History of Fire Brigades in The United Kingdom - Fire Brigades in England and Wales

Fire Brigades in England and Wales

Prior to 1938, there were some 1,600 local fire brigades in operation. The Fire Brigades Act 1938 constituted the councils of all county boroughs and county districts (municipal boroughs, urban and rural districts) as fire authorities. The councils were required to provide the services for their borough or district of such a fire brigade and of such fire engines, appliances and equipment as may be necessary to meet efficiently all normal requirements.

During World War II, on 18 August 1941, the local authority fire brigades in Great Britain were combined into a National Fire Service (NFS). After the war, the government decided to better organise the UK fire service and passed the Fire Services Act 1947.

The 1947 Act transferred fire-fighting functions from the National Fire Service to fire brigades maintained by the councils of counties and county boroughs. The transfer took place in 1948. It also set down what each local authority must do in regard to having a fire brigade. Each local authority was responsible for:

• Providing a fire brigade
• The training of a fire brigade
• The receiving of calls

Each county council and county borough council were required to maintain a brigade, although they were allowed to voluntarily combine with a neighbouring fire authority.

In the 1960s there were several changes to local government and some changes took place within the fire brigades but in the main they remained as created in 1948 until 1974. The Local Government Act 1972 created metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, which were to be fire authorities.

The full list of the brigades formed under the 1947 Fire Services Act is given below along with the 1960s changes and the result of the 1974 Local Authority re-organisation: