FIRES

 

"10 Feb 1762, a fire broke out in Bellman's sugar-house, Little Carter-lane, which was soon reduced to ashes. Two adjacent houses were much damaged. -- The sugar-houses are so harzardous that we are told some of the fire-offices will not insure them. Why then should they be tolerated in the most populous parts of this great city ?"
- (Gentleman's Magazine)

This was the reality of the sugar refining industry ... hot, exhausting and dangerous. Open fires heated the pans and ovens for much of the first 300yrs of the UK industry. The threat of fire was supposedly reduced with the introduction of steam processes early in the 19C, for Phoenix Fire Office charged double premium, and often much more, for the 'old process', but it was far from safe as the number of fires shows.

Below are lists of fires, which will be added to as new evidence is found. Contributions gratefully received.
 

 

"From St Michael's, Crooked Lane, ... [one of] two primitive fire engines, [this one] having an open cistern arrangement into which buckets of water were poured, and then squirted on a fire by a two-handled pump."
(- from "Down Thames Street" by Mark Rogers, 1921)

1670 .. .. .. 97 Redcliff Street, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1672 .. .. .. Juxon & Sheppard, "who had loss by a fierce and terrible fire which broke out in a sugar house in Cole Harbor in the parish of Great Allhallowes", London. (Parish Registers of Bunbury, Cheshire, Sep 1672, and of Uppingham, Rutland, Nov 1672)
1718 Nov 2 .. Sugarhouse in Chiswell St, London. (Original Weekly Journal 8 Nov 1718)
1720 .. .. .. First Lewin's Mead Sugarhouse, Bristol, burnt down. (B+G Arch Soc - Transactions, vol.85)
1721 Nov 12 .. Mr Ashurst, Little Distaff Lane, London - consumed a new built sugarhouse. (Weekly Journal 18 Nov 1721)
1729 May 4 .. Trench, D, Queen St, Cheapside ... burnt down. (Daily Post 5 May 1729)
1734 Jan 24 .. Kidd & Harbin, Thames St / College St, London. "... and burnt the back part of the house, leaving only the front part standing, and many sugar loaves, and sugars in pots and pans that were refining, were burnt; damage is computed at 2000l and was occasioned by a servant leaving a candle too near the sugar syrups."(London Evening Post, same day)
1738 Jul 1 .. Kid & Harbin, near Three Cranes, Thames St, London. "... in four hours burnt and damaged over 20 warehouses and dwelling houses, with Mr Hill's Meeting House." And 2 days later ... "a fire broke out on the sixth floor of the new sugarhouse belonging to the same unfortunate gentlemen, which reduced it to ashes." (Weekly Miscellany 7 Jul 1738)
1745 .. .. .. "A sugarbaker's in Wapping was destroyed by fire with 6 other houses." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1749 .. .. .. Sugarhouse in Angel Alley, Church Lane, Whitechapel. (TH)
1750 .. .. .. Ogden & Co, Liverpool, burnt to the ground. (London Evening Post 15 Nov 1750)
1750 .. .. .. Danvers, Liverpool .. "Last Monday night about 11 o'clock a fire broke out at the Sugar House in Liverpool which burned with such violence that in a short space of time the building was entirely consumed ..." (Weekly Courant, Chester)
1754 May 8 .. Holliday, London .."Yesterday morning between 3 and 4, a fire at the sugar house of Messrs Holliday & Co at Puddle Dock, which burnt a great part of the house and other damages, but by the timely assistance of firemen & engines was prevented from spreading any farther." (London Evening Post)
