fires in london and the metropolitan fire brigade in 1901

Fires in London and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1901Source: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Vol. 65, No. 1 (Mar., 1902), pp. 148-152Published by: Wiley for the Royal Statistical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2979704 .

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148 Miscellanea. [Mar.

Seconid hIalf- Year. [(00's omitted.]

P;assengers, Merchandise. MIinerals. Livc Stock. Palrcels, aiid Alails.

1901. 1900. 1901. 1900. 1901. 1900. 1901. 1900.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? London and N. Westerni 3,315,4 3,289,4 2,351,0 2,265,9 1,431,6 1,445,3 117,9 5;,c Grefat Western . ............... 2,955,1 2,89O,9 1,438,4 1,400,9 1,460,1 1,391,4 71,2 74,4 lidland ................... 1,934,4 ,882, 2 2,143,6 2,13 7,5 1,599,2 1,57 72,6 42,8 47,3 North Eastern ......... . 7 1,691,7 I,645,4 1,468,6 1,47 I, z 1,447.4 1 , 547,1 49,1 ;3,7 Lancashire & Yorkshire 1,244,7 1,238,4 940,3 915,9 554,8 552,3 20,7 20,7 Great Northern . ,1365............ 1 ,1 ;z,6 904,9 882,6 498,7 486,6 21,2 23,3

Eastern . 1,725,7 1,690,2 821,9 785,4 300,5 291,8 33,8 36,3 London and S. Western 1,632,0 1,636,z 471,0 457,7 216,4 217,1 20,6 21,3

South Eastern and 1,708,5 1,740,8 363,5 3 70,- 7 200,0 184,6 12,1 11,0 Chatliam .........j

London, Brighton, &c.... 1,265,8 1,250,3 234,1 234,7 174,3 i6i,o 5,9 ;,6 Great Central .486,5 471 ,6 528,1 120,0 490,2 492,2 9,5 1 O; , North Staffordsliire 142,4 142,3 133,6 13 1I, 2 147,7 143,9 2,2 2,3 Mfetropolitan .324,0 339;2 39,1 3 7,3 22,2 2-3,3 4 5 North London .160,9 I 64,9 70,9 70,6 27,6 2z6,3 9 9

Total .19,723,6.... 19,723,6 1 9,534,4 11,909,0 i i,68 r,6 8,570,7 8,535,5 408,3 432z,6

+ ?189, | + 27- ,4 + ?C35,2 | ?24,3

V.-Fi-es in London antd the AIetroloitan Fiire Brigade in 1901.

THE following particulars are taken from the Report of the Chief Officer to the Fire Brigade of the London County Counci], in continuation of similar notices for former years. It will be noticed, however, that the form of the matter has been consider- ably changed, and that whilst some particulars formerly embodied in the text of the report have been tabulated, others have been entirely omitted.

"The following table gives the number of fires in 1901, and the average number of fires during the previous ten years.

Niumber of Fires.

Year. Serious. Slighllt. Total.

1891-1900 ....... 167 3,240 3,407

1901 .......... 99 3,585 3,684

"These cases of fire entailed the turning out of brigade men and appliances for work in extinguishing fires, and do not include chimney fires and false alarms.



1902.] F11ires in London and the Fire Brigade. 149

"Aitthorised Str ength of the Brigade. " Staffg

I chief officer. 1 36 men undter inlstriuetionl. I second,, j 17 pilots.

tlhird ,, I5 3 coacmen. 6 superintendents. I engineer and 6 officials engaged 7 district officers. on hydranit work.

73 station ,, I meclhanical engineer. 147 first class firemen. 9 storekeepers and clerks. I 3 3 second ., I working foremiian. 598 third and fourth class firemeni. 34. meclhanics anid labourers.

" Material and Dwties. 65 land fire engine stations, with 7 sliffs.

horses. 174 hanid fire escapes. 4 floating or river stations. ? emergency ladders.

I 7 street and sub-stations, witlhout T3 long fire ladders. horses. 55 ladder vans.

3 hose carts stationed in the street. z trollies for engines. 4 ,, and ladder trucks stationed in 7 lose and coal vans.

the street. 5 ,, ladder vanis. 26 hand fire escapes stationed in the 6 traps for visiting.

street. 4 stores vans. I hose carts, and hand fire escapes Icanlteen van.

stationed in the street. ivaggon for street duties. 1 fire float. 4 bicycles. S steam fire engines on barges. 62 watch boxes.

