Kentish Gazette, 26 August 1851.

Destructive Fire and Loss of Life.

On Saturday morning a destructive fire broke out on the premises of the "Cock" public house, Chatham, in the occupation of Mr. Baldock, which spread with alarming rapidity, and resulted in the loss of one life and injury to others.

The family and inmates, it appears, retired to rest about midnight, the landlord, as was his usual custom, cautioning the lodges and servants to mind that their candles were safe. About an hour afterwards he was alarmed by the cry of "fire," which was discovered raging in the lower part of the house, and which burnt so rapidly that the inmates with difficulty escape, Mrs. Baldock, with three of her children, being obliged to get out of the windows; before doing which, however, she attempted to arouse a young man who was asleep in one of the bedrooms, which she failed in doing, and he in consequence lost his life. He had only arrived there on the previous day, and his name is a present unknown.

Caroline Bennett, in jumping from the chamber window received very serious injuries of the spine, beside being much cut by the glass; and the servant girl, in escaping by the garret window, likewise sustained considerable injury.

The fire, the origin of which is unknown, extended to the adjoining house in the occupation of Mr. Sibbett, fruiterer, which was entirely destroyed, and he is, we regret to say, uninsured. Mr. Baldock in insuring in the Phoenix.

The Kent and Sun fire engines were in attendance, and by their united efforts, the flames was subdued about 4 o'clock. The remains of the unfortunate man have been discovered among of ruins and deposited in a shell in await the coroner's inquest.

Kentish Gazette, 2 September 1851.

The Late Fire.

A coroner's inquest has since been holding on the body, before Mr. Hills, coroner for West Kent.

Mr Baldock deposed:- I am the landlord of the "Cock" public house. Cannot remember the deceased coming into the house. Two marines, myself, and deceased were the only males in the house. Did not see the deceased go to bed. Closed the house between 11 and 12; turned the gas off and saw everything safe, and then went to bed. First awoke by my wife, opened the door, and was nearly suffocated with the smoke; rushed into the bedroom and took two children in my arms, and threw them to a marine in the back yard who was up. My little girl, age 8, and another, age 11, jumped out of the window, and are hurt. My wife held on to the window, but was rescued by a marine. Do not know how much spirits I sent into the taproom. I am very much burnt about the face as I rushed through the flames with my children. We lost everything; the clothes I have on are borrowed. The two marines escaped only in their shirts; I went to the adjutant this morning, who sent them down some clothes. They exerted themselves bravely, nearly naked for two hours. One of the marines had a past; the other was absent. I generally turn off the gas at the main, but did not that night only at each tap.

The servant and Mrs. Baldock were also examined, but neither of them could afford any clue to the origin of the fire. The latter related that there was no fire in the house all the evening, except in the back kitchen away from the house; nor did she smell any gas when she was alarmed out of her sleep.

The jury returned a verdict, "That the deceased Isaac Amos was burnt to death by a house taking fire, but how the fire originated there is no evidence to show."