1754 May 15 .. Barret, London .."The dwelling house and sugar house of Messrs. Barret and Co. sugar bakers, near Paul's wharf, in Thames-Street, were consumed by fire, and several persons, assisting the sufferers, were hurt: the presence of the lord mayor, Sir Robert Ladbroke, the sheriffs, and a guard of a party from the tower, were of great service on this melancholy occasion." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1757 Mar .. .. George Maquay, Dublin .."... was as violent as any thing of the kind that ever was seen. Losses exceed 5000l." (London Evening Post)
1758 Aug 28 .. Edinburgh Sugar House Co, Canongate - fire, damage cost £351.16s.7d. (Weekly Scotsman, May 15, 1926)
1761 Feb 10 .. Cope, London .."Early this morning a fire broke out at Mr Cope's, a sugar-baker in Thames Street opposite College Hill, which consumed the same, Fisherman's Hall, and another house adjoining, all fronting the street, and greatly damaged eight or nine more backwards." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1761 Dec 21 .. Payne, London .. "About midnight, a fire broke out in a sugar-bakehouse belonging to Mr Payne, near Puddle Dock, Black-Fryars, which entirely consumed the whole building, together with his dwelling house, and greatly damaged several others." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1762 Feb 10 .. Bellman, London .. "A fire broke out in Bellman's sugar-house, Little Carter-lane, which was soon reduced to ashes. Two adjacent houses were much damaged. -- The sugar-houses are so harzardous that we are told some of the fire-offices will not insure them. Why then should they be tolerated in the most populous parts of this great city ?" (Gentleman's Magazine)
1762 .. .. .. Duck Lane, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1763 (Jan 1) .. Bristol .. "A terrible fire broke out at a sugar-house in Bristol, by which the whole stock was consumed to the amount of £8000." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1768 .. .. .. Roche & Netterville, Dublin - totally destroyed. (Rambaut, Philip Marland - Huguenot Soc XXV(5), 1993)
1769 (Jul 1) .. Derman, London .. "Mr Derman's sugar-house in Blackfriars, was burnt to the ground." (Gentleman's Magazine)
1771 .. .. .. Old King Street, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1771 Sep .. John Camden, Wapping New Stairs, London. £7500 of lost stock. (Morris & Cozens, p79)
1774 .. .. .. Tucker Street, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1774 .. .. .. Nicholas Darcy, Dublin .. "A fire broke out at the sugar house of Nicholas Darcy in Graig's Lane near Sackville Street which entirely consumed the same and all the goods therein to a considerable amount." (Freeman's Journal - Rambaut)
1775 Nov 1 .. Badger & Co, Princes Sq, London. (Lloyd's Evening Post)
1783 Nov 20 .. King Street Sugarhouse, Glasgow. (Glasgow Mercury)
1791 Dec 13 .. Mr Engell's sugar factory, Wellclose Square. (The Times)
1792 Oct 5 .. Mr Phillips sugar factory, Glasgow. (The Times)
1793 .. .. .. Hunter, Robinson, Wilson, Ritchie, Ramsey, MacCann & Macfie, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1793/4 .. .. .. William Coslett, Church Lane, Whitechapel. (LMA MJ/SPD/00137)
1795 .. .. .. Hunter, Robinson, Wilson, Ritchie, Ramsey, MacCann & Macfie, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1797 .. .. .. Messrs Coope & Co, Osborne Street, Whitechapel. (AGFHS Sugarbakers Guide)
1797 .. .. .. Walton & Detmar, Upper Thames St. (The Times)
1799 .. .. .. Fisher, East Smithfield. (burnt out) (The Times + Oracle and Daily Advertiser)
1799 .. .. .. Worsley & Heinekin, Queen St. (Oracle and Daily Advertiser)
1799 Apr 19 .. Gloucester .. "The great sugarhouse of Clarkes [should read Ercks] & Co in Gloucester, was consumed by fire; the property, of which a considerable part was saved, was insured to the amount of £8000." (The Times Apr 29)
