NOTES ON FIRE INSURANCE MARKS 
* 
By C. K. Hitchcock, M.D., M.A. 
T HE collection and preservation of these Marks, at one time a 
definite and inseparable part of a Fire Insurance Policy, 
has of late become of increasing interest to all who desire to hand 
down to future generations uses and customs which have at one 
time formed an important part of our social life. 
The destruction of old buildings to which these plates were 
affixed has led in times past to the loss of some that a collector 
now would “give his eyes for,” as the saying is. 
An article in the Daily Graphic of 19th February, 1907, describ¬ 
ing the collection of fire marks recently acquired for the Guildhall 
Museum, London, first attracted general attention to this branch 
of archaeological study ; and later the London County Council and 
the London Salvage Corps passed solemn resolutions that fire 
marks on any buildings to be pulled down within their authority 
should be preserved. These happenings stirred the interest of 
collectors throughout the country, and now, except for those who 
were early in the field, the risen market value of these has made 
the acquiring of a representative collection a difficult and expen¬ 
sive matter. 
The writer of this paper has been among the fortunate early 
birds, and by limiting his collection to the marks issued by English 
offices has been able to get together a fairly representative collec¬ 
tion, some of the more interesting of which are illustrated, herewith. 
A paper was read on this subject at a monthly meeting of this 
Society in 1908, and it is thought that a further communication 
will add to the interest in a collection which is now being formed 
in our Museum. 
There appear to have been no organised Companies for the 
protection of houses from destruction by fire in this country until 
after the Great Fire of London in 1666. After this fire, which 
burned for four days, and in which property valued at Ten Millions 
sterling was destroyed, it is not surprising that considerable atten¬ 
tion was given to the subject of Insurance, and between 1667 and 
1721 no fewer than twenty schemes were inaugurated to transact 
Fire business. 
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