Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 25 March 1932
Denaby School Gutted
Early Morning Outbreak Concealed by Fog
Destroyed Before Discovery
Shock for Rossington Street Residents
Senior Boys’ Department Wiped Out
Three Hundred Boys “Homeless”
The Rossington Street School, Denaby Main, built by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company in 1889 and accommodating 300 senior boys, was completely gutted by fire yesterday morning. The outbreak was discovered just after 7 o’clock, but so quickly did the flames get a hold on the wood-lined interior that the roof was already on the point of collapse when the Conisboro’ Fire Brigade arrived, though they appeared within a few minutes of the sounding of the alarm.
A thick fog is thought to have delayed the discovery of the outbreak, made by a young miner named Wakefield, of Warmsworth Street, on his way to the pit. He at once reported to the caretaker, Mr. W. Smith, who lives in Melton View. Mr. Smith had been in the school two hours before, stoking his heating apparatus, and noticed nothing untoward then. He at once had the alarm bell sounded. Members of the Denaby section of the fire brigade were immediately on the spot, and the engine, with the remainder of the brigade, Captain Clarkson, in charge, arrived
An Element Of Fortune.
The brigade bad no hope of saving the building, and happily the absence of breeze removed the danger of the flames spreading to the houses in Rossington Street, which are separated from the school only by a narrow lane. The outbreak was well in hand within a couple of hours, though little spurts of flame were still shooting from the cares while the firemen were removing slates and other debris from that part of the shell which still stood. The outbreak appeared to have started in the end farthest from that which housed the heating apparatus, and the most likely theory of the cause was that a fuse had blown. The school had both gas and electricity installed, but the gas was turned off at the meter.
“It’s An Ill Wind—:”
The headmaster (Mr. W. Watson) knew nothing of the outbreak till his arrival at the usual hour for commencing school. The street was thronged with excited boys, and when he went out to announce to them that the occurrence meant a holiday they greeted the news with a cheer! The building comprise six classrooms and the usual staff-rooms and offices, the whole built on a long rectangular plan, with T-shaped cross sections at either end. The total accommodation was 335 places, and there were 300 boys on the registers. The junior and girls’ departments are housed in the main building opposite the well-known Large Hall.
How completely the fire got a hold of the eliding may be judged from the amount of the “salvage.” Of the new outfit of furniture with which the school had recently been supplied, only fourteen desks and 113 chairs were saved. Among the articles of value destroyed were the whole of the school books and registers, and a wireless set, costing £25, which Mr. Watson had recently had installed for the use of the boys. The brigade managed to salvage the remains of a memorial plate to Arthur Thomas, aged 8, a former pupil of the school, who in 1922 lost his life in an attempt to rescue another buy from drowning. This plate, partly melted and broken, but with the main parts of the inscription still legible, was handed over to Mr. Watson by Captain Clarkson, and will he replaced when fresh permanent accommodation is found for the department.
Fire And Fog.
Residents of the houses near the school had no knowledge of the fire till the alarm bell went, and when they turned out they gazed on the astonishing sight of high-leaping flames from practically the whole length of the building. The damage is estimated at about £4,000 and is covered by insurance.
After Easter Plans.
The local Education Officer (Mr. W. H. Jones) and the school managers have already been busy arranging temporary accommodation for the scholars, and it is hoped that they will be able to resume on April 4, when the rest of the schools reopen after the Faster vacation.
By arrangement with the South Yorkshire Coalfields Mission, the Epworth Hall has been engaged as a temporary school.
This school and Morley Place are the oldest in the Denaby and Conisboo’ area, and among the oldest in the division. The burnt-out school was, originally, used as an infants’ school.
Fire-Fighting Needs
Our Denaby correspondent writes:—
The fire points the need for something to be done to give our firemen other assistance on such occasions. Our men worked well, but extra help would no doubt have been welcome. Calls were sent to the Mexboro’ brigade from the British Legion Club and from the colliery offices, but they were unable to attend without the consent of the Urban Council, owing to lack of arrangements between them and the Conisboro’ Council. A similar position arose last year when the “Buckley stables” fire took place, in which a man and several horses perished. Fortunately, no lives were in peril on Wednesday, but no one knows when such an eventuality may arise It is to be hoped that existing difficulties will be removed, and that in future when necessary a call for outside assistance may be responded to.