ONE of Blackburn's horse-drawn steam fire engines outside the fire station in Clayton Street 1905.

A small fire brigade was in existence in the town in 1831 and appears to have possessed primitive manual engines for pumping water, according to a news report of some being used to fight at the Parish Church that year.

A manual engine was bought by the recently-formed Corporation in 1856 and kept on the site of the present Town Hall.

The town's force of firefighters was made up of was watermen and journey men employed by the Corporation who were summoned for emergency duties by the ringing of the market house bell.

The Clayton Street fire station was built in 1867 and was used until the present day fire station in Byrom Street opened in December 1921.

In 1867, the town's first steam fire-engine was bought and a volunteer fire brigade was formed.