MAPLEDURWELL DESTRUCTIVE FIRE

The scale of the disaster is demonstrated by the fact that 2000 people are said to have visited the scene (Hants and Berks Gazette, 23 July 1881).

A calamity, consisting of the destruction of four farmsteads, has occurred here during the week. On Tuesday 15 July 1881, about 3.30 p.m., smoke was seen issuing from a shed on one of the farms occupied by Mr. H. B. Thorpe.   In the village there were four farm homesteads, the extreme southern one being tenanted by Mr. Thorpe, and the northern one being in the occupation of J. Addison, Esq., the whole of the property belonging to Corpus Christi College.

At the time named, Mr. Ridgers [sub-tenant of Manor Farm, under G.H. Lamb] was in one of his fields with some women haymaking, when one of them cried “Oh! There’s my house on fire!” They all left the field to find that it was not the cottage of the frightened woman that was on fire, but one on Mr. Thorpe’s farm, occupied by Mrs Gary and her family. Mr. Ridgers being the neighbouring resident, he at once got his stock, consisting of a horse, two fat heifers and two calves safely away.

A messenger was dispatched by Mr. Addison to Basingstoke for the fire engine, and he urged his steed forward with such praiseworthy haste that it is said he reached the town in the unprecedentedly short space of ten minutes! The Brigade were equally deserving of praise, for the manner in which they responded to the call of duty; for in fifty minutes from the time the fire was first noticed the Brigade were in the village with their engine. But the destroying element had in that short time done fearful damage. The recent dry weather and scorching sun had so prepared the way for destruction that when once the fire had gained a hold it swept along the straw farm-yard and across the roofs of the farm buildings with astounding rapidity. The flames leapt and danced in wildest confusion and the little village which nestles in a quiet wooded valley, beautified by the meandering Loddon, was enveloped in smoke. The heat waxed to an intense degree as the flames danced from homestead to homestead, and ran along the combustible farmyards; and the roar of the fire as the flames shot up between the treetops, scorching the branches, was truly tearful.

The sight, as viewed either near or from afar, will never be forgotten. The fruitful valley, abounding with vegetable life; orchards and gardens filled with fruit trees and growing crops; every variety of implement of husbandry; barns and granaries plenteously stocked, presents a sickening aspect, and is now a scene of devastation and ruin. There lie in the wreck the scorched  carcasses of animals, the wheels and various parts of costly agricultural machines, tyres of wagon and cart wheels, which, being of iron, were indestructible; heaps of smoldering grain and seed, huge smoking beams, which had fallen from extensive roofs, and all kinds of tools, which tell of happy activity in agricultural and horticultural pursuits.

During those fifty minutes pending the appearance of the Fire Brigade, the inhabitants of the village gathered together and rendered valuable service, some in removing furniture from threatened houses, and others in conveying and applying buckets of water to the raging element. There is little doubt that Widow Hockley’s cottage [Manor Farm Cottages) though tiled, would have fallen a prey to the fiery contagion threatened from the west by the flames proceeding from the thatched cottage occupied by Critcher [see below], but for the praiseworthy efforts of Messrs. Addison and C. Clark, who by means of a short ladder and some buckets of water succeeded - until the Brigade came to the rescue - in preventing the fire from doing any mischief.

At this point of the great conflagration the Brigade commenced their operations, and having worked energetically here for a short space and rendered the adjoining property comparatively safe, the engine was drawn off to the Manor farm, where the fire had now gained a hold on the house; and threatened its complete destruction. The Brigade here set to work in a gallant manner, and fortunately having a plentiful supply of water, they speedily succeeded in stopping the progress of the flames, and the damage to the residence was confined to a wing at the rear. For their energy in rescuing so large a portion of Mr. Ridger’s residence from total destruction, the Brigade is deserving of the highest praise. Having got the fire under at this point, efforts were made to extinguish the flames proceeding from the hopeless mass of burning property around with a view to prevent its further spread, - a precautionary measure the expediency of which was suggested by the flying sparks and flakes of burning material which were still being wafted over the village.

