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SALON NO.121: Fighting Fire + Felony on the Thames

Crime and Conflagration in the Capital's Current

7.00pm Thursday 27th March 2025

The Horse Hospital
Colonade
London 
WC1N 1JD

Admission: Tickets £8.50 / £11.00 in advance only HERE

Join us for an evening exploring the services that have kept the Thames  - and the city - safe for centuries.


Long before the creation of the Metropolitan Police, The Thames River Police was established in 1798 to tackle crime on London’s bustling waterways.ROBERT JEFFRIES will explore the origins of this pioneering force, the challenges of policing the river, and the lasting impact of the service on modern policing. 

Drawing from his knowledge as curator of the Thames Police Museum, Robert will bring to life stories of riverine law enforcement, smuggling and crime and tell how the service became the template for organised policing around the world.
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From warehouses packed with flammable goods to fires aboard ships, the River Thames has seen its fair share of infernos, and the river itself has provided an invaluable resource for fighting fire in the city. 


Historian BILLY READING will trace the development of firefighting along the Thames, from early river-based fireboats to the Lambeth River Station service that emerged in the 19th C. Billy’s expertise in industrial and emergency service heritage will illuminate the crucial role of fire fighting teams in safeguarding the city - on water and on land.


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ROBERT JEFFRIES has been the Hon. Curator of the Thames Police Museum at Wapping for the last 27 years. He served as a police constable in the Met Police for a total of 32 years between 1973 and 2005, and for the last 17 years served in the Thames River Police, based at Wapping and Waterloo Pier. 

He continues to run the museum in a voluntary capacity.

BILLY HURLEY READING is an Architectural Historian and author with a specialist focus London’s architectural heritage. He is recognised as the leading expert on Britain’s historic Fire Stations. With twenty years experience in his field, he now works as a Buildings Inspector for Historic England, leading on the Government Historic Estate, particularly the buildings of Whitehall. 

Billy’s forthcoming book on Faith Buildings in the City of London is due out this summer.

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Images courtesy of the Thames Police Museum and London Fire Brigade

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Our home, THE HORSE HOSPITAL, is a unique Grade II listed not for profit, independent arts venue within the only existing unspoilt example of a two-floor, purpose-built stable with public access in London. 

Built in 1797 by James Burton. the shell is constructed with London Stocks whilst the interior features a mock cobbled re-inforced concrete floor and ramps with slats to prevent the horses from slipping. Each floor has 5 cast iron pillars and several original iron tethering rings.