Coggeshall Fire Brigade 1903
The new crew were recruited by Frederick Baylis, proprieter of the White Hart hotel after earlier efforts to establish a brigade had failed with just one man putting his name down.
The engine was made by Merryweather's of Greenwich and was bought new for Coggeshall by the Essex & Suffolk Fire Office in 1837. This fire insurance company presented it to the parish council in 1903 - an occasion commemorated by an engraved brass plate, which can be seen in the photo.
Captain Frederick Baylis, Harry Saward, the engineer, on the right (he had a cycle shop on East Street) and fireman Harry Joyce, standing (a butcher whose shop was next to the post office).
Much more about this and Coggeshall's fire brigades and Coggeshall's history can be found in;
'Fires, Firemen and Other Mishaps, A Short History of Coggeshall Fire Brigade'
Available for £14.50 at 'Normans' the sweetshop near the town clock or by post here:
https://coghist.photium.com/fires-and-firemen
All profits from the sale of this book will go to The Firefighter's Charity.