Swat Farm, Cragg Vale, pre 1924 - HCC00777

Press cutting for 9th January, 1924:

The capabilities of the new motor fire engine at Mytholmroyd, coupled with the efficiency of the Brigade, were severely tested on Tuesday, when a fire broke out at an isolated spot, Swat Farm, situate on the hill-top on the Sowerby side of Cragg Vale. Both men and engine rose splendidly to the call, and they rendered fine service under the most onerous conditions. Mr W. Gothard is the occupier of the farm, the buildings comprising barn, mistal, house and other premises being about a field length down a country lane from the old Sowerby road.

It was just after 7 o’clock last evening when Mr Gothard found that his premises were on fire, the outbreak having started amongst the hay. He made an unsuccessful attempt to extinguish the blaze, and then sent off his wife to Cragg Vale Post Office, to call out the local Fire Brigade. The buzzer at Mytholmroyd sounded at 7.45 p.m. and within 5 minutes the motor engine, with full complement of men, in charge of Supt. R. Dugdale, was off.

To reach the farm it was necessary to travel up Cragg Road nearly to Blackstone Edge Moor, and then turned off along Sykes Road. It was a distance of about five miles along snow-bound and frosty roads and in the teeth of a blizzard. On reaching the farm they found the interior of the barn ablaze and the farmer, along with one neighbour, busy getting out the cattle and other stock. Whilst the engine was being taken down a field side, a chain of men threw buckets of water on to the fire, which was just breaking through into the house. At 8.25 a stream of water was being poured on to the building from the engine. When a farm well was pumped dry a supply of water was obtained from a local stream 200 yards away. Owing to the hay being alight in a mass it was a slow and difficult job getting the fire under control. It was 3.30 before the blaze was really out and the firemen could leave the spot. The interior was burnt out, and the hay destroyed, but the building and the house were saved. Some part of the furniture had been got out, but apart from the kitchen, there was no damage to household effects.

Some idea of the bitter wintry conditions under which the firemen had to work may be gathered from the fact that when the engine was stopped at 1.30 a.m. for a few minutes, the water in the pump froze and the pipe had to be thawed by placing a lamp under it, in order to restart activity. The firemen themselves were wet through, and when they got back to Mytholmroyd their outer garments had a coating of ice.

The damage was about £200 and is fully covered by insurance.

The firemen were well satisfied with the way the engine worked; there was never a hitch. It mounted the steep roads remarkably well.

When the buzzer sounded at Hebden Bridge men turned up at the Fire Station under the impression that it was a local call, but they were not needed.

PHDA - Horizons Community Collection

Pennine Horizons Digital Archive

HCC00777.tif