Serious Fire At Guston.
Guston Court Farm Destroyed Exciting Scenes.
“Guston Court Farm witnessed a grave calamity as a midnight fire ravaged its premises. The loft over the seed room became an inferno, leading to desperate efforts by Messrs. W. and E. Eastes. The community stood witness to one of the most severe farm fires in recent memory.”
December 1900.
Probably the most serious farm fire that has occurred for many years in this neighbourhood broke out at Guston Court Farm in the occupation of Messrs. W. and E. Eastes at midnight on Wednesday. The fire was first discovered in the loft over the seed room by two thrashers who were asleep in the loft.
Mr. Eastes who lives in the farmhouse adjoining was immediately informed and the alarm given to the farm hands and villagers. The point where the fire broke out was on the windward corner of the extensive and modern farm buildings containing in addition to a quantity of valuable machinery some eighty head of horses and cattle and a great deal of harness. A tremendous hurricane was blowing from the west and the flames spread with great rapidity it being perfectly clear from the first that it would be impossible to save the buildings. Every available hand at once set to work headed by Mr. Eastes to rescue the stock and a portable steam engine in the shed adjoining where the fire broke out. This was run out of the way in a style that would have done credit to the Bluejackets handling a field piece.
The terrified stock was got out by the greatest exertion and turned into an adjoining meadow and then a messenger was sent to Dover for help. It was after one o’clock before the alarm reached the Police Station but it was not before long before the fire engine horsed by Mr. Hicks with Inspector Knott and Firemen Scutt, Pierce, Duncan and Newman dashed away to the scene. Coming round the corner by Fort Burgoyne the Dover firemen saw the magnitude of the task they had before them. Away in the distance silhouetted against a blazing red-hot mass, stood Guston Church and fanned by the roaring wind the flames mounted high in the air. Arriving on the scene it was obvious that nothing could be done to save the farm buildings except those on the windward side of the fire that included the farmhouse. There was an excellent supply of water, a large pond being close at hand.
The most pressing danger was to ten stacks which stood right in the way of the flames with a couple of cottages beyond. The pond was right under the blazing farm building and the smoke and flames nearly stifled the firemen who ran their engine in the first instance close to the buildings. The first efforts were to subdue the flames at the corner nearest to the stacks. It was terrible and in the end a vain effort.
The firemen on the roof of the buildings surrounded by blinding smoke and the eddying flames were time after time overcome and had to retire and once Inspector Knott himself almost suffocated just got Firemen Scutt out of a very tight place. The fire engine also got into danger and had to be hauled out of the flames way. The flames in the end won and the nearest stacks caught fire but so effective were the efforts of the firemen that five other stacks of which were within a yard of the blazing ricks were saved as well as the thatched cottages. The wind gradually died away and this of course gave the Dover firemen their chance. Three of the stacks were allowed to burn out but soon after daylight an oat stack that had been partially destroyed was pulled to pieces whilst another one was afterwards dealt with in the same way. The Fire Brigade remained hard at work all yesterday during which the stacks still blazed furiously and in the evening the men who had worked so hard were relieved by another lot of firemen who remained all night. The damage was very great. Some pigsty’s and a shed are all that remain of the farm that was a modern building. It was built about 25 years ago, the old farm being destroyed by fire the building then being situated close to the road.
The walls only are left standing and these are so affected by the heat and water that they will mostly have to be re-built of the interior fittings, nothing remains for the woodwork has been burnt to ashes. There was also a good deal of valuable farm machinery in the various sheds and this has been destroyed. The livestock was all saved mainly owing to Mr. Eastes exertions although unfortunately he sustained a nasty fall and hurt his back rather seriously. The five stacks destroyed by fire comprised two of wheat-two of oats and one of straw. The enormous amount of water pumped on the fire lowered the pond which was of a very large area and very full, about a yard. Messrs. Eastes are insured in the Sun Fire Office but the landlords the Ecclesiastical Commissioners do not insure. The amount of the loss will undoubtedly be very heavy and but for the efforts of the Dover Fire Brigade under Inspector Knott in saving the farm stacks for which they deserve the highest credit the loss would have been much greater. The only life lost was that of an old dog that was burnt to death, but the two thrashers who were asleep in the loft where the fire originated had a very narrow escape. Police Constable Sanders K. C. C. of St. Margarets yesterday evening arrested the two thrashers who were in the loft where the fire originated. They will be charged before the Magistrates this morning.