Some history on Newhall Street in Birmingham in the County of Warwickshire
More information on Newhall Street to follow. I probably created the page as I had a link to Newhall Street 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 Newhall Street. There is information on Birmingham dotted around the website - click here for a suitable starting place.
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"On Thursday morning an extensive and destructive fire broke out on the premises of Mr. George Shelton, timber merchant, close to the
Irvingite Chapel, in Newhall Street. The portion of the premises fronting to the street, consisted of a range of one storey shopping, let out to several persons renting mill-power
from Mr. Shelton; a building behind, and abutting on the front premises, was fitted as a saw-mill, and in the rear of this was the large timber yard, extending to
the canal in Water Street. About half-past four o'clock in the morning the policeman on the beat observed flames ascending from the buildings, and at once gave an
alarm. An engine each from the Birmingham, Norwich, and District Fire Offices was on the spot in a few minutes afterwards, but so great a head had the fire attained, that
three other engines were sent for and speedily arrived. Two of the engines were stationed at the rear of the premises; the others played on the front. By this time the
buildings were nearly gutted, and the flames spread into the timber yard for a considerable distance. At six o'clock the rear wall fell, burying in its ruins a large
mass of burning timber in the saw-mill, and the firemen then directed their efforts to prevent the conflagration from extending to the remaining portion of the yard.
At eight o'clock this object was effected, but throughout the morning three engines continued to play upon the still smoking ruins, and the smouldering fire was not
finally extinguished until late in the afternoon. The only portions of the building and its contents remaining are the skeletons of two powerful steam-engines, the
blackened walls of the shops, and large piles of charred timber. At one period the adjoining premises of Mr. Cornforth were ignited, and the Irvingite Chapel, with the
wood-yard of Mr. Scott, cooper, Mount Street, were in imminent danger; Happily, however, the firemen were enabled to confine the destructive element to its original
seat. It should be mentioned that effective service was rendered from the establishment of Messrs. Elkington and Mason, electroplaters, whose works are immediately opposite.
A continuous stream of water was poured upon the burning mass from hoses connected with the mains in Messrs. Elkington's premises. The origin of the disaster, which is
believed to have arisen in the saw-mill, has not yet been ascertained. The loss sustained by Mr. Shelton amounts to between 4000/. and 5000/.; he is insured
in the Yorkshire Office for 2,750/. The tenants of the shopping have also suffered considerably. They are eleven in number, namely Mr. Cadby, metal polisher; Mr.
Pardoe, grinder; Mr. Jones, metal polisher; Messrs. Whitehouse and Co., polishers and metal spinners; Mr. North, tin burnisher; Mr. Wareing, wood turner;
Mr. Lunn, thimble and pen-holder maker; Mr. Revill, metal spinner; Mr. Weaver, Mr. Rollason, and Messrs. Rea and Webb. Only three of them were insured - Mr.
Cadby, the Yorkshire, for 100/.; Messrs. Whitehouse and Co., in the Norwich, for 100/.; and Mr. Revill, in the Birmingham, for 100/., and in the
Yorkshire for 200/. Mr. Revill's insurances will not cover his loss by 200/. A portion of the stock was removed, but the greater part was destroyed. A report
has been extensively circulated that only one fireman attended each engine. This mis-statement was published in the Times of Friday. There were, in fact, twenty six
firemen present, each Office sending its full complement of men. The mistake probably arose from the circumstance that the major portion of the men were engaged in the
premises, leaving only one or two to direct the working of the engines."
"The Extraordinary Suicide in Great Hampton Row"
Aris's Birmingham Gazette : January 23rd 1864 Page 7
