Fire at Eton College.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 788, 3 April 1905, Page 4

Fire at Eton College.

OVER THIRTY BOYS IN A BURNING HOUSE, SAVED BY DISCIPLINE, ' It was real * plummy - for a time," said au Eton boy, adding regretfully, " but H didn't last." As a description of a lire which broke oift in the early morning at the house of Mr H. F. W. Tatbam, while some of the boys' were in toed, this will pass, says the Daily Mail, There were .volumes of smoke in the bedrooms and a hurried l scamr per downstairs, but never any danger. Something must be said, however,

for the same discipline of the house mastes and the morale of the boysi. ■yhere were over thirty of them sleeping in the house, and only the previous night they had returned from the Christmas valcation ; . Yet there was no panic, only the natural joys of schoolboys at a novel event not included in the day's itinerary. Real plummy," whatever it means, SCCms to hit oil the situation. These lads, of course, know all about the fatal lire at Kindersley's " house in June 190.'!, when there were tru/gicar escapes and hvo boys lost their lives. There were barred windows then, and{ indifferent organisation of the tire brigade. Everything has been altered since ; the w'indow tmrtj have isappenred, there are plenty of fire "rins all over Etony and every member of the brigade gets the automatic call. " Tathani's " is almost opposite to the main gateway of the quadrangle and overlooks the Slough Road. It is a very old building, four storeys high, and is shortly to be pulled down to make room for the memorial to old Etonians who died in the South A/rican war. Mr Uathain has had the house for nearly four years, anfl is liked as much for his athletic prowess as he is revered as a master and disciplinarian.; DISCOVERED DY A SERVANT. A/bout seven o'clock in the morn-

I ing a maidservant saw smoke coml ing from one of the upper rooms, i and told Mr Tatliam and the mat- ! ron. About the same time a porter - saiw smoke and flames issuing from ; one of the cjectric light switches in f the lobby of the boys' entrance. Some of the boys were still in - feed and others were dressing. Mr ! Tatham and the matron, hurriedly ascertaining that there was no im- , mediate danger, directed the .servants' to attack the outbivak of the , fire witfi extinguishers—noy install , -led in all the houses — and then got out tfie boys into the conieiors. There was a lot of smoke in the bedrooms, but the boys showed no alarm, and trooped down cheerfully, some in denii-toilette. "It was* real ' plummy. ' " Mr W. Hall, of the Head's office, , set a lire alarm goiiig, and the local brigade turned out very smartly. It was known by this Kmc that all the hoys ha-.i mustered in safety, and the fireman played on the conflagration, relieved of any anxiety for*the saving of lives. A hole was burrfeU through the ceiling of a room on the second storey, and tile flooring had to be torn up to get at the. <<• ii I i- n .

soon over, and more damage was] ; done by water than by fire.