By ROBERT MACMAURICE
THE two worst fires in Stanthorpe’s history would have to be the 1914 and 1928 fires, that in so many ways tore the heart out of this town.
1914
At 10.30pm on Sunday night, 28 June 1914 the alarm was raised about a fire in J.J. Clifford’s stationery store. At this time Stanthorpe did not have a fire brigade and it also did not have a reticulated town water supply.
With the alarm sounded, literally hundreds of Stanthorpians rushed to the town centre, many in their pyjamas, to fight the fire. Clifford’s store was across the road and to the left of the current Post Office. Fortunately it was a still night with very little wind. A bucket brigade was quickly formed, but the intensity of the fire rose more so in the flammable wooden buildings.
Those not involved in the bucket brigade rushed into the stores to carry stock and furniture away from harm’s way and a great pile of items was formed across the street.
The fire was strong and it began to spread to neighbouring businesses. The flames got so high that they also threatened buildings across High Street. The flames could be seen from 20 kilometres away. During the course of fighting the fire, buildings were torn down by ropes, hauled by volunteers, in order to stop the spread of the fire. A safe from the bank, containing money and records, weighing 900 kilograms was hauled out onto the street.
Two hours later, nine businesses had been destroyed. These included Mat Day’s Commercial Hotel (on the corner of High Street and Railway Street), McKenzie’s tailoring shop, N. Correy’s refreshment rooms, J.J. Clifford’s stationery store, E.J. Wren’s tobacconist shop and billiard saloon, Savage and Sons, tailor’s shop, Commercial Bank of Sydney, A.G. Wareham’s general store, and J. Cusson’s billiard saloon.
In all, the business district on the eastern side of High Street from Railway to Lock Streets was wiped out. A whole block of shops. All that could be seen the next day was 18 chimneys standing, surrounded by burnt rubbish, where there had been active businesses. For days afterwards High Street was still full of salvaged furniture and produce and destruction.
Cifford’s and Wren’s lost their buildings, furniture and stock. Other businesses fortunately had salvaged stock and furniture through the efforts of Stanthorpe citizens. Mr Wareham began trading again the next day from The Good Templar Hall in Railway Street and Mat Day also recommenced his hotel business in a shop across the road from The Good Templar Hall.
1928
This fire wiped out seven businesses located on the corner of Railway Street and down Maryland Street. This is the site that today is occupied by the Cairnsmoor Building and the Town and Country Hotel.
This fire was noticed at 2.40am on Monday 16 January 1928, by the yardman at Sheehan’s Central Hotel, when he was awakened by the sound of crackling flames and breaking glass.
Yet again there was no fire brigade, or water supply, and so when the alarm was raised, Stanthorpe citizens rushed to the town centre to fight the blaze. The lack of a fire brigade is ironic in some ways, because a public meeting had been held at the School of Arts only months before, and a subscription arrangement had commenced to begin buying equipment. However not all arrangements were in place.
This fire started in Mr J. Cussen’s tobacconist shop in the Allison Building. All of the other businesses destroyed were also in that building except for Sheehan’s Hotel, next door. These businesses also included A.E. Bateman and Co., stock and station agents, P. Conomos Brothers, restaurant, J. F. Cloake, drapers, S.B. Simcock, stationers and saddlers, W. Greenland, motor garage.
Again the fire reached such an intensity that businesses across on the eastern side of Maryland Street, were scorched and windows cracked and bucket brigades had to protect them from the spreading fire as well. Around in Railway Street the postmaster’s residence behind the post office (now a car park) was also threatened. The fire leapt a five-metre wide laneway off Maryland Street, from the Allison Building to burn the hotel. At first the bucket brigade was pouring water from the upper floor of the wooden hotel down the walls to quench the flames, but to no avail.
This fire also took many hours to subdue, in very calm weather conditions, but the disaster was more pronounced, because of a number of other circumstances. In the case of Mr A.E. Bateman, he not only lost his business, but as the secretary for the Stanthorpe Hospital and Stanthorpe Agricultural Society, those records, in his care, were also destroyed. Ironically this was the second occurrence, for Mr Bateman. In a 1917 fire in Stanthorpe, he suffered personal business loss, while he was serving in the military overseas, along with the loss of hospital and Show Society records. This loss of Show Society records subsequently affected the organisation of the Show for 1928.
As well, Mr Simcock’s business had been burnt out in another building a few months ago. Mr Cloake had departed the morning prior to the fire, for a holiday, only to learn of his loss while in Lismore. And Sheehan’s hotel had just been renovated including the installation of a septic toilet system. All were now destroyed.
A further irony is that the causes of these two fires was never established. It was known where each fire started, but that was all. Eventually Stanthorpe did form a fire brigade, and also a reliable water supply was established and the town rebuilt. Perhaps these events emphasise a little of what we take so much for granted these days, and the greater uncertainty of life a century ago.
