A fire brigade was first established in Hendon in 1855. In 1866 it became known as the Hendon Volunteer Fire Brigade with a fire engine kept at St Mary’s Church.
Hendon Urban District Council took over the brigade in 1899. A year later it expanded with substations opening in Burnt Oak, West Hendon and Golders Green.
Crew of Firefighters outside Hendon Fire Station in around 1920
In 1911 Hendon Fire Station was built, and officially opened in 1914. The station was designed by architect Herbert Welch who was responsible for much of the nearby centre of Golders Green. Welch was influenced by the local Urban Council offices, which had an Arts and Crafts style.
As firefighters lived at the fire station, dormitories were included in the design. There was a flat for the Chief Officer on the first floor and flats for married men on the second floor. The ground floor even had a pram store for use by the families of firefighters.
In 1941 the National Fire Service (NFS) was formed to help coordinate the organisation and resources of the country’s fire brigades. Hendon Fire Station became part of London Fire Force Area 35.
The NFS was disbanded in 1948 and Hendon Fire Station became part of the newly formed Middlesex Fire Brigade.
A pump fire engine from Hendon Station in around 1965
In 1965, with the formation of the new Greater London Council, Middlesex Fire Brigade ceased to exist, and Hendon became part of London Fire Brigade.
The building was Grade II listed in April 2002 by Historic England as a building of 'Special architectural interest for its Arts and Crafts styling so skilfully employed by designers of fire stations in this period, and at Hendon with a grandeur brought from the Tudor styling'. This importance is increased by the nearby library and town hall, both Grade II listed, which form an impressive group of early 20th Century civic buildings.
The station in around 2009
Hendon is one of LFBs oldest operating fire stations. It responds to a variety of incidents including fires, flooding and road traffic incidents.
The station houses a pump fire engine and pump ladder fire engine and is crewed by a station officer, a sub officer, a leading firefighter and nine firefighters.