Our Story
The Museum of Fire Edinburgh opened it's doors for the first time to the public at Mcdonald Road Fire Station located in Leith. It remained there for 25 years under honorary curator, and Assistant Fire Master, Ian McMurtrie MBE. Mr McMurtrie told the story of the evolution of firefighting through the telling's of James Braidwood, a Fire Master aged 24 years old, who was placed in charge of one of the worlds first municipal fire service. The Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment formed 1824. Braidwood put in place some of the most effective methods of firefighting, of which some are still in use today all across the world. Braidwood eventually had his services sought after by London as he was given the reins to lead their newly formed service under the rank, Superintendent. Braidwood lost his life fighting a fire on Tooley Street, London, when a wall collapsed on him near London Bridge 3 hours after the fire began in 1861 on the 22nd June aged 61.
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The Museum of Fire then moved to Lauriston Fire Station in 1988, HQ to the then Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade. The station opened in 1900 costing £43,000, housing 30 firefighters and Fire Master working and living 7 days a week. This building also housed the Firefighters families. Manning the stables and keeping the horses groomed were imperative to be ready to respond to a fire. The building saw some revolutionary changes in firefighting and machinery/equipment over its years as working fire station. However, with change also came the growth and as Fire Appliances got larger they out grew the engine room's iconic doors when leaving the fire station, which in turn saw Tollcross Fire Station built 0.3 miles from Lauriston in 1986. Lauriston is still standing and the iconic engine room doors can still be seen from the main street today. Lauriston was an important part of the museum and was one of the last Victorian Fire stations in the UK still under Fire Service Ownership up until it's last day as a Museum in November 2016 when the building was sold to the University of Edinburgh.
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Our Collection is now in storage and currently undergoing restoration while we wait to be re-homed back at a newly refurbished Mcdonald Road Fire Station, where the museum began. No date has been confirmed however anticipated for 2018.
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