68 land steam flre engines. a26o lhorses. 17 six-inch manual fire enginies. II5 teleplhonie linies betveen file sta- 4 under six-inch manual fire engines. tionis. 7 hose tenders. 694 fire alarm call points. 8 ,, and ladder trucks. - Itelephone lines to police stations.

104 ,, carts. I29 , public and otlier 404 miles of hose. buildings.

5 steam tugs. 4 bell-ringing fire alarms to public 9 barges. anid other buildings.

"Accidents and Injturies. "The number of accidents to members of the brig,ade recorded

durinig 1901 is 204, i of which, I regret to say, was fatal. "The following are particulars of the accidents iiecessitating

men going on the sick list: Nuniber Nature of Accidents due to Service. of Casei.

Burns and scalds ............ ............... ..... 1 Contusions ................................ 3 1 Incised, lacerated, and punctured wounds 4........ z Injuries to feet and legs ............................... .. 2

back, chest, hips, and ribs ................ I I ihands and arms ................................ 2 n 8

,, lead and face ..................4................. 4 ,, eyes . ..................................... 3

Injuries, internal ................... ................... 6 Partial suffocation ..................................... 3 Sprains and strains ...........................4.......... 4

Total due to service .........1.. l 66 Accidents not due to service ........................ 38

Total ...................4.................. o4



150 Mgi.scellanea. [Mlar.

"There have been d-uring, the year 420 cases of illness (including 36 due to service).

117 officers and men wvere struck off the streng,th of the brigade during the year."

The following particulars are obtained from the tables appended to the report, viz.: fires classified according to occupations, and arranged in the order of frequency of occurrelnce; to which are added, for the purpose of comparison, the correspondinig figures for thle three previous years:-

Number of Fires in

Number. Occupations. 1901. 1900. 1899. 1898.

1 Private houses ................................. t,0oo5 921 1,Q00 896 2 Lodgings . ............................... 718 676 769 780 3 VictuLallers ................................ 7 ' 92 85 70 4 Commons, roads, anid open spaces ........... 70 52 84 58 5 Under repair and building ....................... 53 42 52 44 6 UTnoccupied ....................50.... 43 48 46 7 Offices ................................ 48 31 51 33 8 Tailors, clothiers, alnd outfitters ................ 4 44 34 41 9 Confectioners and pastrycooks ................... 41 33 29 48

10 Boot and shoe makers ............... ............... 40 41 43 33 11 Railways .3 ................................ 39 36 57 33 12 Builders ................................ 38 39 35 51 13 Coffee houses ................................ 36 29 27 30 14 Cabinet makers .......... 35 27 33 32 15 Drapers ................................ 35 23 41 28 16 Bakers .......................... 34 25 28 22 17 Printers and publishers ........................... 33 24 38 45 18 Oil and coloutr men ................................ 32 36 42 61 19 Engineers and machinists ........................... 32 19 27 20 20 Restaurants and refreshment roomis ....... 2 9 39 41 39 21 Greengrocers anld frutiterers ......................2. 9 38 30 36 22 Grocers .................................2 7 38 32 34 23 Chandlers ................. ............2...... 18 28 31 24 Hotels (includingf club-houses) .......2....... 6 27 31 22 25 Furniture makers and dealers ...............2.... 5 25 19 15 26 Tobacconists ................................z 5 12 26 25 2)7 Laundries ....................... 23 28 30 24 28 Butchers .................................2.2 18 26 26 29 Provision dealers ................................. 2 1 29 29 22 30 Stables ........................... ^ 23 24 23 31 Electric lighting works ...............1... . I 9 9 1]0 3 32 Booksellers, binders, and stationers ........... 1 9 10 13 12 33 Waggons on the road ............................... I8 21 24 15 34 Ironmongers ................................. 8 12 7 8 35 Fried fish shops . ............................... 17 23 27 18 36 Beershop keepers ................................ I 7 17 11 9 37 Dairymen ............ .............. ..... i 6 6 18 19 38 Fishmongers ................................ . I5 10 11 12 39 Schools .......... ...................... 15 7 14 13 40 Walking and umbrella stick makers ....... I 2 - 4 41 Watch and clock makers ...............'........... I 4 7 5 42 Clhemists ................................ 14 23 20 18 43 Corn dealers ................................ I4 12 25 13



1902.] Fires in. London. and the Fire -Brigade. 151

Number of Fires in Number. Occupations.

