The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-08 00:00:00

TWO FIRES AT ALBURY PARR.

Late on Friday night a fire broke out at Albury
Park, the Surrey residence of the Duke of Northum-
berland, which for many months past has been under-
going extensive repairs. The house is furnished with
electric bells, and one of these, acted upon by the fire,
first gave warning of the danger to the housekeeper,
who speedily aroused the other domestics. It was
then found that the roof of the south front of the
house was on fire, and that the flames were rapidly
spreading. Assistance WM promptly rendered by
persons in the neighbourhood, and a good supply
of water being obtained from a reservoir near the
house a hose was directed upon the roof ; and
the best exertions were made to subdue the fire.
A messenger was despatehed to Guildford for the
Volunteer Fire Brigade, and they, accompanied by Mr.
Macdonald, their superintendent, speedily mustered
and came with a powerful engine. On reaching Al-
bury, however, they found that the fire had been got
under by the active exertions of those on the spot, '
although not before a great portion of the roof had
been destroyed, and several rooms, recently rebuilt and
finished at great cost, had been much damaged by fire
and water. The Duke, who was staying at Northum-
berland-house, was apprised by telegraph of the oc-
currence, and, accompanied by the Duchess and Lord
Percy, arrived at Albury at four o'clock on Saturday
morning, by apocial train, but the mansion was then
well protected, and all danger of a further outbreak or
extension of the fire appeared at an end.
Another fire occurred at Albury-park on Saturday
night. It appears that the house watchman was going
his ro tods about twelve o'clock, when he heard a
peculiar crackling noise, and on searching for its cause
discovered that a bedroom filled with costly furniture
was on fire. He immediately gave an alarm, and all
the available assistance on the estate was promptly
rendered. The Duke and his son, Lord Percy, took an
energetic share in endeavouring to save the house from
destruction. The Guildford Fire Brigade, which
had left early in the morning, under the supposi-
tion that all danger was over, was again summoned.
Although greatly fatigued from their exertions of
the previous night, the firemen, with Mr. Macdonald,
were on their way to Albury with an engine in less
than 20 minutes. On reaching the spot they found
the fire nearly subdued by those on the spot. They,
however, made use of their engine to pump a supply
of water into a reservoir, and also set to work to re-
move furniture from different parts of the house.
Fortunately, the fire raged for only a short time, the
building being for the most part fireproof. A bed and
a chest of drawers were consumed, and the apart-
ment was charred and blackened by the action of the
smoke.

The second fire occurred in a different part of the
building from that which was the scene of the former
outbreak, with which it was in no way connected.
This circumstance, coupled with the fact of a recent
fire at Northumberland-house, and another at Alnwick
Castle, has now induced a pretty general belief that all
these fires must have been the work of an incendiary.