and is buried in the east side of
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and Director of the fire Brigade in June 1860, on a salary of £300 a year, resigning his army position.
835: 581: 609: 447: 357:, placing responsibility for fire protection in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (combining the former 550: 285: 904: 347: 331: 256: 105: 382: 316: 244: 232: 57: 702: 451: 393: 1116: 479:
Fire Surveys: A summary of the principles to be observed in estimating the risk of buildings
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Instructions for the use and management of Fire escapes and the rescue of life from fire
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in 1889, he disagreed with the administration and resigned in 1891. He was knighted by
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This proved to be the catalyst for action, and gradually regulations were tightened.
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Shaw issues a report into the fire-readiness of the London music halls and theatres
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for communication between stations (c. 1867), and stand pipes and fire hydrants.
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Shaw is best remembered today as the "Captain Shaw" to whom the Fairy Queen in
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Winchester House, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Fire brigade in
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Shaw returned to Ireland in 1854, where he gained a commission in the
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claimed the lives of 186 people, and Shaw was appointed to conduct a
564:, Shaw designed a fire respirator for the use of his firefighters. 536: 251:, Ireland and was educated first at a school in the nearby town of 652:"London Fire: The London Fire Brigade begins - the Victorian era" 486: 580:, which also included a residence for Shaw, later became the 515:
Shaw was a well-known socialite and a personal friend of the
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still adorns the building and states that Shaw lived there.
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Such was his concern, that in 1876, he published the book
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The protection factor of industrial half-mask respirators
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Fire Station in case the Royal heir chose to firefight.
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who was sitting next to Shaw at the Iolanthe premiere.
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During his period of service, he reached the rank of
1302: 523:). A firefighting outfit was always kept ready at 346:, was killed in the line of duty while fighting a 765:"Inspector of Police and Fire Brigade of Belfast" 1339: 510: 961: 751:Volunteer Service Gazette and Military Dispatch 115:Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade 934:"London Fire Brigade Museum, Winchester House" 1066:"Instruction concerning Branches and Nozzles" 897: 783:"To the police committee of the town council" 567:The London brigade's 1935 fireboat was named 1191:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 962:Sandland-Taylor, Simon (22 September 2022). 500:Instructions concerning Branches and Nozzles 392:When the Fire Brigade was taken over by the 363:Society for the Protection of Life from Fire 1162:The complete annotated Gilbert and Sullivan 1388:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath 1140:The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan 323:modernisation of equipment and practices. 31: 1358:Chief Officers of the London Fire Brigade 966:. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. 928: 926: 407: 150:Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath 838:at www.firebrigadehistory.netfirms.com 722: 720: 718: 716: 485: 426: 330: 1188:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 1156: 1095:"Instructions concerning air and water" 993:"The Fire at the Theatre Royal, Exeter" 990: 957: 955: 874: 872: 870: 697: 695: 693: 607: 1340: 1152: 1150: 984: 938:London buses: and now London's Museums 923: 677: 675: 673: 671: 669: 422: 713: 506:Instructions concerning air and water 37:Colourised photograph of Captain Shaw 1078: 1035: 1020: 1005: 952: 867: 726: 690: 682:"Sir Eyre Massey Shaw". Obituaries. 