Swinton Works Fire, David Barker and Sons 1933
An almighty blaze was witnessed for countless miles around endangering surrounding homes when a fire broke out at the Joinery Manufacturing Works of David Barker and Sons, Swinton Hall Road on Thursday 16th March shortly before midnight on the eve of St Patrick’s Day 1933.
The main factory of the works, which employed approximately fifty people was reduced to a smoking ruin, several pieces of valuable wood cutting machinery were destroyed. Although the works stood positioned on a detached plot of land the only spaces separating it from rows of terraced houses were a couple of fairly narrow back entries. Only a relentless stream of water from the fire tenders prevented the spread of flames to these homes. The inhabitants had to spend the remainder of the night with friends or stand and watch the inferno. The intensity of the fire lit up the night sky of the entire district. It seemed that the whole of Swinton had left their beds to watch the firemen fight the flames.
The alarm was raised by John Berry, who lived next door to his parents James and Annie Berry who ran a greengrocers shop number 93 Swinton Hall Road on the corner of Pendlebury Road. When passing the works he noticed the blaze which already had a determined grip on the building. He at once telephoned for the fire brigade. Realising several neighbours were in immediate danger the man began to knock on their doors stirring most from their beds. The house closest to the fire was the home of four sisters the Misses Mary, Margaret, Bertha and Edith Salt. The ladies hastily dressed and ran somewhat alarmed into the street. In due course they found shelter in a friend’s house.
On the opposite side of the road stood the weaving sheds of Hope Cotton Mill. Adjacent to the works on Clarendon Road a wooden mission hut stood.
The fire spread rapidly through the main building, in less than half an hour a wall collapsed showing the interior of the premises and a furnace of burning wood. A lean – to wooden shed ignited and fiercely burnt preventing any person passing the scene on Clarendon Road. In the rush to quell the flames a stream of water from a hose of one of the fire tenders drenched a nearby crowd of onlookers. The fire brigade remained at the fire until late the following morning.
The Joinery Manufacturers business of David Barker & Sons stood on Swinton Hall Road at the junction of Clarendon Road, the business established at some point during the housing boom at the latter end of the 19th and early 20th century years.
Several years after the fire the St Johns Ambulance Brigade Divisional Headquarters established themselves in the same location. Barker & Sons relocated to Albert Mill on Chorley Road, Swinton. They were still listed in local business directories and newspaper advertisements the 1960’s.
Today this small plot comprises of bungalows on Swinton Hall Road and a short row of houses at the top of Clarendon Road.
The Mission Hall bordered the business on Clarendon Road later replaced with the Agnes Hopkins Centre.
David Barker was born 1862 in Pendlebury and apprenticed as a Joiner. Adult life continued with a marriage to Hannah Sackfield in 1888. The family home became 34 Wellington Road, Swinton.
David and Hannah had retired to a substantial house, Barfield on Lambton Road, Worsley at the time of the fire, younger family members managed the business. David passed away in 1936 leaving his business and wealth to his two surviving sons Frederick and Walter, one of whom also resided on Lambton Road. David and Hannah are interred together in Swinton Cemetery.
The Misses Salts were four surviving sisters of 13 children born to Thomas and Betty Salt. The family occupied 133 Worsley Road a two up two down terraced house for at least 45 years, neighbouring the Park Inn public house (the pub originally three houses, 135, 137 and 139). The majority of the family worked in a cotton mill, most likely Swinton Mills directly opposite their home. The young ladies alongside mother Betty moved to 56 Swinton Hall Road following the death of Thomas in 1904 (their son took over the tenancy of 133). Edith the only sister not in the service of the cotton industry gained employment with a confectioner from the age of 13. She subsequently opened her own Confectionary and Bakery shop after her father’s death. The ladies later set up home at 40 Clarendon Road after the war maybe once they had reached retirement. Edith finally moved to 83 St Peters Road, she passed away in Salford Royal Hospital in 1967. All four sisters are interred together in Swinton Cemetery.
