The National Register.
London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF DRMY-LANE THEATRE.

Without the most remote apprehension of conflagration, and,
being the night for the celebration of Oratorios, at the exact
time when no business was conducting in it, Drury-Lane
Theatre was discovered to be on fire, soon after eleven o'clock
on-Friday night. Its progress was as astonishing as its effects w ere
destructive. . _

_ .
Itwas first observed at the end next to Bridges-street, where
a number of carpenters have lately been employed in making
alteratiotis, and it has been conjectured that a light had unfor-
tunately been left there by the workmen. Wit hin a few minutes
after it was' first oh‘erved, the flames burst out at the root, and
encircled the statue of Apollo. About a quarter before twelve,
the statue,-and part of the ro6f on which it mood, fell in with a
.terrible -crash. There • was a reservoir of water on the roof;
but-neither ks contents, nor all the engines that could be applied,
produced any effect on the flames. The-roof fell down by frag-
ments, lind not alt at .once, as is common in buildings destroyed
by ire.

The fiankes,first broke out in the work-rooms immediately
over the Lounge, or the Cobby, where the •audienee resorted
for refreshment. Theengines, although instantly. sent.for, could
not reachske scene of destruction in time to give effectual 11.-
sistance. It was nearly half past eleven before they could ad-
minister auy aid, and at that. period the violence of the flames
war irresistible. The utust.serious fews wese entertained for all
jhe housgssitnated in Vinegar,-yard, NVoiouru-court, the Ad-
jacent pmsages.
When the Are was rst discovered in the Interior of the The,
*re,. several attempts Were made to extiuguisb At.v. bat it .bad
completely identified itself with the wood, and in Jess than five
ip,inuos after the,entraoce.of-btr. Johmtoa, the Alachinist, who;
ge.sidipi close to the ,I Ouse, was one of the first Mutt witgeged
ate progress . a the. 41,Nnes. the 09,zp0,. pit, stage, 'Legg
Rygredxich ,fircanfi
o.ivivoiwa 14.rmilffem.--kgrAft- 1444.• :44410

a

Without the most remote apprehension of conflagration, and, I which the House had been
,just informed hall befallen a Right
being the night for the celebration of Oratorios, at the exact ' Hon. Gent. (Mr. Sheridan) for whom every one oni-t feel.
. ~ time when no business was conducting in it, Drury-Lane lir. Sheridan in a low tone of voice, and ev Heat! 1 auxli af-
I.
1.-,i. Theatre was discovered to be on fire, soon after eleven o'clock feeted, said he did nut think the misfortune w ',Jell had happened
4,
on-Friday night. Its progress was as astonishing as its effects n ere to himself was of a proper nature to interrupt the proetenints of.
destructive. the !louse. This sentiment was with ditliculty acquiesced in
It.was first observed at the end next to Bridges-street, where land the debate proceeded.
. .
a number of carpenters have lately been employed in making We rejoice to state that the fire extended no further than the
alterations, and it has been conjectured that a light had ardor- ruins of the Theatre, with the exception of :-lIIIIC slight damage
~.1,.,
1 turitely been left there by the workmen. Within a few minutes done to Mr. Beath's oyster-shop, and Nathan's fruit-shop, in
after it was' first observed, the flames burst out at the roof, and Vinegar-yard, which was ocea,ioned by the falling of the walls.i '.
encircled the statue of Apollo. About a quarter before twelve, of the Theatre in that direction. Some of the houses partially
the statue; part of the ro6f on which it stood, fell in with a caught fire in Russel-street. but the engines with a plentiful sup-
.terrible -crash. There • was a reservoir of water on the roof; ply of water, continued to play on the houses contiguous to the
butneither its contents, nor all the engines that could be applied, Theatre. The walls in every quarter have been (teem helemed,
produced any effect on the flames. Theroof fell down by frag- with the exception of those coustituting the east end, toward*
menus, lind not altat.once, as is common in buildings destroyed Drury-lane. It turns out that the edifice was en-elect on timber
by ire. piers, cased with stone. The destructiou of the whole building
The flankasArst broke out in the work-rooms immediately is of course easily accounted fur. • '
•,
over the Lounge, or the Lobby, where the •andienee resorted It is positively stated, that the natchinan of the Theatre, after
going his rounds at nine o'clock, atmounced, in the u-nat way,
for refreihment. The engines, although instantly. sent for, could
not reach. the scene of .-destruction in time to give effectual IP- that all was well. The Insurance Offices will he very cow:4er- I
sistance. It was nearly half past eleven before they could ad- able sufferers. In consequence of the late tire :.; (~win-garden
Theatre, it was deemed prudent to enlarge the instironce of the
minister any aid, and at that. period the violence of the flames
w.as itzesistibfre. The tnast.serious fears were eoter.tatafd for all Drury-lane property. The whole of the insurances etrecteCi ~
Ate house.ssituAted in Vinegar-yard, Woburn-court., .and the ad- amounts to about 10,0001. It is• not quite a finnan since an in- •I.
surance for 10,00 W. was refused by the. A Ibion and the ( ilobe
peent passages. ..
When the Are was ffirst discovered in the Interior of the The, Offices. No fire has oceurred fur the last fitty years in the ,
*tre, several attempts were made to extinguish it t.. bat it .bad metropolis, that has been attended with soch rap id. and ;leeisivp
completely identified itself with the wood, and in Jess thaw five destruction. .It is due to the exertions of the firemen belonging 1:
to the different Offices, to observe, that they worked the engines
Woo" after the eutrance of -btr. JohltsteD, the Alachinist, who,
gesidipg close to the. „WALK, was one of the first Abat wittlePOO with • incessant labour .and great judgment.. All their Worts
the, progress .of the. *tines. the boxes,. pit, KO. stage, mete were, however, in vain; and it was found totally intlio,sii.44l to
.i
. i preserve a single vestige of the interior. of the !onuses Tte, amt.
frered .W. ith fire .441 ,mAkc.
0 thy 0.151009,0 41 .1#4,4*(4, -PAW* .111,44- ..i.ftrian A
• , I Wilde assembled pa -the PCClNiaD.Bl2loapiad. Watie#St-a(buadret
. •
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