This light blue building on Charlotte Street adjacent to Smeaton bridge displays a fire insurance plaque (actually a replica as the original one was stolen). Probably the smallest plaque in our records , the plaque is above the door below the central upper window. It is the mark of the Sun Fire Office with the property\u2019s registration number, 10154, at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fire insurance marks were used in the eighteenth and nineteenth century prior to the introduction of municipal\u00a0fire services. They were fixed to the front of insured buildings as a guide to an insurance company\u2019s\u00a0fire brigade. The plaques bore the emblem of the company which insured that particular building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If an insurance company\u2019s Fire Brigade found the plaque of a rival company on a building, they might choose not to put out the fire or else they would extinguish the blaze and charge the insuring company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first company to use the mark was the\u00a0Sun Fire Office<\/a>\u00a0which was established in 1710. Cast metal plaques were made of iron,\u00a0lead, or sometimes brass.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n\n\n\n