Protecting the Business

This booklet traces the history of fire protection in the John Dickinson paper mills, starting from the introduction of mobile water pumps operated and moved by hand, and the development of larger pumps that were horse-drawn but still hand-operated.

The big advance was the introduction of steam pumps, providing far greater power. Initially these were still horse-drawn. Then in the early 1900s self-propelled vehicles were introduced, with petrol or diesel engines operating the pump and also providing the motive power. These were the precursors of today’s fire engines.

The Apsley Paper Trail at Frogmore Paper Mill has a fine collection of fire fighting vehicles and equipment, and an associated historical archive covering all aspects of the paper-making industry.