Destructive Fire at Woodville

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 8, 5 July 1887, Page 3

Destructive Fire at Woodville

[PER UNITED ASSOCIATION.] WOODVILLE, July 4. A terrible fire occurred at Woodville on Sunday, resulting in the desctruction of Bickerton's Hotel, the new Theatre Royal, and a number of the finest shops in the town. A defective chimney was, no doubt, the cause of the fire. In front of the Theatre were two shops occupied by by Driscoll, tobacconist, and Hodgson, fruiterer, with chimneys to each, built inside. The fire was first seen breaking through the Theatre wall behind the chimney in the tobacconist's shop. The Bell Ringers, who performed on on the previous evening, rushed to the back of the Theatre and removed their properties. The Theatre piano was got out by Mr Bickerton. By this time the fire had got a firm hold of the front part of the building, and they were driven out by the smoke. All the goods were removed from the two shops, but access to the lodge room over the shops was impossible. The Ruahine Masonic lodge lose all their valuable furniture and jewels, the Druids their regalia and properties. McGrath's billiard room and the shop occupied by Loader, saddler, (between the Theatre and the Abercorn Arms, Hotel), next caught fire. The intense heat from the roof of the Theatre caused the ignition of the upper portion of the hotel, notwithstanding all the endeavors to avert the same, and soon the whole building was in flames, and with the Theatre and shops, completely gutted. Ryder's store, Bank of New Zealand, and Murphy's' Club Hotel, had a narrow escape, and were saved only by the exertions of the fire brigade and public. The following are the insurances as far as obtainable :—South British : hotel, £500 ; furniture, £600 ; Theatre (£450 re-insured), £900 ; £250 on McGrath's building and billiard table, £50 on the furniture and jewels of the Ruahine Lodge, £40 on the Philharmonic Society's piano ; Union, £200 on the scenery and effects, and £200 on the hotel ; Norwich Union, £400 on the hotel.