Star.
London, England, 1830-03-01 00:00:00

DREADFUL CATASTROPHE.

The neighbourhood of Deptford, and the Lime Kilns, Lewisham,
were on Saturday thrown into the most indescribable consternation
by the sudden fall of an extensive Sugar-mould Pottery at Tanner's
Hill, a small village, situate midway between the Broadway, Dept.
ford, and Lewisham, which we regret to state, has been attended
with the most afflicting consequences.
The building had been erected about 35 years, and was divided
Into three floors for themoulding of sugar-pots—it was constructed
lit wood. At about eleven o'clock in the forenoon there were en.
Aged at work in the building ten individuals, (three boys and seven
men), eight of whom were at work on the ground floor, and the
other two on the top.—Mr. Keeling, the proprietor, a few minutes
after eleven, left the pottery, and went to his kitchen-garden, but
bad scarcely reached; it, when the whole building fell in with a
most tremendous crash, followed by the most heart-rending shrieks
which proceeded from the unfortunate labourers, all of whom were
buried beneath the fallen materials.
A number of persons came running to the ruins to assist in ex.
Wasting the unfortunate sufferers, whose piteous cries for help were
the most piercing that can be imagined. As soon as it was at all
practicable, a number of men, under the direction of Mr. Keeling,
who had so providentially escaped, set to work in clearing away the
bricks, timber, and rubbish—and the first person they came to was
spoor fellow, named Watts, who, at the time of the accident, was at
work with another man, named James Arnold, on the top floor; he
was completely concealed under the rubbish, but his groans were
distinctly heard by the persons present; the individuals who were
assisting in extricating him had cleared away the rubbish from his,
legs and thigs, and were succeeding fast in saving him, when un.
fortunately, a part of the gable wall that was left standingt fell in,
and, in addition to burying the unfortunate man again, the leg of a
man named Tipple, was severely lacerated. This disastrous event
intimidated the men in their exertions, although the groans of the
poor creatures were still to be heard in all parts of the ruins, and
nearly twenty minutes elapsed before it was deemed prudent to re-
sume their labours ; when they went to work again with increased
energy, and finally removed Watts from the ruins, but he was quite
dead, and his face crushed to atoms. A man, named Darvill,was next
taken out dead. A third man, named James Bridgeland, aged 70,
who, at the time the building fell, was carrying a board of dump
(that is, lumps of clay to be made into the proper forms.) upon his
head, was taken out with his collar-bone broken, his head dread-
fully cut, and his shoulder much injured ; he was placed upon a
litter of straw, and carried in a cart to St. Thomas's Hospital, where
be now lies without hope of recovery. James Arnold, the man
who was at work with the unfortunate Watts on the third floor,
turning a wheel, was released, with his face severely lacerated 4 he
was conveyed to the Kent Dispensary, at Deptford, where every at.
tention was paid to him, and he was finally removed to the house of
his friends. William Symonds, John Brown, Richard Russell, a
boy, William Robinson, also a boy, and another boy, named Wm.
Bowatick, although partially buried under the rubbish, were, ftom
die manner in which the timbers fell, preserved from destruction.—
A man, named William Greenwood, who was at work at the mill
11.1:eVremlies, grinding the clay, providentially, with his hone,
unhurt. The unfortunate Watts was a single man, 21 years
of we, and was the whole support of a widowed mother and eight
Mothers and sisters. Darvill was married, and has left four chil-
dren to bewail his loss. The other unfortunate men are, happily,
without families. At the time the building fell, there were at least
eight tons weight of clay on the floors, which was the least quantity
that had been upon them before. The catastrophe was caused by
the breaking of one of the beams that supported the third or top
door; and from its fragments, there can be no doubt that it was
completely rotten, which may, in a great measure, be attributed to
to the immense heat from a large cockell that is kept burning day
and night on the premises. Mr. Keeling is a severe loser by the
'dreadful event.

THE LORD MAYOR'S BUTTONS.—The answer given
by the Lord Mayor to the Birmingham button-makers, that he could
not wear what buttons he pleased during his Mayoralty, has excited
some surprise. A learned antiquarian supposes the Impatience pro-
voked by restraint on Lord Mayors in this matter may have been
the origin of the popular exclamation, " I.)—a my buttons!"
PREPARING FOR TILE WORST.—Once On a time
it happened that a poor wight married a shrew, who led him a most
precious life ; she fell ill, the doctor was called in, and the anxious
affectionate husband inquired of him how kis dear spouse was ?
Galen shook his head, and told him to prepare for the worst.—
" What," said he, " is she likely to get over it ?"
There are some Flowers, the growth of which even
the present inclement season cannot check ; our friend Sir Charles
is a flourishing specimen. He lately inquired (we do not vouch for
his originality) why used pioneers to go before the army ? "To
are the way if they saw occasion."
Notwithstanding the prevalence of distress, Cupid
seems to throw his darts with wonderful effect. Whhia the ilit
three days no less than 38 couples have been married at our parish
churcb.—Bfadowert