Summary

Alternative Name(s): Fire Mark, Fire Wall Plaque, Fire Badge

A fire insurance mark issued by the Union fire insurance company. It is not known on which building this particular fire mark was used.

The Union Fire Office was formed in London in 1714 and adopted the logo of four clasped hands. By the 1890s, there was a local office of the Union Assurance Society Limited in Sydney, Australia.

Fire insurance for buildings was first established after the Great Fire of London of 1666. A year later, Nicholas Barbon, who was involved in the rebuilding of London after the devastating fire, started a mutual society which offered building owners fire insurance. Called "The Fire Office" (and later the Phoenix Fire Office), it employed its own firemen to attend to any fires in the insured buildings. At that time, there were also other fire insurance companies formed and each company developed its own unique logo, which was attached to the insured building, providing a reference for firefighters. The logo usually had an image and the insurance policy number stamped beneath. It was attached in a position that was visible from the ground but out of reach of thieves.

Physical Description

Cast lead, "I" shaped plaque with four superimposed clasped hands and inscription.

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