1890s Blantyre Works Mills
Next, a tale long forgotten, for it happened 154 years ago. Another massive fire at the Blantyre Dye Works, the FOURTH time the huge 6 storey building was completely gutted.
At about eight o’clock on Sunday evening on 6th March 1864, fire was discovered to have again broken out in one of the drying houses of Blantyre Cotton Dyeworks, occupied by Messrs. Henry Monteith & Co.
The flames spread rapidly, and resulted in the complete destruction of a brick building; six storeys in height, with about 12,000 lbs. of cotton yarn, in nearly a finished state, valued at about £2000, besides the value of the building and its fixtures and working implements, which were calculated at a sum of similar amount. Learning their lessons from 3 previous large fires that had gutted this building before, damage done was covered by insurance.
The fire was supposed to have originated by the over-heating of the stoves used for heating the building and drying the yarn. The company’s engine, together with an abundant supply of water, fire-plugs and hose, were soon brought to the building, and the fire was got to in under half an hour. Further damage was prevented from being done to the adjoining buildings thanks to the efforts of the firefighters.
In 1859 the same buildings of these works were destroyed by a fire which originated from a cause similar to that to described. Shortly after the fire became known, Superintendent Dewar and a number of the county police proceeded to the works to lend their aid and assistance in subduing the flames