GREAT FIRE IN WINDSOR PARK.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 633, 8 February 1870, Page 4

GREAT FIRE IN WINDSOR PARK.

Shortly after 9 o'clock on 14th November a fire broke out in the apartments occupied by Mrs Thurnson, housekeeper at Cumberland Lodge-. •; An alarm whs At once ; raised j aßd,;ttjajcle;in>>vyn .tpjLwid' :B, ridport,,,w.hp t Tto|\es ;t room just in time to rescue her from the flames. Messengers were sent by "his lordship to .. the Wipclspr infantry sind" cavalry barracks, When detachtn'ents fi-bm both barracks, with their engines,' were_ promptly despatched. The fire raged over the State apartments, ,nnd the>btidy;;of,fire in the state hall was something fearful. Unf ortimately, .the. nearest bu pply. of water w y a : s : i^t r Ox •'•Prtn'd, a Quarter Of a : niile [ dis.tant. The nxi soon fell in with a- J-tre-nTqjllicldUg crash. The : flames were raging .n jifjl 2,'o?cli;)C^, When ithjey were partially gotunderj fo that it\v}isc<>Ui)(lently h'opetl. that the wing of the buildings oceiipied by Lord Br-.i ! di>i.iJt,v i w.<>nld be .^say.ed,-,. At 4. o'clock th the afteriiobn lier Majesty the 1 Queen, accompanied by Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice, attended by the Duchess of Roxhurghe, the Hon Dudley de Ros, and General Grey, arrived at the scene of devastation, and ascertained from Lord Brid/jort the extent of the havoc Shortly afterwards the Princess Louise

arrived, and half an hour afterwards the Princess Christian. All the members of the Royal Family met at Lord Bridport's apartments. Her Majesty most anxiously inquired if any one had been hurt, The Queen and Royal Family returned tp the Cwtle\tfi()rtly: "before sj. o'clock,. Fx)rtu^ .; Was a strong, aotitjfc wind blowing during" the conflagration, to which may be attributed in a great measure the saying the; old portion of the building, as well as the stabling, kennel, and various outbuildings. The plate belonging to Lprd Bridport was removed by command 'of ""her Majesty to Windsor Oastle, in one of the Royal vans, The fire, it is supppsedj was caused by a beam connected with a chimney iii one ofcthe upper rooms of the State apartments. The housekeeper states that she had perceived a slight smell of smouldering for the last two days, but could not ascertain whence* it came. The State apartments were built in the early ■ pattrof the.; reign ..-of George III; for his. brother {he Duke of Cumberland", and consisted of a large banquet hall, billiardroom, library, reading-room, grand entrance^hall, and a. suite ofjxooms above. Many of the pictures were taken into the hall for safety, but so great was the rapidity of the flames that they were consumed before they could be again removed.