Newspaper Extracts
Incendiary fire at Canklow Mills
February, 1856A fire broke out at the Canklow Flour Mills, owned by the Duke of Norfolk and occupied by Messrs. Moorhouse and Hague.
At 4.30 a.m. a worker, Thomas Whiteley noticed flames and raised the alarm.
A messenger was despatched to Rotherham for the fire engines which arrived about 5.15, by which time the flames obtained such a hold of the building, that before 5 o'clock, the whole of the large roof fell in, and the fire raged until the whole place with the exception of the walls was consumed, the timbers being for the most part, dry and old.
A very large quantity of grain in sacks (400-500 sacks) and a good deal of flour were destroyed, although much flour was saved.
Four pairs of stones also are comparatively uninjured.
Damage is roughly estimated at £1500 to £2000. The building and stock were insured, but a long time must elapse before the mill can be restored to working condition.
There is but too much reason to fear that the fire was the work of an incendiary. No light had been used in the place for many hours before the fire broke out, and the premises were examined about an hour before.
This is the second flour mill in the district which has been burnt down after sunset within the last few weeks. The first was that of Mr. Henry Rollings at Oxspring near Barnsley.