1901. 1900. 1899. 1898.

44 Hairdressers ...................................... .......... 14 11 18 25 45 General dealers ... I4 11 16 17 46 Let out in tenemiients .'.....''.' . 14 8 14 14 47 Cycle makers ......... . . ...... I3 6 9 8 48 Upholsterers ......... . . ....... , 1 3 8 10 8 49 Carriers ........ , iz 18 9 9 50 Coal and coke merchants ......... , 7 15 9 51 Electrical engineers .........,.,., I z 8 9 4 52 China, glass, and earthenware dealers X z 10 9 12 53 Waste paper merchlants ................. ,z 7 7 7 54 Churches and chapels. I I 12 10 15 55 Contractorss o................... ,., .. 10 17 23 21 56 Milliners and dressmakers ..................... IC 12 19 11 57 Leather merelhants .................... ,io 3 6 8 58 Looking glass ancl picture fruaie makers to 4 10 11 59 Newsagents . o 8 11 9 60 Stationers, wholesale .o 2 8 3

3,1 3 8 2,736 3,339 2,908 Remainder . '.. "'''....'"' ..''..'... 46 649 507 677

Total . 3,684 3,385 3,846 3,585

Fires classified uncder the causes to which they have been assigned, and arranged in the order of frequency of occurrence:

Caluses. tNunumber Causes, ~~~~~~~~~of Fires.

1. Unklnown ....... . 1,195

2. Lamps (niot gas) anid lights tlhrown down. 6o 3. Sparks from fires, &c . 275

4. Defective or improperly set flues, hearths, stoves, &c ..A

5. Gas in various ways . 0

6. Candles .03

7. Children playing with fire, matches, &c. 170

8. Hot ashes .102

9. Airing linen ancd dryinog stoves .88 10. Mineral oil stoves, explosioni, upsetting of. 8 11. Overheating of flues, ovens, furnaces, boilers, &e . .79

12. Boiling over, or upsetting of fat, oil, pitch, &c.. 6 13. Gas stoves, overheat, &c., of. 64 14. Foul and blocked flues, &c .43 15. Electric wires, defective electric circuit . ............................... 27...... z7 16. Vapour of spirit in contact with flame .22

17. Burning rubbish .I5 18. Lime slaking . .14 19. Clothes, &c., in contact with fire . . 13



152 Miscellanect. [Mar.

Nunber of Caulses. 'ires-CoItt.

20. Smoking tobacco ............. ..................................... I _

21. Lucifer matches ..................................................9 22. Lighted taper .................................................. 8 23. Friction of machiinery ................... ............................... 7 24. Spirit stoves .................................................. 6 25. Fumigating .................................................. 6 ?6. Boiler, explosion, overheating of .................................. . 6

27. Fireworks, letting off ................................. . 6

Miscellaneous, varying from 3 to I ........................ ,

Total . 3,684

VL.-English Literature if 1901.

THE followino particulars are taken from the Publishers' Circular of the 4th January, 1902, in continuation of a series of similar extracts for previous years:

"The book-s of 1900 showed a fall of nearly 500 in number compared with 1899, and the books of 1901 show a further fall of about a thousand, which number would have been larger but for the great quantity of new fiction issued during the last two months of 1901. In 1900 new novels issued in November and December numbered 313 and 95; in 1901 they numbered 372 and 125 respec- tively. The total number of new novels published in 1900 was 1,563; in 1901 it was I,513, only fifty fewer. Poetry shows a fall of more than a hundred. Of new works on voyages and travels the number is precisely the same as in the previous year, but in reprints there is a fall of forty. In 1900 history and biograpny (including South African events, territories, races, and notabilities) composed one of the few classes which showed an increase; now it shows a decrease of nearly two hundred. An interesting list of books on South Africa and the war issued during 1901 fills nearly two columns in pp. 552 and 553 of the Publishers' Circular for 23rd November last.



fires in london and the metropolitan fire brigade in 1901

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