1825

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

One of the worst conflagrations of early Dartmouth occurred in June 1825, when fire broke out on the premises of Edward Langley in the vicinity of Church and Commercial Streets. In an outbuilding adjoining his barns and residence, there were about 300 pounds of freshly burnt lime in storage. A fall of rain leaking into a cask, created spontaneous heat that burst into flame and quickly spread to the hayloft nearby.

As the fire-brigade could not obtain sufficient water, the wardens ordered the Langley residence pulled down, which was soon accomplished, thus halting progress of the blaze.

Navy men from H. M. S. Menai, anchored in the harbor, hustled over with buckets and rendered valuable assistance. (One of the officers of the “Menai” was Lieut. William Canning, son of the famous British statesman. It is quite possible that he was among those assisting our firemen that exciting afternoon).

The minute book of the Dartmouth Engine Company for July 1825 records that “after the fire at Langley’s the Company assembled at 4 p.m. when the engine was taken to pieces  and cleaned and repaired and exercised at the Mill brook”.