Maidenhead Heritage Centre adds 'revolutionary' 18th century fire pump to its collection

Maidenhead Heritage Centre has added a ‘revolutionary’ 18th century fire pump to its collection to spark the interest of history enthusiasts.

Donated to Bray Parish in 1737 and still owned by the Parish council, it is believed to be the oldest wheeled vehicle in the Royal Borough.

It is also thought to be one of just six similar pieces remaining in the country.

On October 12, with the Mayor, Cllr Neil Knowles in attendance, the pump’s unveiling marked the realisation of a long-held ambition to bring it to Maidenhead.

Maidenhead Heritage Centre trustee, Richard Poad, said: “When we acquired the heritage centre building, we made the doors wide enough and tall enough to get the Bray fire pump through.

“Even then we had the ambition to display it. Now that ambition has been fulfilled.”

Prior to the Maidenhead move, it had been in storage at Reading Museum and ended up in a barn following a move to another museum in the Cotswolds.

Richard added: “it’s a great antiquity and we’re really pleased to give it a permanent home.

“It was a piece of revolutionary technology which was really quite impressive for the time.”

The fire pump, invented by Richard Newsham, changed firefighting practices being the first of its kind to provide firefighters with a continuous jet of water, at a rate of 170 gallons per minute.

Fires would have previously been tackled using a manual pump or even ‘by a chain of men with buckets,’ said Richard.

The Newsham pump proved so successful, models were exported to America where it was used to help extinguish fires in New York.

In the 18th Century it would have cost around £70, nearly £13,000 in today’s money, however to the heritage centre its value was priceless.

Richard said: “That’s what it would have cost all to make all those years ago but as a historical item it’s impossible to put a value on. Its hugely important to us.”

The new exhibit now sits alongside a display which includes a Roman Skeleton from Bray and a GW motorcar built on the Cordwallis Estate, which according to Richard, still works despite being over 100 years old.

Richard said: “There’s three really eye stopping things in the gallery now. Although the pump is quite large, so it fills up quite a lot of space and it's getting quite cramped.

"At the unveiling, everyone was very enthusiastic about it but I think they also appreciated the heritage centre’s need for more floor space has just become more urgent.”