1800 Jan 8 .. Edinburgh Sugar House Co, Canongate. (Weekly Scotsman, May 15, 1926)
1800 Feb 1 .. Messrs Friecke & Endelman's sugar factory, in Thames Street, destroyed. (The Times)
1800 .. .. .. Messrs Lawrence & Walton, Leman St. (The Times)
1800 Oct 2 .. Messrs Atherton, Davis & Toundras sugar factory destroyed, Liverpool. (The Times)
<1801 .. .. .. Grobb, Thames St. (The Times)
1801 Jun 10 .. Warren & Co, Wood St. (Ipswich Journal)
1813 .. .. .. Lewins Mead, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1815 .. .. .. Mr Church, Old Fish St. (Taunton Courier)
1815 .. .. .. Constadt - explosion. (Taunton Courier)
1816 .. .. .. Constadt & Spear, Well St, Wellclose Sq. (AGFHS Sugarbakers Guide)
1817 Jan .. .. Biggs & Savery, Nelson St, Bristol - total ruin. (B+G Arch Soc - Transactions, vol.85)
1819 Jul 29 .. Messrs Craven & Shutte sugar factory of Nelson St, Whitechapel. (TH & The Times)
1819 Nov 10 .. Messrs Seven & King sugar factory in Church Lane, Whitechapel. (The Times)
1820 .. .. .. Severn & King, Mulberry St, Commercial Road. (CUL PX1282)
1820 .. .. .. Ryder & Nasmyth, (Old Gravel Lane?). (Len Metzner Index )
1820 Oct 23 .. At sugarbakers in Old Gravel Lane - great loss of life. (The Times)
1821 Apr 6 .. Messrs Burnell & Gies sugar factory in Church St, Mile End - great destruction of property. (The Times)
1822 Jan 28 .. Messrs Rohde & Co sugar factory in Leman St. (The Times)
1822 Mar 20/21 .. Mr List, Alie St. Total loss. (The Times)
1822 .. .. .. Wm Macfie & Co, Elbe St, Leith. (Hutcheson)
1824 .. .. .. Mr Alderman Lucas of Osborne St, Whitechapel. (TH)
1826 Sep .. .. Mr Lange, New Rd, St Geo East ... fire, total loss, insured with Globe Fire Office. No personal injury. (Examiner 1 Oct 1826)
1826 Dec 27 .. Ledlard's sugar factory in Bristol. (The Times)
1827 Apr 25 .. Soulie, Jones & Co sugar factory in Bordeaux. (The Times)
1829 Jan 12 .. Webbs sugar refinery in Oldhall St, Liverpool. (The Times)
1829 (Jan 22) .. Banks, Old Fish St. (The Times)
1829 Jan 22 .. Guppy's sugar refinery at Bristol. (The Times)
1829 Apr 22 .. Wm Macfie & Co, Elbe St, Leith. (Hutcheson)
1829 May 8 .. Briebach & Co, Charles St, London. Total loss - 10,000l. (Morning Chronicle)
1829 Jun 4 .. Friend & Boden's sugar factory, Charlotte St, Commercial Rd. (The Times)
1829 Sep .. .. Walker, Brick Lane ... loss of £3000. No personal injury. (Examiner, 20 Sep 1829)
1829 .. .. .. Leith Sugar House (Macfie). (Glasgow University Archives)
1830 July 17 .. Mr Naysmith, Old Gravel Lane, premises destroyed, loss £3600. (Friday's Gazette, John Bull)
1830 Dec 14 .. J G Geller, William St, Liverpool " ... in a short time reduced to ashes ... twenty to thirty hogsheads of sugar rescued ... the warehouse itself was a very extensive erection, and the amount of property destroyed must be considerable." (Liverpool Mercury)
1830 .. .. .. Sugarhouse on the corner of Mansell Street, in Goodman's Yard. (AGFHS Sugarbakers Guide)
1830 .. .. .. Carsten Holthouse's sugarhouse, Back Lane, St Geo East. (NRO HOLT 272)
1831 Apr 1 .. Mr Farmer's sugarhouse, Osborne St, Whitechapel. (The Times)
1831 Aug 2 .. Stewart & Snidden, Dock St, London. (Newcastle Courant)
1831 Aug 4 .. Smith's sugarhouse, Dock St, London. (The Times)
1832 May 26 .. George & Harwood's sugar factory, Lower Thames St. (The Times)
1833 Jan 4 .. Bowman's sugarhouse, Gowers Walk, Whitechapel. (The Times)
1833 Feb 16 .. Wilde's sugar factory, High St, St Lukes. (The Times)
1833 Sep 19 .. Davis & Brown, Lower Road, Deptford. (Bell's Life in London & Sporting Chronicle)
1833 Sep 19 .. Dodge & Smith, Lower Road, Deptford. (Morning Chronicle)
1834 .. .. .. Mr Banks of Osborne St, Whitechapel. (TH)