1274:"Shaw, Sir Eyre Massey (1830–1908)" 1217: 1147: 1143:. The Modern Library. January 1936. 1023:"Fire Protection:A complete manual" 970: 666: 288:regiment (later the 9th Battalion, 13: 1321:Works by or about Eyre Massey Shaw 614:The Dictionary of Ulster Biography 476:Fire Protection: A complete manual 469:Shaw published a number of books: 464: 262:Shaw was originally set on taking 14: 1419: 1373:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers 1298: 326: 302: 1378:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin 1305: 369:. Shaw headed the new brigade. 359:London Fire Engine Establishment 171: 1403:Deputy lieutenants of Middlesex 1266: 1241: 1211: 1178: 1131: 1101: 1087: 1072: 1058: 1044: 1029: 1014: 999: 848: 829: 811: 793: 727:Pike, David C (29 March 2020). 353:In 1865, Parliament passed the 16:British firefighter (1828–1908) 1079:Shaw, Sir Eyre Massey (1889). 775: 757: 739: 644: 627: 601: 556:In conjunction with professor 417:Deputy Lieutenant of Middlesex 1: 1408:London Fire Brigade personnel 1218:Lim, T. S. (September 1982). 884:Massey Shaw Educational Trust 857:at www.aovq74.dsl.pipex.com 594: 511:Cultural influence and legacy 355:Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 348:massive fire in Tooley Street 335:Grave of Eyre Massey Shaw in 259:where he graduated in 1847. 238: 1398:Burials at Highgate Cemetery 1205:UK public library membership 1109:"Chief Officer Captain Shaw" 633:Austin Macauley Publishers ( 7: 1253:Massey Shaw Education Trust 1229:(PhD). University of Surrey 707:Massey Shaw Education Trust 367:Metropolitan Board of Works 365:), to be supervised by the 10: 1424: 1036:Shaw, Eyre Massey (1872). 1021:Shaw, Eyre Massey (1890). 1006:Shaw, Eyre Massey (1889). 733:I was a London Firefighter 729:"Captain Eyre Massey Shaw" 582:London Fire Brigade Museum 275: 1185:"Shaw, Sir Eyre Massey". 1008:"Fires and Fire Brigades" 753:. 19 May 1860. p. 7. 448:Exeter Theatre Royal fire 446:In 1887, the devastating 270: 225:Metropolitan Fire Brigade 210: 202: 192: 184: 164: 159: 155: 145: 137: 127: 119: 111: 101: 90: 67: 42: 30: 23: 1393:British Chief Constables 1368:British Militia officers 980:. BBC News. 9 June 2003. 290:King's Royal Rifle Corps 1363:People from County Cork 473:Fires and Fire Brigades 383:Merryweather & Sons 257:Trinity College, Dublin 106:Trinity College, Dublin 1197:10.1093/ref:odnb/36046 1115:. 2012. Archived from 880:"Sir Eyre Massey Shaw" 703:"Sir Eyre Massey Shaw" 608:Newmann, Kate (2012). 496: 432: 408:Following fire service 339: 317:Belfast Borough Police 267:the rest of his life. 233:Belfast Borough Police 58:Ballymore, County Cork 991:Gillian, Don (2010). 978:"Exeter Theatre Fire" 489: 452:parliamentary inquiry 430: 394:London County Council 334: 185:Years of service 141:James Sexton Simmonds 836:Fire Brigade history 656:www.angliacampus.com 532:Gilbert and Sullivan 375:electrical telegraph 218:Sir Eyre Massey Shaw 1383:Irish police chiefs 1113:London Fire Brigade 940:. 22 September 2015 909:London Fire Journal 842:4 July 2007 at the 805:Greenock Advertiser 789:. 18 February 1861. 551:Lady Colin Campbell 423:Theatre fire safety 309:Belfast Corporation 229:London Fire Brigade 1081:"Fire in Theatres" 861:9 May 2008 at the 610:"Eyre Massey Shaw" 497: 433: 415:He was later made 340: 1203:(Subscription or 911:. 4 December 2008 825:. 21 August 1861. 807:. 22 August 1861. 769:Cork Constitution 662:on 25 April 2006. 639:978-1-78455-541-2 584:(now closed); an 441:Fires in Theatres 402:Highgate Cemetery 337:Highgate Cemetery 282:North Cork Rifles 243:Shaw was born in 227:(now renamed the 214: 213: 206:North Cork Rifles 95:Highgate Cemetery 1415: 1325:Internet Archive 1315: 1313:Biography portal 1310: 1309: 1308: 1292: 1291: 1289: 1287: 1279:English Heritage 1270: 1264: 1263: 1261: 1259: 1245: 1239: 1238: 1236: 1234: 1224: 1215: 1209: 1208: 1200: 1182: 1176: 1175: 1154: 1145: 1144: 1135: 1129: 1128: 1126: 1124: 1105: 1099: 1098: 1091: 1085: 1084: 1076: 1070: 1069: 1062: 1056: 1055: 1048: 1042: 1041: 1033: 1027: 1026: 1018: 1012: 1011: 1003: 997: 996: 988: 982: 981: 974: 968: 967: 959: 950: 949: 947: 945: 930: 921: 920: 918: 916: 901: 895: 894: 892: 890: 876: 865: 852: 846: 833: 827: 826: 815: 809: 808: 797: 791: 790: 779: 773: 772: 761: 755: 754: 743: 737: 736: 724: 711: 710: 699: 688: 687: 679: 664: 663: 658:. Archived from 648: 642: 631: 625: 624: 622: 620: 605: 586:English Heritage 503:Fire in Theatres 177: 175: 174: 166: 74: 61: 52: 50: 35: 25:Eyre Massey Shaw 21: 20: 1423: 1422: 1418: 1417: 1416: 1414: 1413: 1412: 1338: 1337: 1311: 1306: 1304: 1301: 1296: 1295: 1285: 1283: 1272: 1271: 1267: 1257: 1255: 1247: 1246: 1242: 1232: 1230: 1222: 1216: 1212: 1202: 1184: 1183: 1179: 1172: 1158:Bradley, Ian C. 1155: 1148: 1137: 1136: 1132: 1122: 1120: 1119:on 6 April 2013 1107: 1106: 1102: 1093: 1092: 1088: 1077: 1073: 1064: 1063: 1059: 1050: 1049: 1045: 1034: 1030: 1019: 1015: 1004: 1000: 995:. Stage Beauty. 