Bootle Fire Brigade post ww2 was formed in 1948 after The N.F.S ( National Fire Service 1941 to 1947 ) handed back regional fire control to county & county borough fire brigades. Bootle was a very small fire brigade with 1 station covering 5 square miles in area. Situated on the borders of Lancashire & Merseyside the brigade merged into Merseyside Fire Brigade in 1974.
There are 2 different cap badges attributed to Bootle Fire Brigade, a chrome variation & a gilt variation. The chrome variation is the most common but also has 2 noteable variations, the way the centre is set to the star has a normal set centre & a high set centre where the helmet mantle protrudes a lot higher to the near top of the star. Both original variations of Bootle Fire Brigade post ww2 cap badge are harder to obtain owing to the size of the small county borough brigade.
This badge is a chrome example bearing the arms of Bootle with the red enamel scroll. The centre is fixed to the standard fully pressed Home Office star & both cap fixing lugs intact to the rear.