Eyre Massey Shaw

Eyre Massey Shaw
Colourised photograph of Captain Shaw
Born	(1830-01-17)17 January 1830 Ballymore, County Cork, Ireland
Died	25 August 1908(1908-08-25) (aged 78) Folkestone, England
Resting place	Highgate Cemetery, London
Alma mater	Trinity College, Dublin
Title	Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade
Term	1861–1891
Predecessor	James Braidwood
Successor	James Sexton Simmonds
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Military career
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1854–1860
Rank	Captain
Unit	North Cork Rifles

Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw KCB (17 January 1828 – 25 August 1908) was the Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (now renamed the London Fire Brigade), and its predecessor, the London Fire Engine Establishment, from 1861 to 1891. He introduced modern firefighting methods to the Brigade, and increased the number of stations.

Shaw was born in Ballymore, County Cork, Ireland and was educated first at a school in Queenstown and then at Trinity College, Dublin. Shaw considered joining the Church but decided on a career in the Army and gained a commission in the North Cork Rifles, a militia regiment of the British Army (later the 9th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps) from 1854 to 1860, reaching the rank of captain. He resigned from the Army on being appointed Chief Constable of Belfast in charge of both the police and the fire brigade. In 1861, following the death of the then-head, James Braidwood, in the line of duty while fighting a massive fire in Tooley Street, Shaw was engaged as head of the London Fire Engine Establishment. In 1865, Parliament passed the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act, placing responsibility for fire protection in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, to be supervised by the Metropolitan Board of Works. Shaw headed the new brigade.

Shaw was an influential thinker on firefighting, publishing at least one book on the subject. He is noted for his adoption of the famous brass helmets. Among his other accomplishments, Shaw expanded the use of steam fire engines. He introduced the use of telegraph for communication between stations. He greatly expanded the number of fire stations.

Shaw was a well-known socialite (which led to his immortalisation in operetta, see below) and a personal friend of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). A firefighting outfit was always kept ready at Charing Cross Fire Station in case the Royal heir chose to firefight.