Chimney Fire at Newlands
Old Winton Road

Wood and coal were common fuels for the fires in the early 1900's. Chimneys catching fire must have been a fairly regular occurrence, indeed many families set fire to the chimney to save the expense of paying the sweep

Only when legislation permitted the local authorities to prosecute the guilty, did the number of chimney fires fall off prosecution for chimney fires proved counter productive as the fires spread to surrounding construction material

Of course cleaner fuels such as gas and electricity were a con tributary factor in reducing chimney fires but these only came into prominence with increased income.

Fm J Stevens