A moor on fire is frightening because it is difficult to stop its spreading. Usually care is taken not to start such a fire. However, there have been times when the Moor was chosen to be the place to start a special fire, one which thousands would want to watch grow, from a spark to a blaze. The high point of the Moor and its wide expanse made it the obvious place for such fires.
The first fire of note was one built in 1897 for the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. It was referred to as 'a piece of exceedingly clever work'. It was over eighty feet in circumference and thirty feet in height, and took four days to erect by the fire brigade. What was more amazing is that it was recorded that sixty tons of timber, ten tons of coal and 160 gallons of paraffin were used in its burning over three days. People of Salford and Manchester watched from miles away and the city's dignitaries all attended.
This was so popular that other fires were repeated for royal occasions. There was one for the coronation of George V in 1911 and one again for the coronation of George V1 in 1937. The latter was built by the local boy scouts with help from the Boys Brigade. Fires were also built across the country at the end of the Second World War, but there is no record of one on the Moor.
How times and attitudes have changed! We would really disapprove of building fires today, especially on moorland. Until the 1960s fire building was a skill every child learnt to do, as this was the usual way to warm a house and it was often the children's job to collect kindling and bring in the coal. They also built fires for Bonfire Night. Very few children build fires for Bonfire Night nowadays.
More recently, in June 2012, for the event of the current Queen's Jubilee, the Friends of Kersal Moor decided to re-enact the tradition of celebratory fires.* Through official channels a beacon was purchased and, working under the advice of the Fire Service, lit on Sandy Hill. An amazing cake was made for all and wine was donated by the Co-op. Besses Boys Band played traditional music and the national anthem. Hundreds of residents came to celebrate and enjoy this cheerful community event. Possibly the very last of its kind.
Sandy Hill has seen some interesting events; last week we talked about 'a hanging' and this week great fires! Now we just have seats there to sit, rest, reminisce and contemplate...
* For more details of the 2012 beacon see previous Salford Star article click here
Words by Alice Searle, the author of two books about Kersal Moor - A Celebration of Kersal Moor and More Moor Tales.
See previous episodes of the Kersal Moor history...
Why Is The Moor Not A Moor? - click here
Suicide and Ghosts - click here
200 Years of Horse Racing on Kersal Moor - click here
The Chartists and Kersal Moor click here
Cussons Soap and Kersal Moor click here
The Poor, The Wealthy and Friedrich Engels click here
A Public Hanging on the Moor click here
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