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Halfords Fire
- Thread starter ColinB
- Start date
J
Jerry
Guest
Well the way it was told to me, it was a fireman who caused the inferno!
I worked at Halfords in the 70s and some of the older workers who had been working there at the time told me that a fire had started somewhere in the building during the night and due to a lack of oxygen had merely smouldered all night.
In the morning someone walking past on his way to work brushed his hand against one of the walls and realised the concrete was hot so he went over to the central fire station across the road and told them
The firemen raced over to the building and finding everything locked up, one of them smashed the glass in the main door with his axe, thus giving the fire the oxygen it needed and the whole place went up in minutes
As a footnote, when Halfords built their new warehouse in Redditch they provided rest rooms all over the warehouse where anybody could go to have a smoke anytime they wanted, the reasoning being that they didn't want to risk another fire with people sneaking behind fixtures for a crafty fag!
I worked at Halfords in the 70s and some of the older workers who had been working there at the time told me that a fire had started somewhere in the building during the night and due to a lack of oxygen had merely smouldered all night.
In the morning someone walking past on his way to work brushed his hand against one of the walls and realised the concrete was hot so he went over to the central fire station across the road and told them
The firemen raced over to the building and finding everything locked up, one of them smashed the glass in the main door with his axe, thus giving the fire the oxygen it needed and the whole place went up in minutes
As a footnote, when Halfords built their new warehouse in Redditch they provided rest rooms all over the warehouse where anybody could go to have a smoke anytime they wanted, the reasoning being that they didn't want to risk another fire with people sneaking behind fixtures for a crafty fag!
HI COLIN ,
       HALFORDS FIRE STARTED IN THE EARLY FIFTIES , AND IT STARTED
      DURING THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY NIGHT,
      AND THE FIRE WAS RAGINGING , ACROSS TO THE FIRE STATION .
      AND TO THE NEW NURSES BLOCK , GOT ABIT SINGED,
     THE NURSES RESIDENTIAL BLOCK WAS THERE NEXT TO THE FIRE
     STATION , AND THEY HAD TO VACATE THE BLOCK
     AND THE FIRE BRIGADE HAD TO FIGHT THE FIRE FROM THERE
      ENGINE,S FROM THE FRONT GATES .
     I THINK IT WAS B,HAM,S FIRST EVER BIG FIRE
     I CANNOT RECALL THE ACTUAL DATE OF THE FIRE
     BUT IF YOU CAN FINE THE EXCACT DATE
     AND GO TO ARCHIVES ,FOR THE SUNDAY MERCURY
     YOU WILL GET THE ACTUAL STORY , AND SOME LARGE PIC,S
     MAY BE POSTIE , OR CROMWELL CAN GET ONE OR HAS GOT ONE ;
      HAVE A NICE DAY , AND SEASONS GREETING TO YOU FOR THE
     FOR THE NEW YEAR   ASTONIAN.;;;;
 ÂÂ
     ÂÂ
       HALFORDS FIRE STARTED IN THE EARLY FIFTIES , AND IT STARTED
      DURING THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY NIGHT,
      AND THE FIRE WAS RAGINGING , ACROSS TO THE FIRE STATION .
      AND TO THE NEW NURSES BLOCK , GOT ABIT SINGED,
     THE NURSES RESIDENTIAL BLOCK WAS THERE NEXT TO THE FIRE
     STATION , AND THEY HAD TO VACATE THE BLOCK
     AND THE FIRE BRIGADE HAD TO FIGHT THE FIRE FROM THERE
      ENGINE,S FROM THE FRONT GATES .
     I THINK IT WAS B,HAM,S FIRST EVER BIG FIRE
     I CANNOT RECALL THE ACTUAL DATE OF THE FIRE
     BUT IF YOU CAN FINE THE EXCACT DATE
     AND GO TO ARCHIVES ,FOR THE SUNDAY MERCURY
     YOU WILL GET THE ACTUAL STORY , AND SOME LARGE PIC,S
     MAY BE POSTIE , OR CROMWELL CAN GET ONE OR HAS GOT ONE ;
      HAVE A NICE DAY , AND SEASONS GREETING TO YOU FOR THE
     FOR THE NEW YEAR   ASTONIAN.;;;;
 ÂÂ
     ÂÂ
O
O.C.
Guest
March 1955
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
Crom, I think that picture was taken a long, long time before the Halford's fire. Probably at the time that they put in those traffic islands in front of the fire station, which was brand new, in about 1933. The pic below (postcard I bought in Woollie's, Lozells road about 1951) shows how it was before the building work started.
