An office for issuing policies for insurance against fire; a fire-insurance company.
1684. H. S. (title), An answer to a letter … giving an account of the two insurance-offices. The Fire-Office and Friendly Society.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5488/8. Hand-in-Hand Fire-Office.
1727. Swift, What passed in Lond. All the fire-offices were required to have a particular eye upon the bank of England.
1842. Syd. Smith, Lett., Wks. (1859), II. 324/1. Leave me to escape in the best way I can, as the fire-offices very kindly permit me to do.
1861. Dickens, Gt. Expect., xxxi. With the addition of a large Danish sun or star hanging round his neck by a blue ribbon, that had given him the appearance of being insured in some extraordinary Fire Office.
