My thanks to Mr Malc Tovey for responding to my recent item and photograph of the Leicester Fire Brigade.

The picture showed a horse-drawn tender with firemen in brass helmets outside the old Rutland Street Fire Station with a crowd of people watching.

I wondered whether the occasion was a call-out to a real fire or just a practice.

Mr Tovey, who has been researching the history of the Leicester Fire Brigade for the past 35 years, tells me that he thinks it was for a show or ceremonial event.

"The giveaway to me are the brass helmets", he writes. "The Leicester Fire Brigade did not wear brass helmets to fire calls or on drill (unlike London and other fire brigades) – they were only worn for show; that is for ceremonial occasions or, in this case, photo shots.

"In this photo, the appliance nearest to the camera is the No 2 Shand Mason 1890 steamer, with from left to right, Superintendent William Ely, driver/horse-keeper and engineer Fred Law. The second appliance is I believe, the No 1 1898 horse-drawn escape tender.

"The Rutland Street Fire Station was opened in 1892 and cost £14,000. The three central arches would have been the engine house (appliance room) with No 1 and No 2 steamers plus No 1 horse drawn escape tender and six horses.

"Looking at the building from the left where the plank is leaning, is the 70ft (21m) hose tower; next is the superintendent's house. Above the arches is the recreation room and the last section is the call room and office, above which are the engineers quarters and to the rear of the station are six flats to accommodate firemen.

"The photo would have been taken around 1900 and there would have been 30 firemen (16 permanent, the rest auxiliary).

"The Leicester Brigade always wore black leather helmets with brass trimmings and these were, in my opinion, a stronger and more practical helmet.

"For example in a case of falling debris the leather helmet would be more resilient and the brass helmet would damage more easily.

"Another drawback of the brass helmet was that from the early 1900s, when properties were being fitted with electricity, many firemen were being electrocuted and killed due to wires touching the brass helmet."

Mr Tovey also gives some background information on the use of brass helmets:

"They were introduced in 1886 by the London Chief Fire Officer Massey Shaw for one reason only. At large factory and industrial fires, the resident works fire brigade would also turn out to attend the fire, which meant the Chief Officer had difficulties in recognising his own men; so he designed a helmet in brass and all his men were fitted out with this new headgear.

"However, he forgot to patent his new design and the works brigades all liked the look of these shiny new helmets and within months they were also wearing them. Needless to say, this upset the London chief!"