The tram in the picture was on either the Witton via Six Way route 3 (closed in October 1939 as a war economy measure) or the Perry Barr route 6, which closed on 31 December 1949 (I was on the last tram). I can't believe they relayed the tracks again between 1933 and 1949.
Peter
The tram in the picture was on either the Witton via Six Way route 3 (closed in October 1939 as a war economy measure) or the Perry Barr route 6, which closed on 31 December 1949 (I was on the last tram). I can't believe they relayed the tracks again between 1933 and 1949.
Peter
O
O.C.
Guest
Peter, Date was from Alton's book Memories of Birmingham quite a few dates wrong
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
That was quick Crom!
Peter
Peter
Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
Just located Alton's book with the disputed picture on page 39. The caption certainly says March 1955, but I'm afraid that was a bit careless when he shows the last tram in 1953 on page 67. His later books are very good, and the reproduction of photos superb.
Peter
Peter
R
Robert Barker
Guest
I worked at Halfords from the early to mid sixties and it was well known that the fire smoulered all night and then became a raging inferno within minutes of the place opening up. Had three happy years there and they were a good company to work for. Robert
Hi, another childhood memory I have is of the fire which gutted the 'Halfords' building in Lancaster Place. I recall it caused great amusement to a lot of people,and I would imagine great embarresment to the Fire Brigade,as it was situated virtually next door to the fire station.This would be,I would think, round about 1956, Mal.
davpen
EX Pat. The Penguin
I remember it as a four and a half year old.......From the upper deck of the bus .
The flames were shooting out of the windows of the building......Mom and Dad were taking me to the dental hospital where i had quite a few "milk" teeth removed...
Both the fire and the horrible anesthetic remain etched in my memory..
The flames were shooting out of the windows of the building......Mom and Dad were taking me to the dental hospital where i had quite a few "milk" teeth removed...
Both the fire and the horrible anesthetic remain etched in my memory..
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Hi davpen
I have two dates for the fire both from different sources. One is 12.03.55 and the other is 13.03.55. It amazes me that how in so short a time a simple thing like the date of an event can become confused.
Here is a photo of the incident taken from the roof of the fire station across the road.
Phil
Photo replaced
I have two dates for the fire both from different sources. One is 12.03.55 and the other is 13.03.55. It amazes me that how in so short a time a simple thing like the date of an event can become confused.
Here is a photo of the incident taken from the roof of the fire station across the road.
Phil
Photo replaced
Last edited by a moderator:
db84124
Brummophile
Phil writes:
"I have two dates for the fire both from different sources. One is 12.03.55 and the other is 13.03.55. It amazes me that how in so short a time a simple thing like the date of an event can become confused."
12th March, 1955 was a Saturday, which fits in perfectly with Astonian’s recollections, although he states in Post #5 that “it started during the early hours of Saturday night”. If it had started late on the Saturday night and, as Jerry tells us in Post #3, “due to a lack of oxygen had merely smoldered all night”, it could have been noticed early on the Sunday morning, that is, 13th March, 1955. This could explain the two dates.
Unfortunately this doesn’t fit in with davpen’s contribution; would the dental hospital extract milk teeth on a Sunday? Certainly it would in an emergency. I have no trouble believing his eyewitness account.
Postie too mentions 12th March which presumably refers to the date on which the fire is believed to have started only to be discovered the following morning.
I wonder if Astonian reflects on his memories, he could remember a football match or having gone to church on that eventful day? David
"I have two dates for the fire both from different sources. One is 12.03.55 and the other is 13.03.55. It amazes me that how in so short a time a simple thing like the date of an event can become confused."
12th March, 1955 was a Saturday, which fits in perfectly with Astonian’s recollections, although he states in Post #5 that “it started during the early hours of Saturday night”. If it had started late on the Saturday night and, as Jerry tells us in Post #3, “due to a lack of oxygen had merely smoldered all night”, it could have been noticed early on the Sunday morning, that is, 13th March, 1955. This could explain the two dates.
Unfortunately this doesn’t fit in with davpen’s contribution; would the dental hospital extract milk teeth on a Sunday? Certainly it would in an emergency. I have no trouble believing his eyewitness account.
Postie too mentions 12th March which presumably refers to the date on which the fire is believed to have started only to be discovered the following morning.
