The following eyewitness account of the fire at the Shore Road carriageworks on 8th April 1851 appeared in the Stirling Journal on 11th April 1851 on page 4. It is not clear exactly what started the fire, but a description of the Port Street works in 1908 describes that “there is a fire-proof store where all the smaller furnishings, varnishes, etc., are kept.” Stirling did not have a properly organised fire brigade until 1859, but they did have a horse drawn fire engine housed in Academy Road. The town called on the Castle and the military for help.
"On Tuesday night about eleven o'clock the usual quiet of the night in our town was disturbed by an alarm having broken out in the premises of Messrs Kinross, coach-builders, who have for many years conducted business in Stirling. On proceeding to the spot we found that the fire had assumed a most threatening appearance, and in a very short time the premises, which consisted of two stories, and occupied a considerable space, were entirely enveloped in flames. A great deal of wood was necessarily used in the works, and a large quantity of this was piled in the yard which is surrounded by the buildings; there was an engine house attached to the premises, and near to it were stored quantities of inflammable materials, such as oil, turpentine, varnishes, etc. The volumes of flame arising from the combined combustion of such materials were fearful, illuminating the sky above with continually varying light, as successively and at intervals portions of the roof fell in. Great fears were one time felt for the safety of the adjoining buildings, which happily proved unfounded, the flames expending themselves on the premises in which they first appeared, which in the course of an hour were reduced to a mass of ruins. We cannot resist on this lamentable occasion alluding to the want of promptitude in quelling the burning - or rather the almost entire absence of sufficient agencies for that purpose. The supply of water and necessary auxiliaries ought to have been immediate, whereas the fire had gained a complete ascendancy before water could be procured in any great quantity. We have not the slightest doubt that had such a fire occurred in Edinburgh or Glasgow it would have been very speedily subdued, by the promptness and properly directed energy casualties of this kind are met in these places: and we sincerely trust that, for the safety of property in future, the authorities will at once make arrangements so that the services of an efficient and properly organised fire-brigade may be at all times secured to the inhabitants, which could be done at a comparatively trifling expense. The 93rd Highlanders were on the spot and rendered effectual service in maintaining order, and preserving the surrounding buildings from the flames. Had it not been for their exertions directed by Major Peddie, who was most actively employed during the whole time, the adjoining premises would probably all have been destroyed - the stable having been three times on fire. It is justice to say that many of the inhabitants were intrepid and daring in recovering property from the flames. The town engine was also on the spot, but all hopes of subduing the fire on the premises being soon abandoned, their exertions were chiefly directed to save the surrounding property. The fire must have been seen at a great distance, the spiral columns of flame at times irradiating the atmosphere to a great height. The property on the premises, as well as the building itself, are we fear only partially insured. Many valuable vehicles in the works have been consumed, and indeed, the destruction we may say has been complete. A lamentable feature in this melancholy affair is that somewhere about 70 or 80 men will be thrown out of employment: besides which the implements they wrought with have been lost in the general destruction. We are happy to perceive, however, that out Provost, with praiseworthy promptitude, has called a public meeting in order to consider what steps ought to be taken to aid them under painful circumstances in which they have been placed by this sudden calamity. It is long since such a conflagration has occurred in the town, and all classes deplore its occurrence and sympathise with the highly respectable proprietors who have suffered so severely from its effects." This notice was placed in the Stirling Observer, 10th April 1851, page 4.
"THE FIRE AT MESSRS KINROSS ‘COACH-WORK’
PUBLIC MEETINGIn terms of a Requisition made to me this Evening, I hereby call a PUBLIC MEETING of the INHABITANTS of STIRLING, to be held in the COURT-HOUSE, on the Evening of FRIDAY first at Eight o'Clock, for the purpose of considering the best means of Aiding the Workmen who have suffered severe loss by the Fire at Messrs Kinross' Coach-Work this morning. JOHN SAWERS, Provost. Stirling Wednesday, 9th April 1851."
The following account is taken from the Stirling Journal, 18th April 1851, page 1.