Fragments of fire were carried by the wind even as far as Cuffolds . Had the wind blown from an easterly direction, instead of due south, there is every probability that almost the whole village would have fallen a prey to the flames. Mr. Thorpe lost the whole of the buildings at the farm where the fire originated [Manor Farm Barns/Am Brunnen]. One cow, some jackdaws, rabbits and a dog were burnt to death. A cottage on the farm tenanted by Mrs. Gary was burnt down; the poor woman losing all her furniture excepting her beds, and the inmates nearly all their clothing. Mrs. Gary also lost a sum of money - some say sixty pounds. There were three ten pound notes, some five pound notes and gold, the whole being part of legacies that her family had recently received. The numbers of the notes are not known by her.

The flames and burning materials were carried about thirty yards to the farm of Mr. Ridgers, and in a very short time the whole of the buildings, implements, &c, in a yard covering more than half an acre was burnt to the ground [the yard and outbuildings were immediately to the north of the manor Farm House]. The house was on fire, but as a result of the resolute acts of the Fire Brigade, its demolition was prevented, though much of the interior at the rear is destroyed. Mr. Ridgers has lost ten pigs, worth about fifty shillings each - their roasted carcasses were lying on what bad been their sty; about thirty fowls, one granary, a nag stable, two large barns, stable for seven horses, all the sheds and cow stalls, piggeries, drill houses, one waggon, two drills, a reaping machine, three scarifiers, a new chaise, a light cart, three dung carts, two pressers (new), a sheep waggon, twelve quarters of barley, several quarters of oats, meal bins and meal, two ploughs, several loads of sacks, three straw ricks, shepherd’s house, &e., the residence standing alone among the black and offensive ruins.

Next in the line of smoldering stuff was another farm occupied by Mr. Thorpe [this was immediately to the north of Manor Farm, and opposite Manor Farm Cottage. The buildings were not replaced]. There, too a cottage, tenanted by Mr. Thorpe’s cowman, named Bunday, was burnt to the ground, the chimney alone standing. There Mr. Thorpe lost a rick of hay, about 16 tons, one waggon, a number of cloths, and the cottage furniture is consumed. The last farm in this black catalogue is occupied by J. Addison Esq. [the house occupied by Addison was just to the north of Manor Farm Cottage, but was never rebuilt]. The whole of the buildings and a cottage, in which lived a person named Critcber [on the same plot as Manor Farm Cottage], are lying in one black mass, near another cottage [Manor Farm Cottage itself] that must have fallen had it been thatched instead of tiled. The amount of work done by the men of the village, many of whom remained there all night, showed how willing they were to co-operate in the protection of property.

Inspector Rapkins and P.C. Till of Basing, were on the spot soon after the outbreak, and P.C. Neale arrived a seven p.m. and remained in charge until noon on Wednesday. The question usually asked by visitors to such places is “How did it happen?” To this there is no answer, save that the “ashes in the woodhouse” are again held responsible. But an inspection of the woodhouse floor by our reporter and a gentleman of the village prove that not so many as a bushel of ashes was there. So the unfortunate widow, who has lost her all, is freed from the charge of carelessness. Another allegation is that some boys must have been playing with lucifers, and this suggestion almost makes one regret that Lowe’s match tax was not levied, as then the ubiquitous “boy” would not have been blamed. The most probable theory as to the cause of the devastation was propounded by a gentleman of some experience - and a student withal - that two or three bushels of quick lime had been placed against a wooden partition of the cowshed, which adjoins the woodhouse; that the humidity of the atmosphere had slackened it, and so sufficient heat was generated to result in a combustion of the partition. this theory seems to be a feasible one, and, as it is a scientific one the attention of the public might be profitably directed to it.

No correct estimate could be formed of the damage done, but we believe it is chiefly covered by insurance. It has been roughly estimated that to reinstate the destroyed buildings would quite exhaust £3000, to say nothing of the loss of property by the tenants, which is very considerable. Mr. Ridgers roughly calculates that he has lost between £400 and £500 insured with the Norwich Union Company; and Mr. Thorpe about £200; whilst the loss of Bunday, Garey, and Critcher, in furniture &c., was by no means small. Mr. Addison’s effects were insured in the Royal Farmers’ Company, represented in Basingstoke by Messrs. Simmons and Sons.