I wonder if Astonian reflects on his memories, he could remember a football match or having gone to church on that eventful day? David
hi dibs and phil
the dates i have given are a corect date which can be checked from the sunday morning
of the mercury in the libary archives for that year on the fith floor,
it was late saturday night early sunday morning it was still rageing and the birmingham mercury got the pics and first on the scene with the news paper news as you may not or remember the birmingham paper came out at twelve to all local news agents shops and the city sellers on stalls was eleven clock on tht night as always with out fail
i went out earlyin the morning to mr greens shop across the lichfield rd which was next to claribells old shara bangs and got the mercury for the old man and it was front page news with pictures of the inferno
showing halfords building and showing you the fire men fighting the fire from there main front gates where
they came out with wide open doors and they also panicked and got the nurses homes damped down as it was getting scorched thats were the nurses quarters was in those days directly oppesite along side the fire staion
and faceng old halfords it was a very old building and rotten wood work in fact it was a tinder box
also we could smell it down the lichfield rd up cromwell terrace it would have been by lunch time it was under control
and also it was a sunday morning; started in the late night of satuday sunday morning hours
my two brothers and myself had to get dressed and get ready and get to dyson hall church for the service
and still sunday evening it was still smouldering me andmy brohers mates and my mate colinwalked up as far as he dairy a no one was allowed to pass until at least monday morning
but if some as the time to check the sunday mercury you will see it front page and i think there was more photographs in the middle pages best wishes astonian ;;
cane out
the dates i have given are a corect date which can be checked from the sunday morning
of the mercury in the libary archives for that year on the fith floor,
it was late saturday night early sunday morning it was still rageing and the birmingham mercury got the pics and first on the scene with the news paper news as you may not or remember the birmingham paper came out at twelve to all local news agents shops and the city sellers on stalls was eleven clock on tht night as always with out fail
i went out earlyin the morning to mr greens shop across the lichfield rd which was next to claribells old shara bangs and got the mercury for the old man and it was front page news with pictures of the inferno
showing halfords building and showing you the fire men fighting the fire from there main front gates where
they came out with wide open doors and they also panicked and got the nurses homes damped down as it was getting scorched thats were the nurses quarters was in those days directly oppesite along side the fire staion
and faceng old halfords it was a very old building and rotten wood work in fact it was a tinder box
also we could smell it down the lichfield rd up cromwell terrace it would have been by lunch time it was under control
and also it was a sunday morning; started in the late night of satuday sunday morning hours
my two brothers and myself had to get dressed and get ready and get to dyson hall church for the service
and still sunday evening it was still smouldering me andmy brohers mates and my mate colinwalked up as far as he dairy a no one was allowed to pass until at least monday morning
but if some as the time to check the sunday mercury you will see it front page and i think there was more photographs in the middle pages best wishes astonian ;;
cane out
sylviasayers
master brummie
I dpn't know the exact date of the fire but I know it was a Saturday morning because my dad and brothers-in-law and party of men from the Clarendon pub were on their way to a football match, which I think was due to be played in London, and the fire had just taken hold as they passed to catch the train.
brenda barr
master brummie
l to remember it as a Saturday morning, as Ron was on his way home for the weekend from the RAF and l remember he said Halfords was burnung when he passed either on the tram or bus.....Brenda
Old Boy
master brummie
Hi All,
I have only just found this thread and can confirm that it was a Saturday morning. I was a P.C. on duty at Aston Police Station. Halfords , being in the city centre, was on A Division and Aston was D Division. At about noon A Division asked D Division for assistance in dealing with the traffic etc. I was sent with a few other officers. I should have gone off duty at 2pm but my relief did not arrive until 2.30pm having walked from Victoria Road, Aston. The police did not charge about in people carriers in those days. Why was I particularly narked? I am a Blues supporter and they were playing Man City at St Andrews that day - kick off 3pm. I had to get back to Aston - book off duty - go home - get changed and get to the match. I saw the last half hour.
Astonian says that the Sunday Mercury carried many photos and the full story. They could not have done that if the fire was Saturday evening as they went to press about Saturday tea time. They were on sale in the City centre at about 11pm.
Astonian also says that it was Birminghams first big fire. Forgetting the blitz I remember that just before the war there was a very big fire at Lawley Street goods yard and that was probably the biggest in my memory.
