Cambridge Independent Press 19 Feb 1892: Shelford rope factory fire

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT GREAT SHELFORD

WORKPEOPLE THROWN OUT OF EMPLOYMENT

On Friday evening, about eight o’clock, the quiet little village of Great Shelford was thrown into a state of great excitement, which continued to prevail with unabated interest for some five or six hours. About half-past seven a gentleman named Turner, while passing the rope factory belonging to Messrs. W. Gall and Son, noticed that a part of the building was on fire. With all haste he ran to the office, a nice comfortable back erection, standing some yards from the remainder of the premises, and, knocking at the door, informed Mr. W. Gall, who happened to be at work there, of the catastrophe. They then both rushed out, and while Mr. Turner went to the top floor to

GIVE THE ALARM

to some men who were at work there, Mr. Gall, finding that the report was only too true, thought of the best method to prevent the fire spreading more than was absolutely necessary. The factory is situated in a large field adjoining one of the principal roads, and was only built a little under three years ago, when the firm removed their business from Little Shelford. The main portion of the building is two-storeys high, and occupies a position at the end of the field farthest from the road, immediately in front of a large dyke full of water. The materials used in its construction were mostly claybat and brick with a corrugated iron roof, and it was about 130ft. long, 25ft. wide, and a similar height. Running from the corner of this there was a long shed, only built a few months ago, which extended some 900ft. towards the road. Mr Gall first gave an order for a gap to be made between the main part of the premises and the new shed, which, being soon effected, had the result of preserving the latter from the least injury. Meanwhile a number of workmen and others had arrived on the spot, and an attempt was next made to remove some of the raw material, but after a little while the

SMOKE FROM THE BURNING GOODS

became so dense, and, from the nature of the articles on fire, of so peculiarly suffocating a character, that this had to be abandoned before much good had been effected. Had there been a fire engine handy, with such a splendid supply of water close to hand, a great part of the building, most remote from the place of the first outbreak, might most likely have been saved, but as no such assistance could be obtained, there was very little that could be done beside the free use of water to protect the long shed already mentioned. The conflagration was first observed in that part of the factory nearest to the room devoted to carding jute, and in which no work had been done since 5.30. The cause of the fire is at present shrouded in mystery, but as it evidently commenced in that part of the place it is supposed that by some unknown means the jute, which is of course of the most inflammable nature, became ignited, and burning with the utmost rapidity as it would, caught fire to the ceiling and from thence communicated with the apartment above, in which were stored between three and four thousand yards of tarpaulin. Once ablaze, the stuff would burn in a furious fashion, emitting a great heat, and giving rise to much of the unpleasant smoke which so greatly prevented the men from removing the goods. The fire next attacked the roof and completely ruined it, and it is supposed that the

FLOOR THEN FELL

through, partly to the jute room and partly to the store room. In the latter there were some ten or twelve tons of rope, and these were utterly destroyed. From this point it worked its way to the room occupied by the engine used for driving the machinery, and after completing its direful work in this direction, it passed on to the large work room, in which are conducted the operations of sack sewing and cloth making. When the last compartments were reached it was nearly two o’clock, and, after a most brilliant and destructive course of about six hour’s duration, it was practically brought to a termination when there was hardly anything else to burn, by the collapse of the walls. These, falling for the most part inwards, smothered the flames to a great extent, although the premises were still smouldering and occasionally bursting into flames on Saturday afternoon. When daylight arrived, and the hundreds of spectators who had assembled had again dispersed, and when the excitement of the moment was over and the grandeur of the spectacle had been forgotten, the field presented a most mournfully desolate appearance, with but little of the old buildings remaining beside the tall chimney, which had, most peculiarly escaped, and numerous large masses of debris. Although Mr. Gall is insured in the West of England Company, it is feared, we hope without grounds that the amount lost, which is between £2,000 and £3,000, will not be realized, as the stock in hand, as far as can be estimated roughly, was exceptionally large. P.c. Cater, of Great Shelford, was on the spot with praiseworthy promptitude, and was joined later on by Sergeant Quincey, of Cambridge, and P.c. Vialls, of Trumpington.