FIRE AT WANGAEHU

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1939, Page 6

FIRE AT WANGAEHU

‘BAGSHOT’ HOMESTEAD BURNT TO GROUND ALL CONTENTS ALSO LOST. MR H. H. MAWLEY A HEAVY LOSER. A fire which broke out at about 8 o’clock this morning desiroved the homestead of Mr 11. 11. Mawley, “Bagshot,” Wangaehu, with startling rapidity, so much so that it was found impossible to save anything except a few articles in the outbuildings before they, too, were demolished. Mr Mawley’s loss is heavy, and many of the trophies and medals he had won in rifle shooting were irreplaceable.

The house, a wooden structure of ten rooms, was erected in 1914 and was so badly wrecked in a severe earthquake experienced in 1934 that repairs at that time cost very nearly £lOOO.

The fire occurred about half an hour after breakfast. “It all happened so suddenly." said Mr Mawley. “About half an hour after we had had breakfast my’ wife was out feeding the fowls and I was down the road a little way. not more than 300 or 400 yards. I saw smoke coming up over the hill and went up to investigate. Flames were then pouring out of the kitchen and the whole house was full of smoke. There was no time to save anything. A pall of black smoke hung over the house and it seemed to be blazing from end to end before you could say 'Jack Robinson.'” Mr Mawley added that there was a strong north-westerly breeze blowing and nothing could be done to save anything except a few things in the outbuildings. Mr Mawley's sister, Mrs E. M. Ramsden, of Masterton, was in bed half asleep when the fire was discovered but. no difficulty was experienced in getting her safely out of the house. Mr Mawley had no idea how the fire started, though it appeared to have originated in the kitchen. He said he had lost many valuables which could not be replaced, including trophies and medals won at rifle shooting meetings at Trentham and elsewhere and many valuable cameras. Even the chicken house and chickens were destroyed. The men's room, wood shed and tool shed were also demolished. The house and contents were insured for about £3OOO in the Wellington Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Co.