Adopt an artefact – everyone loves a fire engine!

As we continue looking at our Adopt an Artefact scheme, run by the Friends of Horsham Museum & Art Gallery, we turn our attention to one of the larger items.

In among the dozen artefacts that are available for adopting is an old fire engine – having your name alongside it would be a very different Christmas present!

This horse-drawn manual fire engine cost £225.1s.0d when purchased by 548 subscribers and 60 volunteers of the Horsham Voluntary Fire Brigade in 1863 from Shand and Mason, London.

The company built fire-fighting equipment during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was started in 1760 by Samuel Phillips and later became Hopwood and Tilley. When William Tilley retired his sons-in-law, James Shand and Samuel Mason, took over with the firm renamed Shand and Mason, later Shand Mason & Co.

Twenty men were needed to operate the Horsham engine with two horses kept on standby to pull the engine when required.

A 1977 restoration was carried out by firemen from the Divisional Headquarters of the Sussex Fire Brigade, which was then based in Hurst Road, Horsham.

The money raised from our Adopt an Artefact scheme helps fund important projects at the museum, such as the conservation of our collection and the purchase of important objects.

All the details can be found on our Adopt an Object web page.