Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 1 November 1845.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IN KENT.

About eight o'clock on Saturday evening a barn, in the farmyard of Mr. Smith, an extensive farmer of Northfleet Green, in the parish of Northfleet, near Gravesend, was discovered to be on fire, and messengers were at once despatched to Gravesend and Dartford for the engines. Before they arrived, however, the wheat stacks and range of out-offices in the yard caught fire, and upon arrival of the Gravesend engines the whole of the premises were in flames. The Dartford engines soon after arrived, and, a good supply of water being at hand, they played with a sufficiency of success to save the dwelling-house, but the barns, stables, and other out-offices, together with four large stacks of wheat, and a quantity of wheat, partly thrashed and partly unthrashed, which had been in the barn in which the fire originated, were totally consumed. The horses and pigs were fortunately driven out of their respective houses of shelter before the fire communicated to them. Mr. Smith was in Gravesend when the alarm of a fire apparently in the direction of his house was given; but until he approached its vicinity he was not aware of the calamity that awaited his return home. All that it was possible to do to preserve the dwelling-house was accomplished by the enginemen, assisted by the people of the neighbourhood; but the fire raged in the farmyard with a fury altogether irrepressible by any effort of those parties, or by any supply of water, however copiously discharged upon it by the engines. The destruction of and damages to property is estimated at £2,000. The buildings are fully insured, as is also the stock, the former by the proprietor, Mr. Brenchley, of Woomble Hall, Northfleet, to whom the premises on the farm held by Mr. Mace, and which were burnt down this time, twelvemonth, also belonged, and the farm stock by Mr. Smith, the tenant.

About seven minutes past five o'clock on Sunday morning a flame was observed by a policeman at the station-house, Gravesend, to burst through a first floor window of the "Black Horse Tavern," nearly opposite the Town hall, in High street; an alarm being immediately given, the inmates of the house rushed from their respective bed-rooms, some down stairs and some into the large parlour on the first floor.

From the front room in the lower part of the house Mrs. King, the landlady, and her daughter were compelled to retreat, and leave the money and papers which it was their object to preserve, and endeavour to save their lives through one of the first floor windows, many of the inmates having already effected their escape in that way. When they got into the large room alluded to, fifteen or sixteen of the lodgers, the house being full, as it was the fair time, were endeavouring to get out of the two windows, and Mrs. King leaped out of one, followed by Miss King and a man named Aldridge. At this time the flames also burst through the windows, and the whole house, in an inconceivably short time, was one mass of flame. By this time the Gravesend engines, which had been at the fire at Northfleet Green arrived on the spot, but no water could be procured for nearly twenty minutes, an interval which was occupied in communicating with the superintendent of the waterworks, and during which the fire extended to the houses on either side of the "Black Horse."

The Dartford and Rochester engines arrived from Northfleet Green, where they had been detained in a successful attempt to save Mr. Smith's house, but even when they arrived the water had not been laid on. However, there was soon a copious supply, and the efforts of the firemen were directed to the prevention of the spread of the fire to the houses adjoining the "Black Horse" on either side; but all their efforts were fruitless to prevent the communication of the fire to the houses in the rear of the "Black Horse," as well as to those in the alley leading from High Street to Prince's Street, and to three houses at each side of "Black Horse" and fronting High Street. The whole of these were one mass of flame, which, despite the great quantity of water at this time discharged upon it by fire engines, was nit abated until it had no more fuel to feed upon.

About eight o'clock the "Black Horse Tavern," together with the house of Mr. Tollis, butcher; Mr. Smith, grocer; Mr. Hollingdale, draper; Mr. Harris, bootmaker; and Mr. Hall, China warehouse keeper, were totally destroyed.

To the rear of those fronting Princes Street, a slaughter house of Mr. Tollis's and four cottages belonging to Mr. Hall were also destroyed.

The "Catherine Wheel Tavern," next to Mr. Smith's house, the party-wall of which resisted the extension of the fire to the tavern, was much damaged, as were the houses immediately above Mr. Hollingdale's.

At the time the fire broke out there were, as Mrs. King states, twenty six persons, including lodgers, in the house. One of them, a man belonging to Mr. Wombwell's show-booth at the fair, is missing, and supposed to have been consumed; but at the time of our reporter leaving in the evening no search for his remains, if he be destroyed, had been instituted in the ruins. In leaping from the window Mrs. King suffered a severe injury, having three of her ribs broken. Mr. Aldridge was still more severely if not fatally injured in the back. Miss King was also badly hurt.

Mr. King, the landlord of the "Black Horse," was not at home. He is but partially injured, and his loss, it is said, is little less than ruinous to him. Neither Mr. Hall nor Mr. Hollingdale is insured in respect either to stock or houses. Mr. Tollis's house was fully insured, but his furniture was not, and he barely saved his account books. In Mr. King's desk was, as our reporter learned, over £100, in gold and notes; the latter consumed, and the former amid the ruins, as are the remains, as is supposed, of at least the showman of Mr. Wombwell. Mrs. King does not appear to be quite sure of the number of lodgers that night in the house, as many came in from the fair at various hours of the night up to three o'clock.

How the fire originated is doubtful, but there are strong reasons for believing that it was in the smoking room. The policeman states, that when he first discovered it the flame was issuing from a window on the first floor. The loss is variously estimated, but it would appear to be about £10,000.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS AND OFFICIAL REPORT.

