Fire Engines Photos

Not very obvious what they are, but what is obvious is that this brigade had no shortage of manpower! The London Fire Brigade yearbook for 1913 shows that the LCC brigade at that time had only four or five on a pump or a ladder van with an escape ladder, so East Ham manned these units at a much higher level. In those days, full time firemen were really full time, living at or next to the fire station, with only a few four hour periods a week when they were free from the duty to respond to alarms. In 1913 the council discussed the revolutionary idea of giving members one day off a week - but this was rejected on grounds of cost!

Added by Rob Johnson on 22 March 2024.

A great photo and one I'd not seen before. Both machines are CommerCars fitted out as fire engines by Simonis of Walthamstow. The earlier vehicle is the Essex registered machine which was issued with the mark F 8908 in 1914. The other machine carries an East Ham registration mark which would have been issued when the town became a County Borough and began issuing their own registrations (commencing with 'HM') on 1st April 1915.

Added by John Meakins on 22 March 2024.

see Simonis badge here - confirms NE London location of their Pretoria works



Added by Petros on 23 March 2024.

Simonis is an extinct fire appliance manufacturer, which built fire pumps and wheeled escape ladders as well as complete pumps, pump escapes and ladder carriers in the early 20th century. I have tried to research this firm, but have come up with nothing very much so far. I have come across photos of a self propelled steam pumper and a battery electric fire tender in Nuremberg Germany from the very early 1900s, which are described as being Simonis, but this seems rather unlikely. Do we know of any sources which might give us an insight in to the firm’s history?

Ed: I too have been looking. The Commercial Motor archive has some information
https://archive.commercialmotor.com/
They operated out of the Pretoria works, Walthamstow NE London but are also linked to Willesden in NW London. References seem to end in the late 1920s. they clearly did export machines. Graces Guide the standard online source in UK for company histories has very little. They also seem to have made breathing apparatus for mines rescue work, and provided the bodywork of first aid ambulances. Olyslager auto library's (1972) "Fire fighting vehicles 1840-1950" shows them supplying Commer Cars bodywork to Army Service Core in WW1. (photo 21).

I searched British digital newspapers and the last reference to Henry himself is addressing a conference in 1931. There is one reference in 1933 to their ladders in Commercial Motor, and that seems to be it.


Added by Rob Johnson on 23 March 2024.

Petros: Thanks! The firm seems to have sunk into the sands of time, which is a pity because they sound quite interesting.

Ed: after a bit more research the founder was born in Germany in 1878 and died in London 1934. That might explain the German orders, and why the firm did nothing after the mid 30s. His brother Otto a welder was also in the business but he seems to be living in a care home by 1939.

Added by Rob Johnson on 24 March 2024.

Interesting! In the early 1900s German fire brigades were experimenting with all sorts of new ideas for self propelled fire trucks. These included steam, gasoline and petrol electric hybrids with steam pumps. In addition to these, battery electric propulsion was used for many chemical engines and a variety of other bodies including hose tenders, ground ladder carriers, trailer ladder tractors, crew transporters and turntable ladders. According to the photos I found, a Simonis company was very much in the thick of it all!

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 March 2024.

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