The National Register.
London, England, 1821-09-16 00:00:00

CALAMITOUS FIRES.

At about two o'clock on Sunday morning a fire was dis-
covered in the back part of Inc premises of Messrs.
Southall and Fossick, umbrella manufacturers, whose
house is situated at the front of White-har iourt, Grace
church-street. Before any fire engines had arrived the
flames had communicated to the premises of Mr. Ryan,
t to ch eesemonger, and iot the arrival of the first engine,
belonging to the London Insurance Company, the fire
made its appearance at the front of both houses. The
fire had advanced teo far in the house of Mr. Fossick to
attempt to rescue any considerable part of the orowny ;
bin the firemen having with difficulty roused Nsr. Ryan,
th.y proceeded with the greatest vigour and alacrity to
remove as much as they could of Ina stock. The fire
engines began to come in rapidly, and there being a
plentiful supply of water, they immediately commenced
playing upon the premises, but as the flames spread
chiefly at the back part of them, they had great difficulty
in operatingtfrout the court.
The firemen in the front of the buildings had suc-
ceeded in removing a considerable portion of the stock
of Mr. Ryan, the citron:longer, when those inside the
premises were called off, as it was considered they could
no longer exert themselves with safety. Two, however,
r.innained within longer than the rest, and the house had
ls!en on fire about half an hour, when dreadful to relate,
i-. fell in with a .0051 horrid crash. One of the adven-
turous firemen was at the time in the houee, and must
without doubt have been crushed to pieces in the moment.
The other, who had remained behind, just got out of
the building, but a considerable portion of the ruins fell
upon him, and lie was removed in so mutilated a state
•tat we are informed he died shortly aiter.—The body
of the other unfortunate man still remains buried under
a pile of ruins, front whch he cannot be yet extricated,
35 the si of is overhung by a frightful stack of chimneys,
which are momentarily expected to fall. During the
occurrence of these melancholy circumstances in front,
ate fire spread with a degieee of they behind that defied
the united energy of the firemen.
The extensive premises of Messrs. Lowe and Pewte-
Tess, stationers, were on fire, and their entire stock in a
blaze. The Quakers' meeting-home took fire, and was
ni ruins in a tew minutes; and in it, we are informed,
were consumed an extensive library, and other property
el importance to a numerous class 01 the Society of.
Friends, beside much property belonging to the person
who has the care of the establishment. Front the resist
less progress of the flames, the banking houses of Messrs.
Spooner and Attwood, and Messrs. Mastcrinan, were in
great danger; and indeed at one time their destruction
appeared inevitable. The firemen however performed
wonders. The house of Messrs. Nlasterinan was three
limes OH fire, but was each time bilbdued by astonishing
exertion. On the fate of the hteise of Messrs. Master-
Mall and Cu., it was considered depended that of the
whole neighbourhood, as adjoining are the premises of
Air. Allen the chymist.
From this connection the event of the exertions to
save the house of Messrs. Masterman was watched with
intense anxiety by the inhabitants of the contiguous
houses, who were preparing their goods for removal.—
The firemen, by directing constant streams of water upon
the house of Astons. Spooner and Cu. succeeded in pre-
serving it from material injury.

At about four o'clock' the houses which we have men-
tioned as being in flames fell in succrastvel, when the
f were enabled io direct the i, efforts for the pre.
serration of the surrounding property with success, and
after that lime the flames made no further progress.—
The house of Mr. Ryan the cheese-monger, in the ruins
of which the uuforuuate firemen perished, was very old
and dilapidated, which accounts for its' having fallen in
in so short a time, although but partially consumed.
It cannot at present be ascertained where, or in u hat
manner the fire originated, but is considered to have pre-
ceeded from the back premises of Messrs. Fossick, the
umbrella makers. The property consumed was but par-
tially insured, and see are informed that the house of tslr.
Ryan was not insured at all. It may be supposed that
tile thieves, who generally assemble en masse on such
occasions, were upon the alert. But the city police
were equally prompt, and proceeded to remove as many
of the thieves as they could lay hold of front the scene
to places of security. Many, however, had begun the
work of plunder, and divided upon the spot the cheeses
which were saved from the fire ; but the property was
taken from them by the ufbeers who guarded the ave-
nues; and we have not heard• that any considerable
Aeoperty was stolen Irma the inhabitants, who were
!employed in removing their property to places of safety,
• nor that any other lives were lost than wine of the two
unfortunate men we have 'petitioned, and who, we un-
derstand, did belonisto the London Insurance Company
On Monday morning, abont 10 minutes before five
**clock, a fire broke out, supposed in the lower part of
the premises of Mr. ftlyerr, sen. a pmcil manufacturer,
corner of Princes street, and Richniondsstrect, St. Ann's
Soho. An alarm w.s given by persons who observed
the fi.e and smoke issuitrg through the shop windows,
as they *ere accidentally :posing. At this time, all
verve's in the. house *brel buried its sleep. A scene
soon presented itself,9which defies description! loud
shouts of tilt —shriek self potqers, withoebildren at their
bosoms, almost in a state o( puclity—numbets of men,
women, and children, minting out of their houses and
along the streets, to seek a itrelie: at a distance from the
devastating element-the windows re Winne etery house
in the neighbourhood the ioliat.itanis,
'viciously requiring. I. Areeyie sate"—others retunviie_
th tr roperty into St. Ann. church-yard, .ind placing
th •ir mnocent and helpless 'babes on'ireds, in the °pelt
air. house of Mr. Niyene hail burnt eery consider.
ably before he or any of theiliallgtis were 4(lu:timed
*tat their danger. ad Mr. Meyers, ilia a son a:.d
d .ughter, ,!,ot out at a side door (ear co:ranee to the line
intinencettpied by Mr. Slyen, tan. in the music and
vtelkti busihafefr l!ele. Myers was much burnt, bating
tlra3ged one of hia arias out of a room oa the first floor,