SIR CONAN DOYLE'S LOSS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 83, 4 October 1929, Page 9

SIR CONAN DOYLE'S LOSS

COUNTRY HOME DESTROYED

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 23rd August. A picturesque, thatched cottage "hear Brook, in the New Forest, which Sir A. Cpnan Doyle bought seVteral' years ago as a present for his wife, was destroyed by fire a few days ago, sparks from the kitchen range having ignited the thatch.

Sir Arthur was walking in the Forest at the time, and returned to find his two sons, Denis and Malcolm, saturat* ed with water, working with the household staff in a well-nigh hopeless effort to prevent the spread of the flames, while Lady Doyle and Miss Doyle were helping to salvage the furniture and valuable papers. Drawing water from the stream running through the grounds, the brigade centred its efforts on the modern portion of the building. "It is a tragedy to see such a beautiful home destroyed," said Sir Arthur. "What grieves me most is the loss suffered by my son Denis. In his room were all manner of souvenirs from many parts of the world, including the skins of animals he had shot himself. He was immensely proud of them, but was so unselfish that he never for a moment thought of saving them, but busied himself assisting everyone else. He also lost 500 photograph negatives. "Luckily, this is only my country home, and not my headquarters. Therefore, the most valuable of our family effects, such as my library, were not endangered. My MSS of Sherlock Holmes are at Oowborough. But a considerable quantity of valuable silver which has been in the family for several generations was melted by the flames*?