Fire at St. Margarets.

“A barley stack at the heart of St. Margaret’s village became an unexpected beacon as fire broke out, drawing the Parish Fire Brigade into action. Captain Pay’s leadership and the team’s swift response averted what could have escalated into a severe threat to our rural community.”

On Sunday evening soon after 7 o’clock a fire broke out in a barley stack standing in the angle of the junction of the Westcliffe and Martin Mill roads at the entrance to the village. The Parish Fire Brigade under Captain Pay at once turned out and got their hose fixed to a hydrant. There was a very fair pressure of water at the time and the jet was very soon playing on the stack that was blazing. The Brigade had however only two lengths of hose and these were not sufficient to get very close to the stack. Another couple of lengths of hose would be very valuable in event of a serious fire and the Parish Council ought to at once provide them. The water they were able to direct on to the fire however confined it to one stack although there were two others on either side and not very far away a wooden building.

The Dover Fire Brigade were at once telephoned for and Mr. J. B. Madge rode to the East Kent Water CO’s woks at Martin. Directly he arrived there the engineer at once set the pumps at work and the supply, which was beginning to give-out was after this ample for all purposes. The Dover Fire Brigade on receiving the call at once horsed it’s manual with horses supplied by Mr. Baldwin of the Red Cow and Inspector Nash Police Constable’s Figg and Cook with Mr Newman left Queen Street at 8-5 arriving at St. Margarets at 8-35. Water was obtained from a large pond in the farm near by and water was playing on the flames at 8-49 from the Dover engine. The fire was got under at 10 p.m. but the Brigade remained until 11-30 in consequence of the other stacks being in such dangerous proximity. They then left the St. Margarets Brigade in charge arriving home at 12-50. The stack belonged to Mr. James Laslett and was destroyed by fire and water. It was insured in the Phoenix.

The origin is unknown but as it is close to the main road it is very likely that a cast aside match caused the outbreak.

November 1902.