The recent calamitous fire at Gravesend has caused the deepest sensation in the neighbourhood, and during Monday hundreds of persons visited the spot, while several men were employed in shoring up the buildings adjoining the houses which were burnt, and in searching the ruins for the body of Thomas Mee, who is supposed to have perished in the flames. From inquiries amongst the parties who were sleeping at the "Black Horse" public house, on Saturday night, the following facts have been gathered with reference to the outbreak of the fire.

It appeared a man named Calcraft, who slept on the premises, perceiving a strong smell of fire, immediately got up, and he then found that the lower part of the house was in flames. He directly shouted "Fire," and in another moment he heard some of the parties stirring in the rooms overhead. Mrs. King, the wife of the occupier of the house, instantly threw up the sash of her bedroom window and jumped into the street. The poor creature was considerably injured by her fall, but she was conveyed immediately to the "Five Bells Inn," where every attention was paid to her, and we are glad to state that she has sustained no serious injury.

A man, named James Ford, also a lodger of the "Black Horse," was so alarmed that he jumped out of the third floor window, and was taken to the workhouse apparently in a dying state, but on Monday the poor fellow was able to give an account of the occurrence. He states that he was awakened by Thomas Mee's calling out, "For God's sake get up, as the house is on fire, and I can't tell how we are to get out, as the flames are coming up stairs." Ford jumped out of bed, and upon opening the door, and looking down the staircase, saw the flames mounting with the most frightful rapidity. Thinking it would be better if he could get into the floor below, he and Mr. Thomas Mee attempted to descend the stairs, but this they could not effect, the flames being too powerful for them, so he begged Mee to follow him into the bedroom again, and jump after him into the street, as there appeared no other chance of escape. Ford having jumped out saw no more of Mee, not has he since been seen or heard of. A servant girl was saved by being taken through a side window into an adjoining house. Several other persons escaped over the roof. Cleveland, one of the Gravesend fire police, states that when he arrived at the scene, the lower part of the premises were alight, and the screams of the people in the house were heart rendering. He obtained the engine ladders, and climbing into the first floor of the "Catherine Wheel" public house for the purpose of rendering any assistance he could to the sufferers, got upon the landing just in time to rescue the servant of Mr. King, who was standing at a window. He then went on to the gutter of the "Catherine Wheel," and after having the hose hauled up to him the heat became so intense that it melted the lead, which ran in a stream at his feet and compelled him to quit the spot. At this moment a man, named Aldridge, came to his assistance, and succeeded in saving another woman in a similar manner. They then ran along the parapet, and Aldridge saved himself by sliding down a piece of iron used as a stay to the stack of chimneys, by which he was badly burned, and he now lies at the "Five Bells" very ill. The engines were worked most efficiently, and the police arrangements under Superintendent North and Inspector Oxley, were well carried out. There were present at the fire about twenty of the 10th Regiment of foot from Tilbury Fort.

The engines would have been earlier in their arrival but for the fact that two of them, under Superintendent Aitkin, of the Gravesend fire-police, were at the fire at Mr. Smith's farm, at Northfleet Green, Dartford, and Northfleet, all of which were worked till a late hour on Monday afternoon; notwithstanding which, the fire was not extinguished until seven houses were destroyed, and others materially injured.

Search was made for the body of the unfortunate watchman Mee during the whole of Monday, but up to five o'clock only a small bone of an arm was found. It is said that an Italian, who was lodging at the "Black Horse" at the time of the outbreak, is also missing.

The following is a copy of the official report of the damage caused by this disastrous event, as far as can at present be ascertained:- Sunday, Oct. 26, half-past 5 a.m.

"A fire broke out upon the premises belonging to Mr. Thomas King, licensed victualler, the "Black Horse," 52 High Street, Gravesend. The cause unknown. Dwelling house, stock in trade, furniture, and other effects entirely consumed. The ball-room, tap, kitchen, and a workshop at the back of front premises also destroyed. Insurance unknown at present.

"No. 53, High Street:- Mr. Tallis, butcher. Stock in trade, furniture, and building consumed.

"No. 54 High Street:- Mrs. Smith, grocer. Building gutted, front walls pulled down. The furniture and contents od shop destroyed. Insurance unknown.

"No. 51 1/2, High Street:- Mr. Needham Henry, boot maker. Content of building consumed, furniture and house destroyed. Uninsured.

"No. 51 High Street:- Stock in trade destroyed, and furniture burned. Insurance not known.

"No. 50. High Street:- Mr. Hall, China-dealer. First and second floors burned out, contents of ditto destroyed.

"No. 25. High Street:- Mr. Parsons, perfumer and hair-cutter. Front of house severely burnt. Furniture and stock in trade damaged by water and removal.

"No. 26 High Street:- Mr. Taylor, baker. Front of premises damaged by fire.

"No. 24 High Street:- Mr. McDonald, licensed victualler, the "Rose Tavern" (adjoining the Town Hall). Front of building severely scorched.

"No. 1, Globe Yard:- Mr. Hollendale. Building burnt down.

"No. 5 Globe Yard:- Mr. Blackman. Building and contents partly consumed. Insurance unknown.

"No. 4. Globe Yard. Mrs. Murray. Front of building and furniture seriously injured by hasty removal. Uninsured.

Back of Globe Yard:- Mr. Tallis's slaughter-house and kitchen burnt down. Mrs. Smith:- A large warehouse and contents destroyed.

"No. 55 High Street:- Mr. W. Dawson. The "Catherine Wheel Tavern." Roof of building damaged by fire and water.