1834 Sep 13 .. Watson's sugarhouse, Ratcliffe Cross. (The Times)
1835 May 14 .. Explosion of boilers at Ring's sugarhouse in Vauxhall Rd - 5 dead. (The Times)
1835 Nov 29 .. Mr Hill, Finny Lane, Atherton St, Liverpool. Little damage but uninsured. (Liverpool Mercury)
1836 .. .. .. Clayton & Thomas sugar refinery, Lower Deptford. (The Times)
1836 Feb 17 .. Large refinery in Fredericks Strasse, Berlin. (Caledonian Mercury)
1836 Mar 30 .. Miller's sugar warehouse, Hackins Way. (The Times)
1836 Jul 4 .. Mr Beriot's sugar works, Lille. (The Times)
1838 Feb 8 .. Messrs Licht & Cos, Pest, Hungary. (The Times)
1838 Aug 11 .. Messrs Petiots, Les Alouettes. (The Times)
1838 Nov 27 .. Mr Zabell, Dunk St / King Edward St, MENT (uninsured). (The Times)
1838 Dec 20 .. Albert & Co, Half Moon Alley, Whitechapel. (The Examiner)
1838 .. .. .. Francis Bowman & Son, Duncan St. (TH)
1840 Dec 28/29 .. Goodhart's sugar factory, Ratcliffe Highway. (The Times)
1841 .. .. .. Spiers & Wrede, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1842 .. .. .. Cope, London. (The Times)
1843 Dec 29 .. Martineau's sugar refinery, Goulston St. (The Times)
1843 Dec 29/30 .. Branker's sugar refinery, Liverpool ... total loss. (The Times / Morning Chronicle / Hampshire Telegraph)
1844 Jun 17 .. Craven & Lucas sugar refinery, Whitechapel. (The Times)
1845 Mar 3 .. George Jager, Blackstock St, Liverpool. Minimal damage - £25. (Liverpool Mercury)
1846 .. .. .. Messrs Grant & Baldwin, 17½ St George's Place, Back Rd, St George's in the East. (Illustrated London News) [see below]
1846 .. .. .. James Fairrie & Co, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1846 Jun 11 .. Finzel's, Counterslip, Bristol. (Bristol Mercury)
1846 Sep 17 .. Macfie & Son, Bachelor St, Liverpool. (Northern Star and National Trades' Journal)
1846 Sep 21 .. Branker's sugar works, Liverpool. (The Times)
1847 .. .. .. Connal & Parker, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1847 Aug 26 .. Craven's sugar refinery, Whitechapel. (The Times)
1848 Jul .. .. Matthew Parker, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1848 Oct 30 .. Samuel Wilson & Sons, 71 Alston St, Glasgow .. "... a frightful catastrophe occurred in the city, by the falling of a large sugarhouse, by which 19 or 20 men were suddenly buried in the ruins, 14 of whom appear to have been killed ... all at work early morning as usual ... the building seems to have given way without a moment's intimation, as none within the walls had time to escape ... all 6 or 7 stories collapsed with only the gable ends standing ... by midnight only 6 men recovered alive. (Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser - from Glasgow Courier)
1849 May 6 .. Wainwright & Co, Washington St, Glasgow. Totally destroyed along with neighbouring soap works and church. (Liverpool Mercury) ... in a court off the west side of Washington St. "The flames soon attained such mastery that all hopes of saving the sugar works were deemed futile." A fierce gale was blowing. Mr Gray's foundry, adjoining, was saved, but not Mr Barr's boiler-making works, the Anderston Chapel of Ease in Clyde St, Mr Hutchinson's woodyard and stables where a sow and 12 pigs died, Mr Jarvie's ropeyard, Boyd's soap and candle works, Jamieson's oil works, and the plumbers, painters and paperhangers business of McDonald & Ballardie. Loss in total of about £50,000. (The Scotsman, from Glasgow Herald)
1849 Dec 22 .. Woosley & Co, New York. "... consuming the large refinery ... and other valuable property to the amount of $600,000, of which less than half was insured. Nearly 500 men are thrown out of employment by this disaster." (Glasgow Herald)
