SPECTACULAR FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 13

SPECTACULAR FIRE

HOUSE WITH A HISTORY

PROPOSAL WHICH LAPSED

(Special to tha "Evening Post.")

BLENHEIM, October 4.

One of the most spectacular fires in Blenheim for many years occurred j last evening when a large unoccupied old wooden house, standing some dis-. tance back in paddocks off Cleghorn Street, was reduced to ashes in the space of an hour or so. The house was something of a landmark because of its unusual size and . its age, and although for long periods throughout the 55-odd years of its existence it had remained untenanted it possessed rather an interesting history.

The dwelling was originally. built for the late Mr. John Barleyman, a member of the legal* firm of Rogers and Barleyman. After some years it was sold to the late Dr. Cleghorn, then superintendent at the Wairau Hospitali From then on its history was chequered. It was empty for some years, and in 1919 it was purchased, together with 24£ acres of surrounding land, by the Nelson Diocesan Trust Board and incorporated as an educational trust. At that time the house was owned by the late Mr. S. M. Neville. This idea, which was keenly supported by Bishop Sadlier, was to establish a first-class boarding school for girls, and one suggestion at the time was that the school be known as the Thomas Grace Memorial School in memory of the late Archdeacon Grace. The scheme lapsed, however, for a 'slump was experienced, and finally it had to be abandoned. The house was next leased to the late Mr. John Vercoe, and it was tenanted by him or his family for about 20 years. It had only fairly recently been vacated.

The house comprised ten rooms, most of which were of unusual size.

At the time of the fire night-flying operations were in progress at the Woodbourne Air Training School, and the roar of the bombers' engines, the blazing house, and the excitement of those who gathered to watch were suggestive of scenes of bombing overseas. It must also have made the night's training more realistic for those aloft.