Toogoolawah, Queensland - Main Street Fire Damage

Jack Bain worked for the Bank of Australasia and worked in many branches over his career. At 7.30pm on Sunday 14 November 1926, fire broke out in the upper floor of the Exchange Hotel in Cressbrook Street, Toogoolawah. Despite the efforts of volunteers, the wood and iron structure quickly burned. Two unoccupied shops and the office of the Bank of Australasia were also destroyed by the blaze. Both the licensee of the hotel, Amy Brown, and the manager of the bank, Mr L A Collins were absent from Toogoolawah. The teller Mr L Eves was able to save a few papers and documents from the bank. The fire was mostly extinguished by 8.30pm and shortly afterwards, showers from a thunderstorm drenched the remaining flames. The damage was estimated at £5,000. The shops and bank premises were owned by John Stogden Francis, a retired dairy farmer living in Brisbane and the hotel was owned by Madeline Cohen from Sydney. The hotel was rebuilt, and in 1928, renamed the Hotel Exchange. On her death in 1952, the hotel passed to her relatives. Earlier in the year, on 26 April, another fire in Cressbrook Street, destroyed nine shops and the Commercial Hotel. Other buildings also owned by John Francis were damaged in the blaze