An Oxfordshire firefighter is appealing for people’s help to record the service’s history.

Station Manager Chris Wilson is embarking on the year-long process of writing and publishing a book on the history of Oxford fire brigades.

He said: “I am interested in history generally but the history of the fire and rescue service is a hobby of mine.

“The fire service has got artefacts which go back to the 1890s and at Rewley Road there is a Victorian fire engine.

“We have also got the original plans for the fire station in George Street (opened in 1896), which are extremely fragile so it will be nice to get them kept for posterity.

“But I am always looking for more photographs and I would love people to send them in.”

The city’s volunteer fire brigade was set up in the 1870s out of a number of different brigades, including the university’s own firefighters who were based out of Trinity College on Broad Street.

There continued to be a number of separate fire brigades such as the Oxford University Press brigade and the Morris Motors fire brigade until the 20th century.

A unified county-wide force was finally created in 1974.

The brigade was then based at Rewley Road.

Mr Wilson is writing the book with the help of firefighter-turned-author John Lowe, who served in the Old Fire Station in George Street.

They will be searching through the archives of the fire service itself as well as those of the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times.

Mr Wilson is based at Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue headquarters in Kidlington and has also written a guide to learning Spanish flamenco.

He will be fitting the writing of his book around his duties as a station manager.

Mr Wilson said: “John and I are friends and I have known him since I started my career. We have always shared an interest in history.

“The project will be a fundraising activity for the Fire Fighter’s Charity which helps injured firefighters and their families.

“Everybody I speak to seems to have a connection with the fire service.

“I hope it will be of local interest.”

The book is due to be published in September 2012.

Anyone who wants to contact Mr Wilson to lend him photos or help with his book can email chris.wilson@oxfordshire. gov.uk or post photos to him at Fire and Rescue Service HQ, Sterling Road, Kidlington, OX5 2DU.