Winslow, like all small towns, was subject to regular fires. This extract from Jackson's Oxford Journal of 7 July 1833 records one:

The London Metropolitan Archive holds the records of both the Sun and Royal Exchange Insurance companies, both of which insured tradesmen in Buckinghamshire and Worcestershire in the 18th century. The policies of the Sun Insurance Co. survive for the period 1710-1863 (Ms 11936-7: 1262 volumes) and those of the Royal Exchange Insurance Co. cover the periods 1753-9 and 1773-1883 (Ms 7252-5: 173 volumes).

Arthur Clear: A Thousand Years of Winslow Life (1888), p.18 on fire engines

By a petition sent to the Sun Fire Office in August, 1781, it would appear that even at that day Winslow possessed a couple of Fire Engines, but these were cumbersome machines with solid wooden wheels, and when required at any distance had to be conveyed to the spot in a wagon, yet they seem to have done some good service in their day. About the year 1800, a new Engine was obtained which continued in use for full seventy years, most of which time, with its fire drags and buckets, it found a safe shelter within the walls of the Parish Church. Of late it would seem to have received rather ignoble treatment, in one of the adjacent villages, but we understand that a quiet nook has been found for it in the Winslow Engine House.

The Sun and Royal Exchange insured domestic commercial and industrial buildings and their contents. The policies were copied into ledgers and include the following information: policy number, name of agent/location of agency; name, status, occupation and address of policy holder; names, occupations and addresses of tenants; location, type, nature of construction and value of property insured; premium; and renewal date.

The policy registers of the Sun and Royal Exchange remain largely unindexed, but there are two periods covered by name and place indexes. There is a card index to personal names in Sun policy registers, 1714-1731 (Ms 17817). It is arranged by county and alphabetically by name of policy holder within each county. It gives the name and occupation of the policy holder or tenant; the location of the property by county, parish or village (and occasionally street or hous). There is a photocopy of the Buckinghamshire entries at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies in Aylesbury. The index to Sun and Royal Exchange policy registers for the period 1775-87 (Ms 24172) has been made available in microfiche form and copies given to most English record offices. There is a copy at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies in Aylesbury. It has name, place and trade indexes. These cover the whole country, but Buckinghamshire towns are necessarily grouped together in the place index.

The Sun and Royal Exchange policies give an unrivalled picture of Buckinghamshire towns in the 18th century. The vast majority of gentry and tradesmen took out fire insurance, particularly following the disastrous fires at Buckingham and Stony Stratford. In the course of his work on Buckinghamshire towns, Julian Hunt has transcribed hundreds of fire insurance policies.

£150
£60
£50
_____
£200

£180
£120
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£300

On the Windmill Alehouse and brewhouse only adjoining in the tenure of Richard Gibbs victualler

(Original too fragile to be served - details from Simmons thesis on mills)

Two cottages only adjoining in Winslow aforesaid thatched in the tenure of Robinson and Windmill

On his now dwelling house and butchers shop adjoining situate at Winslow aforesaid thatched

On her now dwelling house & brewhouse under one roof situate as aforesaid, thatched

Barn and leantoos adjoining and separate

On his house and leantoos adjoining in the tenure of Thomas Ives bellman

House brewhouse and leantoos adjoining called the Swan in the tenure of Thomas Footman victualler

House only adjoining the Swan Alehouse aforesaid in the tenure of William George shopkeeper

House brewhouse and leantoos adjoining separate from the above called the Windmill in the tenure of Thomas Carter victualler

On his household goods in his now dwelling house situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

Two houses only in Cow Street in Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of Charles King  thatched

On his household goods in his now dwelling house only situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

Tenement and barn adjoining in Granborough in the tenure of Widow Sharpe and Gilkes thatched

Joseph Dudley of Winslow mercer

On his moiety of the following buildings in Winslow aforesaid viz:

The dwelling house offices and stables only adjoining of the Bell Inn in the tenure of Richard Shelton  brick and plaister tiled and thatched