1849 (abt) .. James Watson, Alston St, Glasgow. (Hutcheson)
1850 Mar 21 .. Wackerbarth & Collins, East St George's Inn, near the London Docks ... almost completely destroyed. Loss estimated at £15-20,000. (Caledonian Mercury)
1851 .. .. .. Alexander & Thomas Anderson, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1852 .. .. .. Tritner, scum boiler, St Katherine's Dock, London. (The Times)
1852 Sep 10 .. Mr Braden, Denmark St, St Geo East, fire raged for up to 12 hours, loss £20-30,000. (Bell's Life in London & Sporting Chronicle)
1853 May 1 .. James Leitch, Wellington St, Liverpool. (Liverpool Mercury)
1853 Dec 9 .. H M Brown, Back Road, Shadwell. (Daily News)
1854 Jun 6 .. Goodhart's, St George's St, St Geo East. (Daily News)
1854 .. .. .. Old Market, Bristol ... destroyed. (I V Hall 'Old Bristol Fire Offices', 1926)
1855 .. .. .. Hall & Boyd, St George's in the East. Boiler explosion - 6 dead.(The Times)
1857 Mar 8 .. Wm & James Ferguson, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1859 Feb .. .. Duncan's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1859 .. .. .. Fuidge & Fripp, Stone Bridge, Bristol .. "Fire destroys sugar refinery leaving 250 men unemployed." ('Brunel 200 time line' online)
1860 Oct 10 .. Goodhart's, Horseferry Rd, Limehouse .. Huge premises, total loss, one man killed. (Morning Chronicle) [see below]
1861 Mar .. .. Crawhall, Shultz & Co, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1861 Jun .. .. Walker's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1861 Aug 30 .. Harrison & Wilson, Upper Dock St, London. Loss - 30,000l. (Daily News)
1863 Jun 3 .. Cowan & Son, Barnes, Surrey, pan explosion, 2 killed. (Bell's Life in London & Sporting Chronicle)
1863 Jun 24 .. Walker's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1864 Mar 22 .. Crawhall, Shultz & Co, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1865 Jan 23 .. Murdoch & Doddrell, Port Dundas, Glasgow. (Hutcheson)
1865 Oct 18 .. Neill, Dempster & Neill, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1866 Dec 17 .. Deer Park Sugar Refinery, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1867 Dec 23 .. Blair, Reid & Steele, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1868 Aug 14 .. Paul, Sword & Co, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1868 Aug 19 .. Orchard's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
?? .. .. .. Martineau's, Christian Street, boasted the tallest chimney stack in London, which was twice burned down in 30 yrs. (AGFHS Sugarbakers Guide)
1872 Jun 18 .. A Anderson & Sons, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1873 .. .. .. P Kuck, Christian St. (The Times)
1873 Feb 25 .. John Walker & Co, Greenock. (Hutcheson) (The Times)
1876 Nov 14 .. Blair, Reid & Steele, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1877 Nov 19 .. Anderson's, Greenock. (Hutcheson) ... Cappielow Sugar Refinery, Greenock, an establishment which dates back to 1833. The damage is set down at about 50,000 l. But this is not the first occasion for the same refinery to suffer by fire. (Robert H James)
1879 Aug 16 .. Martineau's, 6 Christian St, London. Almost total loss. (Illustrated Police News) [see below]
1880 Jan 6 .. MacEachran's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1882 Jan 6 .. MacEachran's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1882 Jan 9 .. Havemeyer & Elder, New York.. (Online)
1889 Sep 7 .. Havemeyer, New York.. (Online)
1894 Oct 30 .. Garston Sugar Refinery, Liverpool - large explosion - 3 lives lost. (Local Press)
1895 Oct 3 .. Glebe's, Greenock. (Hutcheson)
1906 Oct 31 .. Havemeyer, New York.. (Online)

