The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-11-05 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT PIMLICO,

DREADFUL EXPLOSION-LOSS OF SEVEN LIVES.
(From the Morning Herald of Saturday.)
About half-past seven o'clock last evening the neighbour-
hood of Buckingham Palace, Pimlico, and Westminister, was
alarmed by a loud rumbling noise, which shook the buildings
to their foundations, the terrified inhabitants rushing from
their dwellings into the streets, believing it to be the shock
of an earthquake.- Scarcely, however, had a minute elapsed
before myriads of sparks were observed rising into the air,
in the direction of William-street, and hundreds of persons
hastened to the spot, when the house of Mr. Harding; fire-
work maker, No. 10, in that street, was found to be one
body of fire from top to bottom. For some minutes it was
most dangerous to approach the building, on account of the
numerous rockets and other fireworks which continually dis-
charged themselves from the parlour windows. Several
persons, however, got to windward, and, with a window
shutter which they tore down, battered in the front door.
The whole interior, however was one body of fire, which pre-
vented their entrance, and the flames soon shot through the
roof and illuminated the atmosphere for miles round. Within
five minutes after the fire was discovered, the large engine
from the brewery of Messrs. Elliott and Co. was brought to
the spot by a large body of the men belonging to that firm,
followed almost immediately by one belonging to the brigade
from the Horseferry-road. There being a plentiful supply
of water they were instantly got into operation, but so power-
ful were the flames, and the sparks occasioned by,the salt-
petre,. &c., on the premises, that the men holding the bianches
were compelled to keep some distance from the building.
Sonie persons who had approached the rear of the premises
from Castle-lane heard a low moaning noise proceeding from
the yard, and on entering it they found Mrs. Harding in a
most deplorable condition, burnt nearly from head to foot.
She was immediately placed on a slnitter, and carried to the
Westminster Hospital, were she lies with scarcely any hopes
of her recovery. The flames had by that time extended them-
elves over the house No. 10, and it was feared the whole of
the adjoining houses would be burnt. The engine of the
brigade from the Chandos-street station, closely followed by
that belonging to.the Grosvenor-place district, the West of
England, the County, and five or six other engines of the
brigade, however arrived, and poured a vast body of water
on the flames, which, about nine o'clock, were so far sub-
dued as to allay all apprehension of their extending further.
As soon as the confusion had in a slight degree subsided,
inquiries began to be made as to the fate of the Inmates, both
houses, which are the property of a lady named Hardy, Leing
let out in tenements, audit was found that the house No. 10c,
in which the explosion took place, was inhabited by five
families—viz., Mr. and Mrs. Harding on the basement ; Mr.
and Mrs. Hanson and ta o soils on the first floor ; a soldier,
whose wife died on the previous afternoon, and whose corpse
now lies in the ruins, on the second floor ; a woman named
Hitchins, and in the attics another named Jenkins. How
many of the different families were at home at the moment
of the awful occurrence, had not, when our informant left,
been correctly ascertained.
Mrs. Hanson, however, stated that she had not left the
apartments of Mr.i and Mrs. Harding five minutes before the
explosion took place. At that time she left in the parlour
Mr. Harding, who had only that afternoon been liberated
from Tuthill-fields prison, having been committed by the
magistrates of Queen-square in default of paying a penalty
of 40s. for illegally selling fireworks, Mrs. Harding and Mr.
Jenkins, Mrs. Hitchins, a son of Mrs. Anson, aged 15 years,
and three other lads whose names could not be ascertained,
the whole engaged in the manufacture of fireworks. Mrs.
Hanson cannot tell how she escaped, but she believes that
she rushed down stairs 'and out at the back door, at the in-
stant of hearing the explosion, her son George, who was up
stairs with her, jumped out of the window. The distress of
Mrs. Hanson as to the fate of her own son was most poignant,
she having been to the Westminster Hospital and ascertained
that the only sufferer brought in there had been Mrs.
Harding. _ _

Up -Co 10 o'clock last night no. trace of the other unfor-
tunate creatures had been discovered, and a feeling became
general that the whole of them must have been perished in
the flames.

