"At about 9 o'clock on the evening of September 8th 1727, fire broke out in a barn, in which a great number of persons were met together to see a puppet show. In the barn were a great many loads of new light straw. The barn was thatched with straw which was very dry, and the inner roof was covered with old dry cobwebs, so that the fire like lightening flew around the barn in an instant. There was but one small door, which was close nailed up, and could not easily be broken down. When it was opened, the passage was so narrow and everybody so impatient to escape that the door was presently blocked up, and most of those that did escape, which was but very few, were forced to crawl over the bodies of those that lay in a heap by the door."
"Seventy six perished immediately and two more died of their wounds within two days."
"The fire was occasioned by the negligence of a servant who set a candle and lanthorne in or near a heap of straw which lay in the barn. The servant's name was Richard Whittaker, from the parish of Hadstock in Essex, who was tried for the fact at an assize held in Cambridge on 27 March 1728 but was acquitted."
A stone in Burwell churchyard is dedicated to the memory of those who perished.
So sad ...but an amazing account of the tragedy in the register.... made me feel it was recent.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that sad John. I went to Burwell once as a child - to tea at Burwell Manor, which used in those days to belong to Laurie Wallis - the bookmaker (my friend's father worked in one of his betting shops). I vividly remember a huge mulberry tree in the garden which was dripping with ripe, purple fruits.
ReplyDeleteA tragedy indeed, and further evidence that human behavior hasn't changed a lot in the last 300 years. We still hear of such events. Jim
ReplyDeleteA tragedy indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have a question though: how did the people get in through the nailed-shut door? And the very narrow corridor?
Me again. I've had a look at other posts of your blog and I like what I see. Enough to become a follower.
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy if you took a look at my blog too.
Sad but fascinating read. Thank you for sharing it. I'm an old cemetery tromper myself. I love to envision the lives of those beneath the sod, based on the scant information supplied by their headstones.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing such a lost and tragic piece of history back to people's attentions.
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a sad story. It is also a reminder that when we look at the bucolic straw thatched buildings, there is another side to the story.
ReplyDeleteThen or now, such loss of life is always tragic. It's less defensible these days with modern materials and so on but it still happens. The account somewhat reminds me of the fire we had at the Bradford City Football ground in 1985 when 56 died and hundreds were injured. Again, part of the problem was that people got trapped in narrow exits.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all let me welcome Friko and Jenny who have recently become followers of BSAH. Thanks for all the comments. I don't know about you but I get the feeling from reading the contemporary report that the writer was personally affected by the tragedy in some way; the writing seems so very immediate. I presume that the door was nailed up once the barn was full to capacity so that the show could proceed. I once saw a thatched building burn down (thankfully with nobody in it), it went up with frightening speed and ferocity.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tragedy and so horrific for those people involved. It seems strange that they had to nail the door closed - how awful! Good to see there is still a memorial in the churchyard.
ReplyDelete