Old Boy
I have only just found this thread and can confirm that it was a Saturday morning. I was a P.C. on duty at Aston Police Station. Halfords , being in the city centre, was on A Division and Aston was D Division. At about noon A Division asked D Division for assistance in dealing with the traffic etc. I was sent with a few other officers. I should have gone off duty at 2pm but my relief did not arrive until 2.30pm having walked from Victoria Road, Aston. The police did not charge about in people carriers in those days. Why was I particularly narked? I am a Blues supporter and they were playing Man City at St Andrews that day - kick off 3pm. I had to get back to Aston - book off duty - go home - get changed and get to the match. I saw the last half hour.
Astonian says that the Sunday Mercury carried many photos and the full story. They could not have done that if the fire was Saturday evening as they went to press about Saturday tea time. They were on sale in the City centre at about 11pm.
Astonian also says that it was Birminghams first big fire. Forgetting the blitz I remember that just before the war there was a very big fire at Lawley Street goods yard and that was probably the biggest in my memory.
Old Boy
hi old boy
just read your thread if need be be i will come to the birmingham libary myself and go to the archives of the year and get a photo copy of the sunday mercury coverage ; and as i said there story was on the front page the same evening at around the time i said 11pm 12 midnight you could purchase a copy of that paper before they reach news agents ; later on in the morning on [ sunday morning ] and thats where it was ; halfords ; astonian ;;
just read your thread if need be be i will come to the birmingham libary myself and go to the archives of the year and get a photo copy of the sunday mercury coverage ; and as i said there story was on the front page the same evening at around the time i said 11pm 12 midnight you could purchase a copy of that paper before they reach news agents ; later on in the morning on [ sunday morning ] and thats where it was ; halfords ; astonian ;;
Old Boy
master brummie
Hello Astonian,
I do not quite get your point. I agree that the Sunday Mercury carried the full story with photos etc. Bearing in mind that the paper was on the streets at 11pm in the city centre the fire must have been much earlier on the Saturday. The facts are as already stated by several posters that the fire was discovered by a passerby. This was about 10am on the Saturday. It is also true that, when the Fire Brigade broke in, the sudden onrush of oxygen revived the flames with a result similar to an explosion. This is similar to the phenomen in the film 'Back Draft' which some members may remember was about a fire brigade in America.
Look after yourself. There are not a lot of us old ones left.
Old Boy
I do not quite get your point. I agree that the Sunday Mercury carried the full story with photos etc. Bearing in mind that the paper was on the streets at 11pm in the city centre the fire must have been much earlier on the Saturday. The facts are as already stated by several posters that the fire was discovered by a passerby. This was about 10am on the Saturday. It is also true that, when the Fire Brigade broke in, the sudden onrush of oxygen revived the flames with a result similar to an explosion. This is similar to the phenomen in the film 'Back Draft' which some members may remember was about a fire brigade in America.
Look after yourself. There are not a lot of us old ones left.
Old Boy
I am sure it was a Saturday as your next door neighbours daughter was one of the Secretaries of one of the "higher ups" and it was the talk of the wedding, they wanted Pat to cancell her honeymoon but she declined as her husband was on leave from the Navy. I know Pat lost all her belongings that were in her locker including a locket which her Grandma had given her and she had intended to pick it up on the Saturday before she got married as she left it at work by mistake.
Dyan
Dyan
Arkrite
master brummie
My family Lived at Great Barr in the early 50s. As a very young boy I can remember being on a bus to Birmingham with my mother and seeing fire engines rushing out of a fire station and the bus passing very close to what appeared to be a department store well ablaze. I wonder if this was the same fire. I have no one to ask now so its just one of those early memories of which you can never be certain.
Halfords Fire. A 50ft Wheeled Escape was pitched to an upper window and 2 men dressed in Breathing Apparatus connected to a smoke line entered the warehouse to locate the outbreak when a "Flashover " occurred the BA men were lucky to escape with their lives after being assisted from the burning building and down to ground floor and the rest is history
Attachments
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Another big fire just round the from Halfords was Penfolds the burnt out building remained for along time, it may still be a site.
Dave Sperry
New Member
It was definitely a Saturday. I was 7 and I went to Woodcock Street Baths on that Saturday. Usually I would go swimming with a couple of mates but on that day I was on my own. I walked to the bus stop I usually waited at but no 168 (or any bus) came. I just waited and waited and waited and watched the fire. Fortunately, after about 3 hours or more a bus Inspector pulled up and told me that the buses had been re-routed or cancelled.
He drove me all the way to Castle Bromwich - at 7 I didn't realise how good it was of him. I don't know what would have happened had he not stopped. No phones, no way my parents could have got to me, just my bus fare in my pocket and no clue as to how I could get home.
I still went swimming the next week though (in my knitted woollen trunks).
