On April 21, 1902, fire erupted at MacQueen's hat factory in the
Barbican and wind-whipped flames gutted adjacent buildings. "Three hundred firemen and 40 fire
engines were engaged,'' The New York Times said. "Owing to the danger
that Aldergate Street Station might catch fire, traffic on the Metropolitan
Railway was temporarily suspended. The guests of the Manchester Hotel, adjacent
to the Aldergate Street station, hurriedly left.''