November 11, 1879; a fireman injured.--At Grimsell and Sons', Tower
Street, May 5, 1880; over £5,000 damage.--Ward's cabinet manufactory,
Bissell Street, April 11, 1885.

~Firearms.~--See "_Trades_."

~Fire Brigades.~--A volunteer brigade, to help at fires, was organised
here in February 1836, but as the several companies, after introducing
their engines, found it best to pay a regular staff to work them, the
volunteers, for the time, went to the "right about." In 1863 a more
pretentious attempt to constitute a public or volunteer brigade of
firemen, was made, the members assembling for duty on the 21st of
February, the Norwich Union engine house being the headquarters; but the
novelty wore off as the uniforms got shabby, and the work was left to
the old hands, until the Corporation took the matter in hand. A
Volunteer Fire Brigade for Aston was formed at the close of 1878, and
its rules approved by the Local Board on Jan. 7, 1879. They attended and
did good service at the burning of the Reference Library on the
following Saturday. August 23, 1879 the Aston boys, with three and
twenty other brigades from various parts of the country, held a kind of
efficiency competition at the Lower Grounds, and being something new in
it attracted many. The Birmingham brigade were kept at home, possibly on
account of the anniversary of the Digbeth fire. Balsall Heath and
Harborne are also supplied with their own brigades, and an Association
of Midland Brigades has lately been formed which held their first drill
in the Priory, April 28, 1883.

~Fire Engines.~--In 1839 the Birmingham Fire Office had two engines,
very handsome specimens of the article too, being profusely decorated
with wooden battle axes, iron scroll-work, &c. One of these engines was