Burning of the Grand Theatre, Islington.

Evening Star, Issue 7449, 18 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Burning of the Grand Theatre, Islington.

The Grand Theatre, in Upper street, Islington, was totally destroyed by fire on the morning of the 29th December, On the preceding evening the pantomime of ‘ Whittington and His Cat ’ was produced before a crowded and enthusiastic audience. Between eleven and twelve o’clock the performance was brought to a close, and after the audience had left, the fireman, named Furlong, attached to the building, made his usual round, and discovered nothing amiss, Mr C. Wilmot {the lessee), his wife, three children, and an old lady, who occupied living rooms over the front entrance in Upper street, went to bed. Less than an hour later the outbreak occurred. The fireman, on making (in accordance with his custom) a later round, was startled by the glare of fire. He immediately got out the hose kept on the premises, and played upon the flames, which were raging in the “ gridiron ” over the stage. His efforts, however, were without effect, and the fire was spreading rapidly. He therefore ran from the building to seek help and to give the alarm to the persons sleeping in the front part of the building. Fortunately, however, the fire had been detected by "police and other persons outside, and the work of rescuing Mr Wilmot and his family was already proceeding amid much excitement. There was no fire-escape upon the spot; but a ladder was procured, and some police constables, aided by inhabitants of the street, succeeded in rescuing Mr Wilmot, who had not retired to rest, and all the other occupants from the burning theatre. In the meantime the flames were spreading rapidly throughout the building. A large crowd collected outside the front entrance, and also at the back, where the fire burned most fiercely. The flames appeared in the first place through the roof at the north end of the structure, and travelled with remarkable rapidity in all directions. By one o’clock the place wars one mass of flames from end to end, and it was apparent that no effort could save the building. Tire alarm having been transmitted throughout the circuit, and to the headquarters at Winchester House, Southwark, every possible help was ordered on, and within a short time engines began to arrive on the scene. At half-past one fully thirty steamers and manuals, with about two hundred officers and men, were at work, and the flames were being attacked from every possible point. Shortly afterwards the roof fell in. Clouds of burning embers were carried by the easterly wind, to the danger of a large number of houses. The sky was lit up with a lurid glare, which was plainly visible all over London. Meanwhile the fire had travelled due south and attacked the gallery, and by half-past two the gallery, dress circle, amphitheatre, and the dressing-rooms wepe one flaming mass. When the fire had begun to exhaust itself a ne\y danger became manifest, the walls showing signs of falling. Bit by bit huge blocks of brick fell from the northern gable, smashing windows in the rooms of the houses opposite. At three o’clock the fire had all bpt burned itself out, and at four o’clock it was practically extinguished, when nothing but the bare walls were left standing, the exterior presenting a spectacle of absolute ruin. Mr Wilmot and Mr Freeman, with several employes, entered the building from thq pavilion daring the progress of the fire, and brought out all their books and papers, including some valuable theatrical MSS, The theatre was the property of Mr Charles Head, who is at present in France. Mr Wilmot roughly computes his 1093 at from LIB.OOO to L 20.000. In an interview with a Press representative, Mr Wilmot stated that the building alone was insured. The production of the pantomime of ‘Whittington and His Cat,’ the accessories and properties of which were uninsured, involved an outlay of L 6.000. Besides the enormous loss entailed on himself, over 250 persons, including actors, supernumeraries, and servants would be thrown out of employment. And as all engagements for the season had been signed, they would have difficulty in finding new ones elsewhere. Besides the dresses belonging to the management and connected with the pantomime, some valuable private costumes, owned by the leading performers, were destroyed. He attributed the outbreak of the fire to a gas explosion in the “ gridiron,” but could not account for its cause. Considering the great precautions which were taken to prevent an outbreak of fire and the great expense which had been incurred on modern appliances for suppressing fire, he was astonished that the fire should have spread so rapidly and destructively.