Skegness Magazine

The Skegness Clock Tower, showing the fire-escape reared up to it.

The Clock Tower at Skegness was considerably damaged on Saturday afternoon in 1913 through the fire-escape, which was reared against the east side of it, falling.

A large portion of the ornamental stonework at the bas on  which the escape fell was knocked off and broken, whilst the summit of the base on the opposite side was dragged off by the rope encircling the tower and escape.

An ornamental portion over the doorway was also knocked off, and sundry portions were chipped and loosened, the combined damage being somewhat considerable.

The cause of the escape slipping from its position is not known, but Mr James Miller, the captain of the fire-brigade, gave as his opinion that such a thing were impossible unless the wheel “scotches” had been removed. If this were so, the removal of the “scotches” was possibly the prank of some mischievous youngsters who little recked the probable consequences of their “game” or else some older person minus the normal amout of common-sense was responsible for the occurrence.

Had anyone been near the spot at the time they would most likely have been killed or seriously injured, as some of the pieces of stone dislodged were extremely heavy, and the force with which they descended was shown in their shattered appearance.

Protests have been raised in the Council Chamber against the fire-escape being located at that spot and doubtless a new “home” will be found for it after Saturday’s occurence.

The escape was not injured.

Source: Skegness, Mablethorpe and Alford News 29th January, 1913.