House washouse stable adjoining in the tenure of Paul Parkins situate at Shipton in the Parish of Winslow thatched

On his house only in Winslow the Sow and Pigs in the tenure of Richard Ingram victualler brick and tiled

Richard Ingram of Winslow victualler

On his household goods in his now dwelling house only the Sow and Pigs in Winslow aforesaid  brick and tiled

Five houses only adjoining in Great Horn Street in Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of himself John Gent mason brick and tiled

House only separate  brick and tiled  in the tenure of Thomas Goughton labourer

On his buildings only situate at Granborough  thatched in the tenure of Robert Mander and Benjamin Gilkes

On his moiety of the dwelling house offices stables only adjoining of
the Bell Inn at Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of Richard Shelton innholder Brick plaister tiled and thatched

On his house in Granborough called Red Lion in the tenure of Holding victualler  thatched

On his now dwelling house brewhouse stable gatehouse and leantoos adjoining situate as aforesaid

Storehouse and malthouse pigsties' leantoos all adjoining to the above a brick wall between and no communication

On her now dwelling house stable and barns adjoining situate at Winslow aforesaid  brick and tiled

On his house, shop, washhouse and fasting house adjoining situate as aforesaid thatched

On his house and leantoos adjoining in Winslow in the tenure of Thomas Ives  thatched

On his now dwelling house and brewhouse and leantoos adjoining the above  thatched

House brewhouse and leantoos adjoining near in the tenure of Thomas Carter victualler  thatched

On his now dwelling house only  the Rose and Crown situate as aforesaid  brick plaister and tiled

£50

On her house stable and barns adjoining in Winslow in the tenure of Thomas Deverell grocer and tallow chandler brick and tiled

On his house only in Winslow aforesaid the Rose and Crown in the tenure of Thomas Warner victualler  brick plaister and tiled

On his now dwelling house and two tenements adjoining
in the tenure of himself Goodman and others situate as aforesaid brick brick pannelled and tiled

On his now dwelling house and stable adjoining situate as aforesaid  brick and tiled

House only at Granborough in the tenure of Charles Gilkes thatched

John Clarke of Winslow carrier

On his household goods in his now dwelling house situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

On his dwelling house barn and stable adjoining situate as aforesaid brick piaister and tiled

On his household goods in his now dwelling house only in Winslow aforesaid  brick pannelled and tiled

On his now dwelling house and four tenements barn and leantoos all
under one roof situate as aforesaid in the tenure of himself Ives George Griffin and Walker

On his now dwelling house brewhouse storehouse gatehouse and leantoos all adjoining situate as aforesaid

On his household goods in his now dwelling house only situate as aforesaid  brick and tiled

Two tenements adjoining at Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of Charles King  thatched

Household goods in his now dwelling house only situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

On his household goods in his now dwelling house situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

Thomas Bignell of Winslow baker

On his household goods in his now dwelling house situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

John Tookey of Winslow surgeon

On his house and offices adjoining situate at Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of John Clarke  private

On his household goods in his now dwelling house only situate as aforesaid brick and tiled

On his buildings and goods as particularly expressed on the back of this policy viz;
On his dwelling house, kitchen, brewhouse and offices adjoining, brick tiled and leaded

Three tenements only adjoining in Ship Street in the tenure of Church and others

House and barn only adjoining in the tenure of Henry Cox private. brick and tiled

House gate house woodhouse stable and barns adjoining at Shipen in the tenure of Brandon

House and dairy house only adjoining separate in the tenure of Wilson farmer, brick and tiled

Farmhouse only separate in the tenure of Thomas Ingram farmer, brick and tiled

James Barton of Winslow victualler

On household furniture in his dwelling house brick built and tiled situate near the Market Place in Winslow aforesaid and known by the Kings Head

Utensils and stock at Adstock viz in his two barns stable and offices all adjoining thatched

On his house and two tenements all adjoining situate as
aforesaid in the tenure of himself and James Harnson carpenter and Sarah Southam widow

On his two tenements and offices adjoining situate in Winslow aforesaid in the tenure of Widow French and others