The Five Pound Piano - Firemen at Bethnal Green Fire Station, London Blitz by Enid Dreyfus, writing ink on paper

Enid Dreyfus (née Abrahams - her name at the time of making this work) joined the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in 1939, working as a driver in Hampstead and later Bethnal Green. She sometimes sketched during her shifts. This drawing shows firemen on their break attempting to repair a piano for entertainment.

As an established artist, Dreyfus, who had formerly trained at the Royal Academy Schools, regularly exhibited in London’s galleries and societies. She drew inspiration from her daily routine and colleagues in the AFS and was one of the few women artists whose work was displayed at Firemen Artists’ exhibitions, which became increasingly popular during the early years of the war. Purchased 1993. Copyright: the artist's estate / RAF Museum.