HISTORIC FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23083, 7 July 1938, Page 10

HISTORIC FIRE

50 BUILDINGS LOST AUCKLAND 80 YEARS AGO RESIDENTS' EXPERIENCES BOY BORN IN BURNING HOTEL Eighty years ago to-day one of the most disastrous fires in the early history of Auckland occurred. It destroyed 50 houses and other buildings, the whole of the block bounded by Shortland Street, High Street, " Chancery Street and O'Connell Street, as well as almost all the west side of High Street, being swept by the flames. Two Auckland residents, Mr. W. P. Ogilvie, of 5 Mt. Albert Koad, and Mr. Harold Leech, of Shortland Street, have particular associations with the event. Mf. Ogilvie's mother was removed from her burning homo to the Auckland Hotel in High Street. Tho roof of the hotel was burning, and at one stage the curtains in the room were alight, when Mr. Ogilvie was born. To commemorate the circumstances of his birth, he was given the Christian name of Phoenix. Mr. Leech was an infant at the time of the fire, and when his mother was removing him to safety, she was surrounded by a drove of maddened horses that had been turned looso from near by hotel stables. It was considered reinarkablo that she and her child escaped injtiry. Early Morning Alarm The alarm of the fire was given by Mr. Ogilvie's father, Mr. John Ogilvie, a storekeeper, at 2 a.m. on July 7, ISSB.- He saw smoke coming from the back of the Osprey Inn, High Street, and in a few minutes not only were fire bells ringing, but bugles were Bounding in the Albert Park barracks, where the 58th Kegiment was quartered. There was a high north-east wind blowing, and it was raining. Tho quarter wAs inhabited mostly by small tradespeople and the fire travelled so quickly that many of the occupants' of the houses escaped in their night attire only. Prominent throughout in the fire fighting were the officers and men of the 58th Kegiment. "Dr. Philson, the military doctor and coroner, attended my mother," said Mr. Ogilvie. "So hurried was tho removal „of my mother from her home that there was no clothing for me when I was born, and Dr. Philson wrapped me up in his overcoat. It was my first garment. When it was necessary to take us from the Auckland Hotel, immediately following my birth, we were quartered in the Wesleyan Church on the site opposite now occupied by the Deeds Office. Dr. Philson insisted very appropriately that I should be given the name of Phoenix, and although asf a boy I hated being called that, I am proud of it to-day.' Buildings Blown Up Mr. Ogilvie said that immediately his father had assisted to remove his " mother to tho safety of the Wesleyan Church, he gave Mr. B. Newell, the proprietor of the Auckland Hotel, assistance in removing horses from the hotel stables. It was then necessary to J lace sacks over the heads of the orses as they were in a state of panic. According to accounts given by their Sarents, both Mr. Ogilvie and Mr. eech state that one of the things that checked the fire was the blowing up of a portion of David Nathan's store. "My father told me that Colonel Wynward arrived with his two sons, one of whom carried a barrel of gunpowder on his shoulders," said Mr. Leech. Mr. Leech's father was Mr. John Leech, art dealer and gilder, and his son still carries on the original business. A contemporary account states that •the fire was stopped from progressing up Shortiand Street through the courage of Captain King, R.A., who, with a bag of' gunpowder on his shoulder, proceeded among a shower of sparks to the Bee Hive Inn, which he blew up, the sound of the explosion being heard as far as Onehunga. Grocer's Now Start The fire caused much distress, and Mr. Ogilvie states that his father would nave been ruined through the destruction of his grocery store, but for the generosity of Messrs. Mac* arlane and David Nathan, Mr. MacVarlane handed over a complete shipment of oranges from the Islands, informing Mr. John Ogilvie that he could pav for them when he was well established aE ain. Mr. David Nathan refused cash Mr Ogilvie had got together and gave him stock to start a new store on the terms of "pay when you can. There was a sequel to the fire, the proprietress of the Osprey Inn and her eon being charged with arson The principal witness was Mr. John Ogilvie. and after a long hearing which aroused intense interest in Auckland, the accused were found not guilty.