See also the losses, almost all to fire, recorded by the Phoenix Fire Office 1829-46, on the Phoenix page.

[References to 'The Times' have been found in Palmers Index to The Times at Guildhall Library or at The Times on-line site.]

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Glasgow 1725 .....

Special provision was made for the sugarhouse workers in Glasgow regarding their town guard fire duties ...

"The magistrates represented that in pursuance of a former Act, daited the 11th December last, they had mett with the proprietors of the sugar houses and had received in from them some proposals, viz. that upon the toun's exeeming their servants from keeping of the toun guard, in respect their labour and work in the sugar houses nessessarilly requires their working in the night time ass well as throw the day, they in liew theirof agree and condescend that the sugar house boyler of each sugar house shall be ready at all times when fire happens in the city, on their being advertised by drum or bell or first alarm therof to attend the magistrates and give their best help and assistance, the toun providing each suggar house with foir slings and stands and buckits, so that on the first occasiounne of fire, shall come to the place with them filled with water and they will observe the orders and directions of the magistrates and others whom they sall apoynt; which being heard by the Council they agree thereto and remit to the Dean of Guild and Decon Conveinar to provide the said slings, stands and buckits."

Extract from the Minutes of The Burgh of Glasgow, 11th December 1725, via; "Proud Record, The Story of the Glasgow Fire Service." Campbell Steven. 1975: Chapter II - Century of Progress, page 17, paragraph 3. (My thanks to Robert H James.)

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Copenhagen, 22 Jan 1757 .....

"Last week a fire broke out at the House of a Sugar Baker in the City, which burnt with such violence that all the efforts made to stop its progress proved ineffectual, and the whole new building, which was very large, was entirely reduced to ashes."

London Gazette 8 Feb 1757

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Fire at St. George's-in-the-East 1846 .....

"Shortly before three o'clock on Sunday morning, a fire occurred at the extensive sugar-refining house belonging to Messrs. Grant and Baldwin, 17½, St. George's Place, Back Road, St. George's-in-the-East, the whole of which, together with the valuable stock, in all upwards of £20,000, was entirely consumed. A fire taking place in the night time is always sufficiently alarming, but the consternation created in this instance may be readily imagined from the circumstance of a large building, about eighty feet in height, one hundred feet in length, and forty in breadth, being, within an hour after the above time, one mass of flame, towering several feet above the summit, and threatening destruction to St. George's Church, and the surrounding houses. Though the sugar factory is bounded by the Back Road on the north, Cannon Street [Road] on the west, Ratcliff Highway and St. George's Church on the south and east, yet it stood so far isolated from all as to keep them from injury. There was but little wind, and that being south-westerly, the parochial church was preserved.
The engines were promptly on the spot, and there being an abundance of water, immense streams were continually thrown upon the burning pile: but the flames had got too firm a hold; the contents were of too inflammable a nature to admit of the slightest check, and the flames rushed rapidly from the basement, where the fire commenced, to the seven successive storeys, until the whole mass was completely encircled in one sheet of fire; and about half-past four o'clock the roof fell in with an awful crash, partially smothering the fire, but only for a moment, as it again burst forth with redoubled fury. Subsequently a great part of the east front fell, and the south wall, with the lofty chimney, was expected to fall.
The immense stores are still partially standing, and that to the eastward, where the fire is supposed to have commenced, it is expected, contains a portion of the stock unconsumed; it is also anticipated that a portion in the lower floor may yet be recovered. The fire was not entirely subdued till nine o'clock in the morning, but throughout the day the engines were incessantly playing on the smoking ruins. The building is fully insured."

