General News
7 July, 2024
Times Gone By
- from Rainbow Archives and Historical Society's Peter Ralph
This week we are again in debt to Mary Adler who sent us a great collection of photographs from the 1920s some time ago.
Her collection included shots of both Hazeldene, now owned by Daniel Gebert, and the then-named Grandalau, which is currently owned by Barry Roennfeldt.
Both properties were associated back then with farmer and businessman Archie Cunningham.
Today’s photo is of Federal Street, looking to the north-east, so part of the Mechanics Hall on the Taverner Street corner is just visible on the far right.
It was probably taken from the Commonwealth Hotel, and for clarity, the former sepia has been converted to black and white.
Of immediate interest is the remnant wall, on the left, at Butter Factory Lane, where the Mecca now stands.
This brings us to the theme of today’s story which was recorded in the June 3 1927 edition of the Argus under the headline
“A Destructive Fire: Conflagration at Rainbow: Principal Business Centre Demolished.”
Yes, it had happened again. On the previous Saturday night, May 28 1927, almost the whole block was gone, just as it was back on February 4 1910.
We will let the Argus tell the story:
“The outbreak was first noticed by Miss Peggy Patterson, daughter of the proprietor of the Commonwealth Hotel who was sleeping on the balcony. Mr Patterson made haste to the fire station and rang out the alarm.
“The fire occurred in the block of buildings commonly known as Cust’s, which belongto Mr. A West.
“The structure was an imposing one, consisting of reinforced concrete, and comprised shops and offices occupied by Messrs. Osborne and Murphy, solicitors, Messrs. Wilson, Bolton and Co., auctioneers, Mr A.J. Barnes, commission agent, and Mr R.A. Pasco, general storekeeper.
“The scene of the conflagration was in the drapery establishment of Mr E. Joel.
“The firemen directed their attention to Joel’s establishment, and from outward appearances they appeared to be gaining mastery over the flames, when suddenly it was discovered that the fire had spread between the ceilings and the roof to Mr Grano’s pharmacy thence to Mr Barnes’ and into Mr Pasco’s extensive drapery and grocery establishment: the fierceness of the fire may be gauged from the fact that the flames burnt back against the strong breeze.”
Other offices were burned, whilst nearby wooden buildings were threatened, and at the rear, Dawson’s was saved when “the proprietor took the precaution to bring his fire appliances into operation and a heavy stream of water was poured onto the sheds adjoining the electric light works.”
At one stage there was “a terrific explosion” when an oxygen cylinder at the pharmacy blew up, and then “the parapet of Mr Pasco’s store collapsed and fell to the pavement with a sickening thud.
“Fortunately the crowd was well out of the danger zone, although Mr W. Hendy, who tripped over a cash register, which was laying on the road, narrowly escaped being struck by a flying piece of concrete.”
Insurance claims were considerable, but total losses were actually estimated to be £30,000 (equivalent to $1,248,841.93 today).
The Pasco general store was eventually re-opened in its present location on December 17, 1928.
The pencilled date of this milestone is still visible on Martin Keller’s wall almost a century later.