This is the 1st pattern post WW2 cap badge for Oldham County Borough Fire Brigade, it displays the Oldham coat of arms with the enamel title scroll of "Oldham Fire Brigade".

Like a few other very small county borough fire brigades, Oldham Fire Brigade, a small 2 station brigade covering just 8 (eight) square miles had 3 separate cap badges worn during this period & all three are considered rare due to the amount of original cap badges available to collectors. In 1950 the brigade had a roll call of 89 officers & men, many original badges are in private collections & these cap badges have been reproduced, in the 1970’s by Ray Bennet & in 1989 London Badge Company issued a badge list of obsolete fire brigade cap badges it was selling, all original badge centres obtained from other manufacturers who had certain stocks left from prior cap badge orders after 1974. Disbanded fire brigade obsolete original centres were mounted to their own pattern home office stars & sold until 1990/91 when stocks ran out. 

Oldham is in the North East part of England, although an independent borough it has always been predominantly part of Lancashire County. It obtained county borough status in 1849 & the previous fire brigade became under police control & became known as Oldham County Borough Police Fire Brigade. The earliest recorded fire brigade in Oldham is 1807 where there was a fire station at Mumps Brook & 6 firemen. This was increased to 10 permanent paid firemen in 1877 & Oldham firefighters have attended calls with neighbouring Manchester City & Lancashire Fire Brigades on many occasions throughout its history, mutually helping each other out. 

Ww2 saw the fire brigades change into government hands & this cap badge is the post war Oldham Fire Brigade 1st pattern coat of arms cap badge. There are variations of the cap badge but this badge is manufactured by The London Badge Company & is one of their 1989 badge list cap badges.