Biography
Shaw was born in Ballymore, County Cork, Ireland and was educated first at a school in Queenstown and then at Trinity College, Dublin. Shaw considered joining the Church but decided on a career in the Army and gained a commission in the North Cork Rifles, a militia regiment of the British Army (later the 9th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps) from 1854 to 1860, reaching the rank of captain. He resigned from the Army on being appointed Chief Constable of Belfast in charge of both the police and the fire brigade. In 1861, following the death of the then-head, James Braidwood, in the line of duty while fighting a massive fire in Tooley Street, Shaw was engaged as head of the London Fire Engine Establishment. In 1865, Parliament passed the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act, placing responsibility for fire protection in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, to be supervised by the Metropolitan Board of Works. Shaw headed the new brigade.
Shaw was an influential thinker on firefighting, publishing at least one book on the subject. He is noted for his adoption of the famous brass helmets. Among his other accomplishments, Shaw expanded the use of steam fire engines. He introduced the use of telegraph for communication between stations. He greatly expanded the number of fire stations.
Shaw was a well-known socialite (which led to his immortalization in operetta, see below) and a personal friend of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). A firefighting outfit was always kept ready at Charing Cross Fire Station in case the Royal heir chose to firefight.
When the Fire Brigade was taken over by the London County Council in 1889, he disagreed with the administration and resigned in 1891. He was knighted by Queen Victoria on his last day of service. Shaw died at Folkestone on 25 August 1908.
Read more about this topic: Eyre Massey Shaw
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