"At a PUBLIC MEETING of the INHABITANTS of STIRLING, held in the COURT-HOUSE, on the Evening of FRIDAY, 11th curt., for the purpose of considering the best mode of Aiding the Workmen who have lost their Tools and been thrown out of employment by the Fire at Messrs Kinross' Coach-Work - JOHN SAWERS, Esq., Provost, in the Chair - the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted:-
Moved by Mr PETER REID, and seconded by Mr JOHN SAWERS, Writer,-
1st, “That this Meeting, deeply sympathising with the working men who have lost their tools and been thrown out of employment in consequence of the fire at Messrs Kinross' Coach-Work, is of opinion that a subscription should be raised to assist them under such trying circumstances.”
Moved by Bailie MORISON, and seconded by Mr DAVID YELLOWLEES,-
2nd, “That this Meeting now appoint a comittee of twenty, to canvas the town for subscriptions, and to divide whatever is collected among the sufferers in the way that may seem to them advisable.”
Moved by Dr RUNCIMAN, and seconded by Mr EDMONSTONE,-
3rd, “That the following gentlemen be appointed members of the committee:-
Provost Sawers. Messrs Thomas Ferguson. Bailie Morison. - John Mann. Dr Runciman. - Peter Drummond. Messrs John Maxwell. - Robert Frater. - David Yellowlees. - Thomas Young. - William Dreghorn. - James Robertson. - Duncan Lockhart. - George Henderson. - John Vance. - W. Harvey, Bridge Street. - John Mackieson. - Peter Reid. - William Dowdy. - Thomas Henderson. - John M'Lauchlan. - ____ M'Kenzie, Barnton Place. Bailie Morison, Convener.”
Thereafter a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the Provost for his prompitude in calling the Meeting, and for presiding at the same.
(Signed) JOHN SAWERS, Provost."
Another report of this meeting appeared in the Stirling Observer, 17th April 1851, page 4.
"PUBLIC MEETING.
THE FIRE AT MESSRS KINROSS' COACH-WORK.On Friday evening, according to public intimation, a meeting of the inhabitants was held in the Court-House, for the purpose of considering the best means of aiding the unfortunate workmen who have suffered so severely by the above fire. From the widespread sympathy which exists as to this calamity, a full meeting was expected, and the Court-House was crowded. John Sawers, Esq., Provost, occupied the chair; and a number of resolutions, moved and seconded with appropriate remarks, were unanimously, adopted. These resolutions will he found in our advertising columns, and we earnestly solicit attention to them, and claim for the unfortunate sufferers the sympathy and support of our readers and of the benevolent. From inquiries made by the Provost, there are fifty men thrown out of employment, sixteen of whom hare families more or less numerous, while the loss of tools amounts to £40. When to this is added the loss of employment, we trust the claim will be admitted, and duly responded to. It is but proper to state that, in moving the third resolution, Dr. Runciman, whose residence closely adjoins the works, passed a very high eulogium on the mechanics employed by the Messrs Kinross, commending their quietness and industry, and stating that, during a period of twenty years, he had never had the least occasion of complaint.
Towards the close of the proceedings, Mr Wm. Thomson, of the firm of Thomson & Co., joiners, Fort Street, brought under the notice of the meeting the total loss which the Messrs Kinross had themselves suffered by the fire; and suggested the propriety of some steps being taken to afford them assistance. Mr Thomson, in a way which did high honour to his feelings as a man and a neighbour, proposed that the wealthier class, both in the town and country, might be waited upon; and the advancement of a small sum by each, while it would put the Messrs Kinross in a way of retrieving their loss, would also enable them to re-employ their men. The proposition was received with the very best feeling, but being somewhat foreign to the business for which the meeting was called, was not put to a formal vote."The story continued, as this notice warns a couple of weeks later in the Stirling Observer, 1st May 1851, page 4.
"CAUTION. - There are some fellows wandering over the country endevearouring to excite sympathy, by stating that they are some of the workmen of Messrs Kinross, coach-builders here, who have been so reduced by the late destructive fire as to be under the necessity of thus appealing to the humanity of the public. We are authorised to state, that these scoundrels were never in the employment of the Messrs Kinross, and that none of the men who wrought at their establishment have the slightest idea of throwing themselves upon the country, as a portion of the workmen are already at work, and others will follow in due time, when the necessary preliminary arrangements are effected, which will not be long now."
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