The force of the explosion, it appears, blew out the parlour
windows against the Palace Arms public house, the windows
of which were broken by the concussion.
The engines still continue to play on the ruins, they being
too hot for any attempt being made to examine them. Mr.
Braidwood was in attendance superintending the operations
of the.firemen, and Mx. Superintendent Lowry, with a strong
party of the B division, were likewise in attendance to keep
the crowd off.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.
(From the Morning Herald of Monday.)
Immediately on Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent of
the Fire Engine Establishment, being informed that
it was suppe.;2d the bodies of several persons were in the
ruins, he gave the necessary directions for cooling the ruins
with all speed, with a view to their being got out. That
was accomplished about 12 o'clock, but, from the dangerous
state of a stack of chimneys at the premises, it was not
considered safe to make the attempt until after daylight.
The engines were, however, kept in operation during the
night, and between five and six -o'clock the firemen com-
menced turning over the ruins, which they continued doing
until between eight and nine o'clock, when seven bodies
were extricated, among which was, that of the soldier's wife,
who had died on the day previous to the fatal.occurrence.
A number of shells having been provided by the parochial
authorities, the remains were placed in them, and carried
into the house, No. 9, adjoining those burnt, in the front
parlour of which they were deposited. •
. _ _

At the Westminster Hospital, on Saturday morning, Mrs.
Steinkopff, or Harding (for •her husband went by both
names), after languishing in great agony for five hours, ex-
pired about one' o'clock. • •
During the day immense numbers of persons congregated
in front of the scene of conilagraticn, and the greatest ex-
citement prevailed throughout the neighbourhood. A strong
body of the B division of. police
.was in attendance, as was
also a party of the brigade of firemen. Many persons were
admitted to see the remains of the unfortunate persons,
which presented a most horrible and frightful appearance.
They coull'soircely be recognised by their friends, .each ap-
pearing a blackened mass.

LORD PALMERSTON AND DR. YOUNG.—The author of
the "Night Thoughts," has married Lady Elizabeth Lee,
daughter of the Earl of Lichfield. Mrs. Temple, daughter
of Lady Elizabeth, by her former husband, died of consump-
tion two years after her marriage with Mr. Temple, (grand-
father of the present foreign secretary, Lord Palmerston.)—
As the Doctor saw her gradually declining, he used frequently
to walk backwards and forwards in a place called the King's
Garden, to find the most solitary spot where he might
show his last token of affection, by leaving her remains as
secure as possible from those savages who would have denied
her Christian burial; for at that time, an Englishman, in
France was looked upon as a heretic, an infidel, or a devil. The
under gardener being bribed, pointed out the most solitary
place, dug the grave, and let him bury his beloved daughter.
The man, through a private door, admitted the Doctor at
midnight, bringing his (laughter wrapped in a sheet upon his
shoulder, he laid her in the hole, sat down, and shed a flood
of tears over the remains of his dear Narcissa " With pious
sacrilege a grave I stole."—Countesi of .Huntingdon's Life
and Times, 2 vols.

pISHOP BENSON.—His Lordship attempted to convince
Lady Huntingdon of the unnecessary strictness of her sen-
timents and conduct. But she pressed him so hard with
scripture, brought so many arguments from the Articles and
Homilies, and so plainly and faithfully urged upon him the
awful responsibility of his, station under the Great Head of
the Church, that his temper was ruffled, and he rose up in
haste to depart, bitterly lamenting that he had ever laid his
hands upon George Whitefield, to whom he attributed the
change wrought in her Ladyship. "My Lord ! (said the
Countess), mark my. words : when you are on your dying
bed, that will be one of the few ordinations you will reflect
upon with complacence." The Bishop's. conduct at this
solemn season verified her prediction for, when near his
death, he sent ten guineas to Mr: Whitfield; as a token of
regard and veneration, and begged to be remembered by him
in his prayers!—Countess of Huntingdon's Life and Tizzies,
V &11.

ECCLESIASTICAL AND UNIVERSITY

INTELLIGENCE.

(From the Oxford Herald.)
On Thursday last the following Degrees were conferred :
DOCTOR IN CIVIL LAW.
William Frederick White, Trinity College.
MASTER OF ARTS.
George Moyle, Lincoln College.
Rev. Robert Pargiter Humfrey, Lincoln College.
Henry Sherston Baker, Exeter College.
Digby Charles Legard, Scholar of University College.
Jelin Whitlock Nicholl, Jesus College.
BACHELORS OF ARTS.