An almighty blaze was witnessed for countless miles around endangering surrounding homes when a fire broke out at the Joinery Manufacturing Works of David Barker and Sons, Swinton Hall Road on Thursday 16th March shortly before midnight on the eve of St Patrick’s Day 1933.
The main factory of the works, which employed approximately fifty people was reduced to a smoking ruin, several pieces of valuable wood cutting machinery were destroyed. Although the works stood positioned on a detached plot of land the only spaces separating it from rows of terraced houses were a couple of fairly narrow back entries. Only a relentless stream of water from the fire tenders prevented the spread of flames to these homes. The inhabitants had to spend the remainder of the night with friends or stand and watch the inferno. The intensity of the fire lit up the night sky of the entire district. It seemed that the whole of Swinton had left their beds to watch the firemen fight the flames.
The alarm was raised by John Berry, who lived next door to his parents James and Annie Berry who ran a greengrocers shop number 93 Swinton Hall Road on the corner of Pendlebury Road. When passing the works he noticed the blaze which already had a determined grip on the building. He at once telephoned for the fire brigade. Realising several neighbours were in immediate danger the man began to knock on their doors stirring most from their beds. The house closest to the fire was the home of four sisters the Misses Mary, Margaret, Bertha and Edith Salt. The ladies hastily dressed and ran somewhat alarmed into the street. In due course they found shelter in a friend’s house.
On the opposite side of the road stood the weaving sheds of Hope Cotton Mill. Adjacent to the works on Clarendon Road a wooden mission hut stood.
The fire spread rapidly through the main building, in less than half an hour a wall collapsed showing the interior of the premises and a furnace of burning wood. A lean – to wooden shed ignited and fiercely burnt preventing any person passing the scene on Clarendon Road. In the rush to quell the flames a stream of water from a hose of one of the fire tenders drenched a nearby crowd of onlookers. The fire brigade remained at the fire until late the following morning.
The Joinery Manufacturers business of David Barker & Sons stood on Swinton Hall Road at the junction of Clarendon Road, the business established at some point during the housing boom at the latter end of the 19th and early 20th century years.
Several years after the fire the St Johns Ambulance Brigade Divisional Headquarters established themselves in the same location. Barker & Sons relocated to Albert Mill on Chorley Road, Swinton. They were still listed in local business directories and newspaper advertisements the 1960’s.
Today this small plot comprises of bungalows on Swinton Hall Road and a short row of houses at the top of Clarendon Road.
The Mission Hall bordered the business on Clarendon Road later replaced with the Agnes Hopkins Centre.
David Barker was born 1862 in Pendlebury and apprenticed as a Joiner. Adult life continued with a marriage to Hannah Sackfield in 1888. The family home became 34 Wellington Road, Swinton.
David and Hannah had retired to a substantial house, Barfield on Lambton Road, Worsley at the time of the fire, younger family members managed the business. David passed away in 1936 leaving his business and wealth to his two surviving sons Frederick and Walter, one of whom also resided on Lambton Road. David and Hannah are interred together in Swinton Cemetery.
The Misses Salts were four surviving sisters of 13 children born to Thomas and Betty Salt. The family occupied 133 Worsley Road a two up two down terraced house for at least 45 years, neighbouring the Park Inn public house (the pub originally three houses, 135, 137 and 139). The majority of the family worked in a cotton mill, most likely Swinton Mills directly opposite their home. The young ladies alongside mother Betty moved to 56 Swinton Hall Road following the death of Thomas in 1904 (their son took over the tenancy of 133). Edith the only sister not in the service of the cotton industry gained employment with a confectioner from the age of 13. She subsequently opened her own Confectionary and Bakery shop after her father’s death. The ladies later set up home at 40 Clarendon Road after the war maybe once they had reached retirement. Edith finally moved to 83 St Peters Road, she passed away in Salford Royal Hospital in 1967. All four sisters are interred together in Swinton Cemetery.
© Susan Tydd
Please do not reproduce without permission
Please do not reproduce without permission