St Margaret's Church Prestwich

ST MARGARET’S FIRE FEBUARY 1985.

St Margaret’s church was set on fire by an arsonist on Thursday evening 21^st February 1985. The Ladies Circle who met in the church hall every 3rd Thursday of the month should have been going on a visit to the Royal Exchange in Manchester, but the visit had been cancelled, so we were having a coffee evening instead. Two of the ladies were a little late in arriving and as they came passed the Church, they noticed what at first looked like a light in Church. They crossed over the road and realized that something was wrong as the light was in fact flames. As they ran to the vicarage, they met Eric Dunn who lived on St Margaret’s Road and was coming home. They all went to inform the Vicar Martin Ashworth that there was a fire in the Church. The fire brigade were called and then the two men went in the church and managed to get out some articles but quickly realized that they were in real danger so retreated, as the flames had already taken a firm hold. That was the beginning of trying to save the church from being completely destroyed by the fire.  If the visit to the theatre had not been cancelled then we could have faced even more desolation in facing the complete destruction of St Margaret’s. Over the next couple of month’s, we will hear from various members of the congregation of their own memories of that night and the following few weeks. JE

Zandra Lewis’s reflections. I was at the meeting in Church House when Eric Dunn came running in to tell us that the church was on fire. He and Martin had phone my husband Gwyn Lewis who was one of the churchwardens at the time. He came down to see what he could do, which was nothing until the fire brigade eventually were able to put out the fire. All the people in the Church House, Scout hut and people from nearby started to form a chain in order to rescue as many of the smaller items as possible. These were taken into the Church House for storage. The remaining altar was carried outside to the Church House by many men from the district.

Bu Sunday, we had managed to get the Church House ready for the morning service. Everyone had rallied together and we began to settle down in our new setting. 

So many people in the parish and the surrounding neighbourhood came together to work hard to get us up and running for us to continue with our services. Being together in the Church House really brought the church members together and Martin called us the Church Family. We were all in different seats then what we had been used too. We talked to each other and the various groups who didn’t really know each other very well started to interact with each other.  We all started to work together to rebuild our Church. 

Reflections from Irene Kellett

I did not hear about the fire until Friday and went down to the church on the Saturday morning to help. I carried smoke blackened articles from the church to the Church house, where a team of helpers were washing what they could in the back kitchen. I remember being shocked and heartbroken at the damage inside the church.

I went to the Holy communion service in the church House on the Sunday and remember finding it hard to adjust to the plainer surroundings, as did my mother who found it very hard and only came occasionally to the services.

 I did find a new friend Madeline to sit with and that was lovely. She was warm and friendly and I enjoyed her company. It seemed a long time before our church was restored and I always missed the calmer building, but the wait was worth it. I have always loved being in the beautiful place it is now.  

Reflections from Viv Jones

I had come to the Ladies Circle that evening and my children were having a sleep over at their Grandma’s on Merton Road. Hilda Lund and Eric Dunn came into the hall to tell us that the Church was on fire. We went outside to see a small fire which became more fierce in a matter of minutes. I went for my son who was then aged 10 so that he could see the fire engines in action. We all stood outside at the Church House to watch for a short time until it became too upsetting and I took my son back to his Grandma’s. 

There were no mobile phones in those days but the bush telegraph worked well, as soon the whole area where aware that St Margaret’s church was on fire. People came from all around to see what they could do to help. Such a joint effort to rescue what we could. A lasting memory is of the men carrying out the remaining altar for safe keeping into the Church House.  

Reflections from Anne Orrell;

We had arrived at Church House early to get out the chairs etc. for Ladies Circle on a cold quite foggy night when Hilda Lund arrived and said she thought there was smoke coming from Church. At first, we thought it might be the fog, but she thought she saw a flicker of flame through the window, nearest the organ pipes. The Fire Brigade was called and then it was chaos. We spent time while the fire was being put out making tea etc. and then when the fire was out and it was deemed safe for parts of the church to be entered, we were allowed in under the watchful eyes of the fire brigade. We carried everything we could over to Church House.

During one of my trips to cross the road I saw my husband drive past the Church and I don’t know whether he saw me. I wondered what he was doing coming along St Margaret’s Road, when I knew that he had gone to the Cricket Club. It turned out that he was at the club when the rumour that St Margaret’s Church was on fire was spreading around Prestwich. I now think he did see me but as the road was so busy he could not stop.

It was much later when we had done as much as we could that I got home and the reality of what had happened hit us. A night I will never forget.

Thanks to the people in Prestwich, Whitefield and the Community we still have a beautiful Church despite the arsonist, who I believe was never found.