WELBECK ABBEY ABLAZE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

WELBECK ABBEY ABLAZE.

NARROW ESCAPES AND ENORMOUS DAMAGE. Welbeck Abbet, one of Nottinghamshire's historic seats, belonging to the Duke of Portland, was the scene recently of a disastrous fire, involving the demolition of what was known as the Oxford wing. Extensive arrangements were being carried out, and there was a large staff of men employed. The fire was discovered shortly after two o'clock, the flames being noticed by the night watchman. Immediately the alarm was given, and the two steam fire-engines located upon the estate were brought into requisition, and Sheffield was asked by telephone to send on one of their engines. This was done with all expedition, a special train being employed for the purpose. The Worksop Fire Brigade was also summoned t and promptly responded to the call, but the flames spread with great rapidity. Tho Duke and Duchess of Portland were in residence at Langwell, Berridale, Caithness, but their graces' three children, the Marquis of Titchfield, Lady Victoria Bentinck, and Lord Morven, were sleeping in that portion of the abbey which was attacked. The children were occupying the room adjoining that in which a lady's maid was sleeping. The housekeeper rushed towards the room occupied by the little ones, but was beaten back by the dense smoke in the main corridor. She, however, forced her way to the room by the luggage staircase, and the children were_ conveyed out of danger. In the meantime the whole household had been aroused, and Captain Hamblyn and the members of the Welbeck Fire Brigade quickly got to work, but it was not until several hours later, on the arrival of the Worksop and Sheffield Fire Brigades, that the conflagration was mastered. While the Welbeck and Worksop firemen continued to direct their efforts towards confining the fire in the suite of rooms where it had broken out, servants, assisted by other helpers, set to work to clear the rooms. Those in the basement were first taken in hand, and in a very short space of time the lawns were covered with a rare assortment of beautiful and valuable articles. As the fire gained ground, the removal of the furniture and other contents of the wing became more a matter of difficulty. Paintings had to be unfastened from the walls, and it is satisfactory to know that the gems which have made Welbeck Abbey famous were saved, as also were the rare china and most of the other valuables. The tapestry was rolled up and thrown through the windows, and the rich carpets, new in many of the rooms a week ago, were as many as possible saved in a similar fashion; but the tire was not to be altogether baulked of its prey. Notwithstanding the torrents of water poured on the building the flames increased in volume, and presently burst through two of the windows of the upper storey, and the basements, from which the glass had long since gone, glowed like furnace*. It looked for a time as though the whole block were doomed. The water had no apparent effect on the blazing mass, to which the molten lead from the "roof gave a deeper hue. The Sheffield engine and brigade arrived about six o'clock, and, thus reinforced, the firemen began to make some impression on the fire, and by eight o'clock it was mastered; an hour and a-half later saw the last of the flames extinguished. A number of windows were burnt out, but, happily, the magnificent Gothic Sail was not injured. At one period four engines were playing on the burning building, and great damage was done by water alone. One of the Sheffield firemen fell through the roof and was slightly injured, and is confined to bed in the abbey. The damage done is estimated at £25,000.