989: 985: 976: 975: 971: 960: 953: 943: 941: 932: 931: 924: 914: 912: 903: 902: 898: 888: 886: 878: 877: 868: 863:Wayback Machine 853: 849: 844:Wayback Machine 834: 830: 823:Belfast Mercury 817: 816: 812: 799: 798: 794: 787:Belfast Mercury 781: 780: 776: 763: 762: 758: 745: 744: 740: 725: 714: 701: 700: 691: 681: 680: 667: 650: 649: 645: 632: 628: 618: 616: 606: 602: 597: 573:in his honour. 541:first night of 517:Prince of Wales 513: 467: 465:Published works 425: 410: 344:James Braidwood 329: 305: 278: 273: 241: 172: 170: 160:Military career 132:James Braidwood 102:Alma mater 86: 76: 72: 63: 56: 54: 53:17 January 1830 48: 46: 38: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1421: 1411: 1410: 1405: 1400: 1395: 1390: 1385: 1380: 1375: 1370: 1365: 1360: 1355: 1350: 1336: 1335: 1327: 1317: 1316: 1300: 1299:External links 1297: 1294: 1293: 1265: 1240: 1220:"Introduction" 1210: 1177: 1170: 1146: 1130: 1100: 1086: 1071: 1057: 1043: 1038:"Fire Surveys" 1028: 1013: 998: 983: 969: 951: 922: 896: 866: 847: 828: 810: 792: 774: 771:. 14 May 1860. 756: 738: 712: 689: 665: 643: 626: 599: 598: 596: 593: 512: 509: 508: 507: 504: 501: 484: 483: 480: 477: 474: 466: 463: 424: 421: 409: 406: 398:Queen Victoria 328: 327:Move to London 325: 304: 303:Belfast police 301: 277: 274: 272: 269: 255:, and then at 240: 237: 212: 211: 208: 207: 204: 200: 199: 194: 190: 189: 186: 182: 181: 168: 162: 161: 157: 156: 153: 152: 147: 143: 142: 139: 135: 134: 129: 125: 124: 121: 117: 116: 113: 109: 108: 103: 99: 98: 92: 88: 87: 77: 75:(aged 78) 71:25 August 1908 69: 65: 64: 55: 44: 40: 39: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1420: 1409: 1406: 1404: 1401: 1399: 1396: 1394: 1391: 1389: 1386: 1384: 1381: 1379: 1376: 1374: 1371: 1369: 1366: 1364: 1361: 1359: 1356: 1354: 1351: 1349: 1346: 1345: 1343: 1334: 1333: 1330:The Fireboat 1328: 1326: 1322: 1319: 1318: 1314: 1303: 1281: 1280: 1275: 1269: 1254: 1250: 1244: 1228: 1221: 1214: 1206: 1198: 1194: 1190: 1189: 1181: 1173: 1171:9780199392421 1167: 1163: 1159: 1153: 1151: 1142: 1141: 1134: 1118: 1114: 1110: 1104: 1096: 1090: 1082: 1075: 1067: 1061: 1053: 1047: 1039: 1032: 1024: 1017: 1009: 1002: 994: 987: 979: 973: 965: 958: 956: 939: 935: 929: 927: 910: 906: 900: 885: 881: 875: 873: 871: 864: 860: 856: 851: 845: 841: 837: 832: 824: 820: 814: 806: 802: 796: 788: 784: 778: 770: 766: 760: 752: 748: 742: 734: 730: 723: 721: 719: 717: 708: 704: 698: 696: 694: 685: 678: 676: 674: 672: 670: 661: 657: 653: 647: 640: 636: 630: 615: 611: 604: 600: 592: 590: 587: 583: 579: 574: 572: 571: 565: 563: 562:Royal Society 559: 554: 552: 548: 547:Alice Barnett 545:in 1882, and 544: 539: 538: 533: 528: 526: 525:Charing Cross 522: 518: 505: 502: 499: 498: 495: 494: 488: 481: 478: 475: 472: 471: 470: 462: 459: 455: 453: 449: 444: 442: 437: 429: 420: 418: 413: 405: 403: 399: 395: 390: 388: 384: 378: 376: 370: 368: 364: 360: 356: 351: 349: 345: 338: 333: 324: 320: 318: 314: 310: 300: 298: 293: 291: 287: 283: 268: 265: 260: 258: 254: 250: 246: 236: 234: 230: 226: 222: 219: 209: 205: 201: 198: 195: 191: 187: 183: 180: 169: 163: 158: 154: 151: 148: 144: 140: 136: 133: 130: 126: 122: 118: 114: 110: 107: 104: 100: 96: 93: 91:Resting place 89: 84: 80: 70: 66: 59: 45: 41: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1331: 1286:30 September 1284:. 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Index

Colourised photograph of Captain Shaw
Ballymore, County Cork
Folkestone
Kent
Highgate Cemetery
Trinity College, Dublin
James Braidwood
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
British Army
Captain
KCB
Metropolitan Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
Belfast Borough Police
Ballymore
County Cork
Cobh
Trinity College, Dublin
holy orders
North Cork Rifles
militia
King's Royal Rifle Corps
captain
Belfast Corporation
CV
Belfast Borough Police

Highgate Cemetery
James Braidwood
massive fire in Tooley Street

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