Some history on Adderley Road at Saltley in Birmingham in the County of Warwickshire
More information on Adderley Road to follow. I probably created the page as I had a link to Adderley Road from another page. When building the site it is easier to place links as they crop up rather than go back later on. I realise this is frustrating if you were specifically looking for information on Adderley Road. There is information on Birmingham dotted around the website - click here for a suitable starting place.
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"Last night, about eleven o'c1ock, a fire broke out on the premises occupied by the Birmingham Small Arms and Metal Company in Adderley
Road. The property formerly belonged to Mr. Abrahams, ammunition manufacturer, but is now used as a branch establishment in connection with the principal firm at Small
Heath. The buildings are very extensive, and when in full work about 700 hands are employed. At the present time, now that trade is so much depressed, only about 250
persons are engaged, and these left work as usual last evening, when everything seemed perfectly safe. The watchman, however, discovered at about eleven that the
sawdust room, a large building in itself, facing Adderley Road, was on fire, and he immediately raised an alarm. The flames were speedily found to be shooting through
the roof, and attracted the attention of Police Constable Garfield, of the D division, who was on duty in the neighbourhood. He repaired to the spot, and messengers were
sent, to Messrs. Brown and Marshall, carriage builders, the Britannia Works, who sent their engine end firemen. With all possible despatch the men got to work, and Police
Constable Garfield commenced playing upon the burning building, being ably seconded in his efforts by Police Constable Phipps, also of the D division, and a number of men.
The two officers worked admirably, and assisted very materially to get the fire under. While engaged in the work the borough fire brigade, under Captain Tozer, arrived
with the steamer and horse-heel. The borough firemen rendered excellent assistance in clearing away the roof, but one of the men, named Alfred Robins, apparently
about 30 years of age, got on the roof, and the burning rafters giving way he was precipitated head first into the room. The fire had by this time had been pretty well
mastered, and the fireman was soon rescued, but in an insensible condition, He had fallen a distance of about 30 feet, and Captain Tozer immediately had him removed to
the General Hospital. The fire was ultimately extinguished, the damage being chiefly confined to the roof, although the whole of the place was virtually saturated with
water which may have caused some injury to the contents of the shop. The building contained a large quantity of sawdust for cleaning cartridges and shoe rivets, and
other things. The adjoining shops were uninjured, although there is little doubt but that, with the strong wind, the fire would have been a very serious one had not
prompt measures been taken to extinguish it. The cause of the fire is unknown at present. A drying stove is situated under the sawdust room, however, and it is considered
probable that this was the means of igniting the place. On enquiry at the General Hospital, we were informed that Robins had fallen on his left side, and had received a
very severe shock. There was a scalp wound, and he was cut about the face. His injuries were deemed so serious as to necessitate his detention in the hospital."
"Fire At The Small Arms Factory"
Birmingham Daily Post : November 12th 1879 Page 9
