Mike Pinchen

Mike was born in Camberwell, South East London, moving to the Bromley area in the 1960s. During service in the Royal Marines, Mike served around the globe, including the Far East, West Indies, Northern Ireland, and at sea during the so-called Cod War. He then went on to serve some 30 years with the London Fire Brigade; during which time he served at a variety of fire stations, including Lewisham, Paddington, Euston and finally at LFB Headquarters on Albert Embankment. He is a Graduate of the Institute of Fire Engineers (GIFE). Following ‘retirement’ from the LFB, Mike worked in the House of Lords as an Usher in Black Rod’s Department, during which time he was involved in various State pageants and occasions. Mike is a member of several associations including the Royal Marines Association (City of London) and is a Freeman of the City of London.

During the Covid pandemic, Mike took time out to reflect on his past fire brigade service. Having spent time researching and collating the history of Euston fire station, he self-published Euston: The Story of a Fire Station. In the following years it became evident that there were various anomalies that needed to be addressed, and with new and additional information becoming available, he realised that a second edition was needed.