Disastrous Blaze In Old Grammar School

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1949, Page 8

Disastrous Blaze In Old Grammar School

• • . ' ' ' AUCKLAND, J&n. 15. ■ A ilre early this morning swept thi'ough a large old onerstorey wooden bulldixig in Symonds Street, whieh wa« fijrmei'ly "the Auckland Grammar Behoolj but latterly oecupied 'hy the Workers' Edueational Assoeiation, De spite a valiant fight bv city and suburban fire brigades with seven maeh ines the buiJdi'ng" was redueed to a charred shell. Tlfe brigades, howevei, prevented an- exte'nsion of the lire to other buildings iit the large city resitleiitial area. There was' nobody. in ■tlu. buildin'g. ' • When ErSt Seen about 1;30 o ;clock the . fire had' gaijied a' strong hold in thi southern section of the building t'acing St. Paul's Churehr "Fanned bv a strong breeze, the? flai&^bl^apt to- a. height o! 50 feet Vdbpve the roof and were seen from distant suburbs. But for the thoughtfulness of Miss 1. G. Eiss, a teacher at the Elam School of Art, the Rosemary Grice collection of water colour paintings would have been destroyed. Seventy of the late M.' js Grice 's works were at the school untii the first week in Deeember when Miss Eiss decided it might not be safe tb leave them during the holidays. Slu was thinking more of possible burglarv I than fire. The collection is now at the home of Mr. L. L. J. Grice, of Herne Bay, after being at the school of art for about two months, being mounted ia preparation for their exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallerv next Api'il. ' ' 1 thought it might be a bit rislcy ieaving them at the school when it closed and asked Mr. Grice to return them to his hoine, " Miss Eiss said today. An accurate estinrate of the value or the destrqyed building could not be obtained today. Under depreciation the old structure^ was of little value, but Lts sounil timber worild have been stili valuable foi' garage construction and other work. The damage to the contents amounted to several thousand pounds. The greatest personal loser was the well-known artist, Mr. John Weeks, teacher at "the School of Art, wno lost a collection of 200 original paintings, watei: colours, and pencil slretches from all parts of the yorld, valued at £2000. They had been used for instruction. Mr Weeks held no insurance. The Adult Education Centre and W.E.A, lost a valuable Jibrary of over 50Q0 bopks an(l nlso irreplacable lecturc materi^l and old reeords. There is an insnranee cover on the library anri chattels. Thc School of Art lost all teaching material, nnraevous pictures, and a valuable library. The W.E.A. Drama Chib lost hegvily in gQj^v-and props. The Goodwin. MariQnette Theatre lost everything except three or fouc charred marionettes left hanging limp ]y f yont wires, ■