A Brief History of Helmets

Helmets have always been an ideal form of protection used across many different industries from war to construction, and most importantly to us, for firefighting. Helmets that were designed for the purposes of firefighting appear to have become a common aspect of uniform from the 1820s. During this time, two distinct approaches took place with helmets, the first being the American style and the second being the European or UK style. The stereotypical firefighter helmet design still mostly found worn although slightly different by New York firefighters comes from a leather-based design credited to New Yorker Henry T. Gratacap.  Gratacap was a luggage maker by trade who was familiar with working with water-resistant sturdy leather for his suitcases and believed this would work well in a firefighting setting also. His design involved the implementation of segmented combs along the surface of the helmet to provide it with durability, along with the classic shape of the helmet that sees an elongated rear brim to protect the neck.

Portrait of Eyre Massey Shaw, the first Chief Officer of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade [Museum of Fire Collection]

Alternatively, in Scotland and Britain, a different style of helmet was favored. Whilst the earliest helmets in the UK were also made from hardened leather, the design for a helmet with a simple single central crest and short front peak was standardised by James Braidwood of the Edinburgh Fire Engine Company in the late 1820s to early 1830s. This particular shape took inspiration from the British Army’s cavalry helmets at the time. By the mid-19th century, metal helmets emerged as a more suitable material option, with brass becoming a particularly favoured choice over leather. This rise in popularity was due to its implementation by Captain Eyre Massey Shaw, the first Chief Officer of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

One of Shaw’s first tasks was to procure a uniform for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. To be able to do this, Shaw travelled across North America and Europe, ultimately settling on and favouring the design of the Sapeurs-Pompiers regiment of the French Army.  This style of helmet with its large top comb was known to be light, sturdy, and unobtrusive, meaning that in the instance of firefighting, it didn’t obstruct a firefighter’s ability to get through tight spaces. Shaw would officially implement his brass helmet for firefighting in 1868, making some slight adjustments that would allow the helmet to be more efficient for this purpose. Along with the top comb featuring the ornate dragon design, one which is believed to have been because of a drawing that Shaw’s daughter produced, the comb also featured ventilation for comfort. Overall, this design would prove to be one that would stand the test of time, remaining in use in the UK for over 60 years.

T. Green & Co. promotional image featuring brass helmets, hoses, boots, ladders and belts c. 1900s [Museum of Fire Collection]

When NSW began to formalise its firefighting efforts under the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1884, the newly formed brigade took inspiration heavily from the UK by essentially adopting the exact same uniform and dress. Whilst this copying of the British was most likely due to the fact that Australia was still a British colony in 1884, it was also helped by the fact that the first Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was William Bear, who worked in the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade along with Eyre Massey Shaw as the Third Officer before being seconded to lead the NSW Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The NSW MFB, however, did have the differentiating feature of having two colours for the helmets, the traditional brass colour and a nickel-plated silver-style helmet. Whilst firefighters received the brass helmets, senior officers of the brigade received the nickel-plated helmets, allowing those of significant rank to stand out on the fire ground. Brass helmets would remain in use in NSW for roughly 80 years, experiencing a change to their front plates when the brigade renamed to the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) in 1910 before finally being phased out from use in 1964. Unfortunately, the wide use of electricity in almost everything that we do meant that brass helmets were no longer the safest option. As a result, 1964 saw the shift to polycarbonate plastic helmets, which were cheaper to produce, required less maintenance and cleaning, and didn’t conduct electricity like the brass helmets. Because the helmets were made from plastic, it meant that helmets could be a variety of colours, whilst before it was restricted to the metallic shades of brass and silver. Over the last 60 years, the colours of helmets and the symbolism on them have changed, but the variation of colours has meant it is a lot easier for firefighters to recognise different leaders on a fire ground, or even different specialists. 

Helmet collection showcasing the original brass helmets, the polycarbonate helmets and the war-era helmets [Museum of Fire Collection]

Due to the many different tasks which firefighters participate in, helmets today are extremely varied and customised. The standard issue helmets that Fire and Rescue NSW use today mirror the ‘jet’ style helmets that became popularised by the French in the 1950s. This style today sees multiple aspects like built-in torches and complete communication systems situated within the helmet, making them tools as much as they are protective equipment. Firefighters, however, don’t just have one standard helmet anymore, and often the case is that they will own many helmets for all their specialties, including urban search and rescue activities and even helmets specifically for aviation pilots.

Hats and Helmet exhibit at the Museum of Fire, 2025

If you would like to see the evolution of helmets for yourself, we have an excellent exhibit that features a range of early brass helmets all the way to the current day modern helmets used by a range of specialists in Fire and Rescue NSW. It is definitely worth a visit to see along with all of our other amazing exhibits.

-Story by Ben Dickson, Curator of the Museum of Fire