Two aeroplanes, taking part in Sir Alan Cobham’s Air Circus, crashed over Blackpool on the  7th of September 1935. One fell on Swainson Street, killing the pilot and two passengers, and other  parts fell in Cedar Square, near to the Cedar Tavern

Larne Times – 14th September 1935

Air disaster at Swainson Street.  7th September 1935.  3 killed, pilot & 2 sisters.

Pilot – Capt S. Servant. Sisters – Lillian & Dorothy Barnes

Wreckage of aeroplane in the street

Illustrated Police News – 10th September 1935

Another view of the plane wreckage

Air disaster showing damage to the house

Scene of drowning at north shore, June 25th 1907

Three Stourbridge holidaymakers (Dolly Gillam, her brother James, and her fiancé Ernest Taylor) drowned

Boots’ building destroyed by fire October 7th 1936

Boots’ building looking towards Talbot Square

The Boots fire destroyed their building on Corporation Street on the 7th of October. The intense heat cooked rabbits and fish in the Market next door. The fire also destroyed Riley and Sons Milliner’s and Drapery store and the Borough Surveyor’s offices in Clifton Chambers – with the loss of 50 years’ worth of plans. A fireman, Ray Laycock, lost his life. Laycock Gate was later named after him, and he was buried at St Paul’s Church, Marton.

Fire on the Golden Mile

North Pier Fire – Sunday Sept 11th 1921

All the instruments of the North Pier Orchestra were destroyed when the Indian Pavilion burnt down

1921 North Pier Fire Damage – Pathe News

The fire starting to grow as people look on

Another view of the pier after the fire

North Pier Pavilion Fire – Sunday June 19th 1938

Fire once more destroyed the Pavilion theatre on North Pier. A replacement was quickly rebuilt, re-opening in 1939.

£ 30,000 damage caused. Pillars of fire and smoke from blazing structure mounting to height of hundreds of feet. Watched by over 20,000 holiday makers

Blackpool North Pier Fire – 1938 – Pathe News

Two other lesser known Blackpool pier fires were :

1958 – South Pier’s Grand Pavilion was devastated by fire in February.

1964 – The Rainbow Theatre on South Pier was destroyed by fire on the 6 th February, causing extensive damage to the pier itself. The owners, Lane’s Amusements Limited, built a new theatre within eleven weeks, at a cost of over £90,000 and renamed it the “South Pier Theatre.