A fire extinguisher is certainly no luxury as I found out quite recently. During a drive in the country with several prewar cars, the owner of a Citroen Cloverleaf suddenly saw smoke coming from under his bonnet. It appeared to be an oily rag that had caught fire after it got trapped between the exhaust pipe and the engine block. Sorry, no pictures as everybody was too busy trying to extinguish the flames. In the thirties the Highway Code suggested the following: ‘An efficient chemical fire extinguisher is an essential accessory. Light, compact and easily operated, they are procurable from any up-to-date garage for a few shillings. The device used should be of the type recommended for automobiles and charged with a fluid compounded to deal with petrol fires. To be affective the extinguisher must be fitted in such a position that it can be easily reached in the event of a fire, therefore it should not be fixed under the bonnet, near the petrol tank or under the seat. The running board, or near one of the doors are the best locations for it.'

Cigarette Card collection Rutger Booy, with permission of the copyright owner

September 14, 2005