The Illustrated London News. Feb 28 1846, p.148.

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Goodhart's, 10 Oct 1860 .....

"A great fire at the premises of Mr Goodhart in Horseferry Rd, Limehouse. One man, Charles Cooter, killed, leaving wife and family in Germany.
The premises in which the fire commenced were about 400 ft in width, 200 ft deep and about 90 or 100 ft high ... the steam floating engine from Rotherhithe was kept at work for hours, as were seven land engines ... damages will exceed £50,000, the works being nearly the largest in the East End ... about 100 men, principally Germans, will be thrown out of work ... at one time, when the fire was at its highest, the flames could be seen issuing from nearly 200 windows and loop holes, and sparks and burning embers flying over the vessels in the Regent's Canal basin, Bethel Chapel, and Poter's boat building shops, extending as far as Narrow St and Tyers Alley ... the old, new and double houses all burned out, and many thousand tons of raw and refined sugar have been entirely destroyed."

Morning Chronicle 12 Oct 1860.

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Martineau's, 16 August 1879 .....

"On Saturday night, at twenty minutes past eleven o'clock, a fire occurred at the works of Messrs D Martineau & Sons, sugar refiners, 6 Christian St, St George's East. On arrival the firemen found that the flames had obtained a strong hold of the south west corner of the building, near the Blackwall line of railway which runs parallel to the sugar refinery ... fire spread rapidly and it was feared that the whole block of buildings, which cover several acres of land, would be destroyed. By midnight, thirteen steam land engines and six manual engines seemed to have no effect on the flames. The roof of one of the refineries soon after fell through and the flames shot up to a great height, illuminating the whole of the shipping in the London Docks. Soon after one o'clock the upper front walls on Christian St fell outwards and several persons had a narrow escape. The extensive machinery, costing several thousand pounds, fell through into the basement, and it is feared it is all destroyed by the action of the fire. By six o'clock the fear of the fire spreading to [further] adjoining premises was at an end. Damage : A building of seven floors, about 80 ft by 50 ft burnt out and roof off. Another building of seven floors burnt out and roof off. A building of ten floors, about 50 ft by 40 ft; five upper floors burnt out and roof off. A building of ten floors, about 60 ft by 30 ft; three upper floors and contents severely damaged by fire and part of roof off. Another building of ten floors, about 90 ft by 30 ft; contents severely damaged by fire and water (all adjoining and communicating). Front and back rooms, in tenancy of Mr J Wousnop, Christian St, burned out; a second floor and rest of house of six rooms severely damaged by fire and water and furniture damaged by removal. No.3 Christian St (opposite) belonging to Messrs C Wohlgemuth, sugar refiners; roof damaged by fire and breakage, contents by water. No.9 Christian St, roof damaged by fire and breakage, and furniture by removal and water. A building in Grove St, belonging to Mr D Martineau, roof damaged by breakage. Four engines were still playing water on a great body of fire at 9 o'clock on Sunday night. About 150 labourers were at work removing bags of sugar from the building. The Salvage Corps rendered valuable assistance and were the means of saving a vast amount of property. It is found that a large number of men, principally Germans, will be thrown out of employ. The front walls in Christian St were in a very dangerous condition, and they were shored up by order of the Board of Works. The damage is estimated at over £100,000 sterling."

The Illustrated Police News, 23 August 1879.

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