firedamage

M.D. Pigott set up a drapery business in Brisbane soon after arriving in Australia in 1885. He opened his first store in Russell Street, Toowoomba (next to the Criterion Hotel) on 6 July 1896. Pigott & Co advertised that at their opening there would be the 'most marvellous bargains ever offered in Toowoomba.' Just a year after opening Pigott & Co moved into specially remodelled premises in Ruthven Street on 24 August 1897. M.D. Pigott, his wife Mary Josephine and eight children moved from Brisbane to Toowoomba following the success of the store. During the later years of the 1890s and into the early years of the twentieth century, branch stores were opened at Boonah, Beaudesert, Chinchilla, Pittsworth, Dalby and Warwick. Tragedy strikes in 1909 In 1908 the store was completely remodelled including vestibule windows. Tragedy struck Pigott & Co when fire broke out on 8 July 1909 only a month after the renovations were complete. The building and stock were completely destroyed. To continue the running of the popular store a temporary building and offices were arranged the very next day. Warehouses rallied to supply goods and after a couple of weeks, business had increased and the temporary premises had to be extended. On 18 April 1910, the new Pigott & Co store opened with twice the floor space, enlarged departments and new departments added. Source: www.tr.qld.gov.au/our-region/history/historic-locations/1...

THE two worst fires in Stanthorpe’s history would have to be the 1914 and 1928 fires, which in so many ways tore the heart out of this town. 1914 At 10.30 pm on Sunday night, 28 June 1914 the alarm was raised about a fire in J.J. Clifford’s stationery store. At this time Stanthorpe did not have the fire brigade and it also did not have a reticulated town water supply. With the alarm sounding, literally hundreds of Stanthorpians rushed to the town center, many in their pajamas, to fight the fire. Clifford’s store was across the road and to the left of the current Post Office. Fortunately, it was a still night with very little wind. A bucket brigade was quickly formed, but the intensity of the fire rose more so in the flammable wooden buildings. Those not involved in the bucket brigade rushed into the stores to carry stock and furniture away from harm’s way and a great pile of items was formed across the street. The fire was strong and it began to spread to neighboring businesses. The flames got so high that they also threatened buildings across High Street. The flames could be seen from 20 kilometers away. During the course of fighting the fire, buildings were torn down by ropes, hauled by volunteers, in order to stop the spread of the fire. A safe from the bank, containing money and records, weighing 900 kilograms was hauled out onto the street. Two hours later, nine businesses had been destroyed. These included Mat Day’s Commercial Hotel (on the corner of High Street and Railway Street), McKenzie’s tailoring shop, N. Correy’s refreshment rooms, J.J. Clifford’s stationery store, E.J. Wren’s tobacconist shop, and billiard saloon, Savage and Sons, tailor’s shop, Commercial Bank of Sydney, A.G. Wareham’s general store, and J. Cusson’s billiard saloon. In all, the business district on the eastern side of High Street from Railway to Lock Streets was wiped out. A whole block of shops. All that could be seen the next day was 18 chimneys standing, surrounded by burnt rubbish, where there had been active businesses. For days afterward High Street was still full of salvaged furniture and produce and destruction. Clifford's and Wren’s lost their buildings, furniture, and stock. Other businesses, fortunately, had salvaged stock and furniture through the efforts of Stanthorpe citizens. Mr. Wareham began trading again the next day from The Good Templar Hall in Railway Street and Mat Day also recommenced his hotel business in a shop across the road from The Good Templar Hall. Source: warwickstanthorpetoday.com.au/stories/2015-06-04/stanthor...

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PITTSWORTH FIRE. PITTSWORTH, March 2. Seven shops and cottages in Yandilla Street, in the business center of the township, were destroyed by fire tonight. The fire originated in an old shop about 20 yards from the Imperial Hotel. From here the flames spread to two unoccupied shops owned by George Green, thence to the butchery of F. Dore, an unoccupied shop with a cottage at the back owned by A E Adicott, across the right of way to the premises of Cameron and Co. auctioneers, and then to the office of Mr. McFarlane, solicitor. The insurances total £1093. Source: The Northern Miner, 03 Mar 1915 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/79078436?afterLoad=sho...