 A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of Fenham Barracks in 1806.The Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead was a tragic and spectacular series of events starting on Friday 6 October 1854, in which a substantial amount of property in the two North East of England towns was destroyed in a series of fires and an explosion which killed 53 and injured hundreds.The status of city was granted to Newcastle on 3 June 1882.