The Earl of March, Christ Church.
Hon. Adolphus Frederick Octarius Liddell, Christ Church.
Robert Matthew Milne, Magdalen Hall.
Charles Leopold Royds, Wadham College.
Frederick Peel Round, Balliol College.
Rev. John Charles Bentley, St. John's College, incorpo-
rated from Trinity College, Dublin.
In the Congregation holden on Thursday, the 24th instant,
William Henry Cope, of Trinity College, Dublin, 8.A., was
incorporated of Magdalen Hall.
The Cambridge Seatonian Prize has been adjudged to John
Murray, M.A., of Trinity College, in that University.
The Rev. Henry Jenkyns, M.A., late Fellow of Oriel
Coll., and Professor of Greek in the University of Durham,
Ilas been collated to a Prebendal Stall in the Cathedral of
Durham, vacant by the death of the Rev. R. Prosser, D.D.
The Rev. Frederick Septimus Emly, M.A., of Wadham
College, Rector of Kirkby Underwood, Lincolnshire, has
been appointed to the Chaplaincy of Falkingham House of
Correction.

The Rev. Charles Dunne, M.A., of Balliol College, has
been instituted, by the Lord Bishop of Worcester, to the
Vicarage of Eldersfield, Worcestershire, vacant by the re-
signation of the Rev. A. ,B. Lechmere, M.A., of Christ
Church ; patron, Sir Anthony Lechmere, Bart.
The Rev. George Richard Anstey, of Acomb Hall, near
York, and late of St. Alban Hall, has been nominated to the
Perpetual Curacy of Wilsden, Yorkshire ; patron, the Vicar
of Bradford.

PROMOTIONS.

Rev. J. F. Cole, 8.A., to the Vicarage of Kirdford,
Sussex.

Rev. J. C. T. Dunn, late of Lewes, to the Curacy of New-
haven,-and Chaplain to the Newhaven Union.
Rev. Wm. B. Delmar,B.A., of St. John's College, Cam-
bridge, to the Rectory of Elmstone, Kent, vacant by the
death of the Rev. John Gregory ; patron, W. Definer, Esq.
Rev. Mr. Bartlett, late Curate of St. Paul's Exeter, to the
Chaplaincy of St. Thomas's Union Workhouse, in that city.
Rev. H. C. Smith, Morning Lecturer of Kingsbridge
Church, is appointed Evening Lecturer of the same• Church.
The Queen has been pleased to present the Rev. Simon
Mackintosh to the church of the united parishes of Daviot
and Dunlichity, in the presbytery and shire of Inverness, va-
cant by the death of the Rev. James APPhail.—.Gst the.

(From the Cambridge Chronicle)
At a Congregation, on Wednesday last, the following de-
grees were conferred :

MASTERS 07 ARTS.

Robert William Gaussen, Trinity
William Browne, Trinity College.
William Stevens Richardson, Trinity College.
Richard Chapman, St. John's College.
John Russell Shurlock, queen's College.
Edward Feilde, St. Peter's College.
Studwick Thornhill Warrington, St. Peter's College.
Hugh Wynne Jones, Magdalene College.
David Bruce, Jesus College.
John Todd, Christ's College.
BACHELOR OF ARTS.

Albert Francis Jackson, Caius College.
TRa SEATONIAN PRIZE.—The prize for the best English
Poem to a Master of Arts of this university, was on Satur-
day last adjudged to John Murray, M.A., of Trinity College.
Subject—Gideon:

The Rev. R. N. Adams, D.D., Fellow of Sidney Sussex
College, has been presented by the Rev. Dr. Chafy. Master
of that society, to the Rectory of Rempstone, Nottingham-
shire, void by the death of the Rev. Thomas Hosking, B.D.
The Rev. J. Haworth, M.A., of Christ's College, in this
university, having been appointed to the Benefice of Christ
Church, Chester, by the Bishop of Chester, the Rev. Chan-
cellor Raikes, and the Rev. W. Gibson, (the joint trustees,)
has resigned the Vicarage of Croxton, Norfolk ; the patrons
are the Master and Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge.
Hon. and Rev. Francis Grey, M.A., of Trinity College, in
this university, and Perpetual Curate of Buxton, Derbyshire,
sixth son of Earl Grey, to the Rectory of Gateshead, Dur-
ham, void by the resignation of the Rev. John Collinson, M.A.
of Queen's College, Oxford ; patron, the Bishop of Durham.
The Rev. C. Tower, of St. John's College, in this univer-
sity, Chaplain to the Lodge of Freemason's at Chigwell,
Essex, has been appointed Provincial Grand Chaplain.