BLAZE
100 YEARS ON ...
A hundred years ago today a great fire tore through Boyes Remnant Warehouse and Queen Street Wesleyan Chapel leaving a scene of devastation and destruction.
The fire, which is still believed to b e the biggest ever to happen in Scarborough, caused around £70,000 of damage, leaving behind little more than charred ruins.
The alarm was raised by a Mr C Daniels, a white smith or tin worker, of Hoxton Road, who worked for Joe Dobson ironmongers.
He said he was opening up the workshop in King Street and heard a loud explosion at three minutes to seven.
Mr Daniels discovered it had come from the Remnant Warehouse and ran along Queen Street and Market Street to see what was happening.
However, due to the amount of glass and debris flying about, he had to turn around and ran to the Police Station to report the fire.
Fire crews attended and as news of the blaze spread, hundreds of people flocked to the scene – including around 200 soldiers stationed in the town who came to offer help.
A extract from the Scarborough Pictorial published on March 3, 1915, read: “A view of the Queen Street Chapel f rom a yard i n Cross Street, situated at the back of the chapel, was instructive and awe-inspiring.
“I t was instruct ive as showing the ravages of fire, and awe inspiri ng in the destruction wrought , for hardly any of the beautiful building was standing, and from the floor lurid flames could be seen.”
The blaze caused around £ 30, 000 of damage to the building and stock at the Remnant Warehouse and £10,000 at the chapel.
The destruction of the buildings on the opposite side of Market Street and Queen Street are believed to have brought the overall bill up to £70,000.
Thankfully both the Remnant Warehouse and chapel were covered by i nsurance and could be rebuilt.
This week, Boyes has unveiled a special window display dedicated to the firefighters who bravely battled the blaze.
Andrew Boyes, speaking on behalf of the store, said: “We felt it was important to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the fire which destroyed our store and Queen Street Methodist Central Hall.
“It was a major event in the town and was comprehensively documented at the time in the local newspaper.
“Much of this information is reproduced in the displays we are putting i n our front windows and we hope the public will be interested to see these details of Scarborough’s big fire.
“We very much appreciate the assistance we have received from the Scarborough News and also from the National Emergency Service Museum in Sheffield which has provided us with some authentic props.”#
The Scarborough News has reproduced part of the Scarborough Pictorial from March 3, 1915. Please turn to page 61.