Fire insurance plaque, High Petergate, York

From the early 1700s.

In the past, fire brigades were privately owned by insurance companies, and they would only put out fires of the houses that they insured. The insurance companies would attach plaques with their companies logo to the walls of customer houses as proof of insurance. This plaque is one of the earliest consisting of the company emblem (Sun Fire insurance company, set up in 1710 and today known as the Royal and Sun Alliance) and the individual policy number.