Procession of Firemen, Nelson (c.1902)

Mounted police lead smartly uniformed firefighters past William Widdup's furniture store in Edwardian Nelson.

This street parade gives a strong sense of the hierarchical nature of the early fire service. The style and presentation of the firemen's uniforms vary in each passing carriage; a man in a top hat rides in the final liveried carriage. The previously unknown location has now been identified as Nelson, Lancashire - the partially obscured sign is the storefront of William Widdup, furnisher.

Special thanks to Michael Burdett for astutely working out the location based on evidence in the film.