Great Fire

The visitors to Langleigh Park House for Bank Holiday are not likely soon to forget the exciting experience which befell them on Sunday morning last, when they were aroused from sleep by the call of "fire," fortunately, however, before they were in actual danger, and in sufficient time to save all their personal belongings.
Langleigh Park House is situated at a considerable height on the rising ground leading up to Lee Downs, and looking down the valley towards the sea. It was a substantially stone-built house of three stories standing in large private grounds, and owned by Mr. William Dendle, who carried it on as a boarding establishment. As such it was fully occupied by guests at the time of the occurrence, many of whom had arrived the day before for the August Bank Holiday.
It appears that for some unexplained cause, a fire broke out in the room in which the tank in connection with the hot water supply is situated. This room was at the top of the house, under the roof, and we are informed that one of the maids passed this spot on rising on Sunday morning, but did not notice anything amiss. Some time later, however, Mr. Dendle when in the grounds adjoining the house noticed smoke rising from the roof. Some gentlemen who are camping in a field at Langleigh Farm near by also saw the smoke at the same time. An alarm was at once sent to the Police and Fire Brigade at Ilfracombe, reaching there about 8.30. The Fire Brigade turned out under Capt. Jewell, with the hose reel, which was conveyed in the District Council's motor lorry.
The steam fire engine followed, towed by one of Messrs. Gubb and Son's motor cars. Unfortunately, the fire appliances were found to be useless, owing to the fire hydrant being too distant to afford sufficient pressure for working the engine, and little could be done to arrest the flames by the Brigade.
Meanwhile, Sergt. Brown, of the Ilfracombe police, had hurried to the spot with Constables Milton, Brooks, Abrahams, White, and Brewer, arriving about the same time as the Fire Brigade. Sergt. Brown at once set his men to removing the furniture, after seeing the inmates were informed of the position of affairs. Fortunately, the latter had time to pack and remove their belongings, as the fire being on the upper story under the roof, the rest of the house was not affected for some time. Meantime, some of the guests had been doing what they could to help, and they assisted the police, and with their aid the greater part of the furniture was got out and taken to a safe distance. It was found impossible to remove several valuable wardrobes, they being too bulky to lift unless taken to pieces, and tools were not available for the purpose. They were, therefore, destroyed, as was a quantity of valuable old silver which had been packed in boxes and stored in the room in which the fire broke out. Mr. Dendle's private papers, however, being at the bank escaped destruction.
A quantity of valuable old china and glass was also destroyed.
The work of salvage continued until the danger of the roof falling in became imminent, and Sergt. Brown ordered everyone out of the building, placing Constable Milton at the foot of the staircase to see that the order was obeyed.
Meanwhile the fire continued to burn downwards, attacking each story in turn; the roof fell in, portions of the front and back walls fell, and soon nothing remained but the gables and portions of the other walls, while the centre of the building was filled with debris which continued to smoulder for many hours.
The splendid salvage work done by the Police and their many willing helpers deserves acknowledgement, but for that the loss, would have been much greater. When all the furniture had been removed it was taken to a building kindly lent by Mr. Baker, of Langleigh Farm, near by.
The unfortunate plight of the guests was promptly remedied through the kindness of Capt. Guy Gould and Miss Cormack, who provided accommodation for them at the Collingwood and Grand respectively, and they were conveyed there in one of Mr. Gubb's cars.
We understand that the house and furniture were insured with the Sun Alliance Co., through Mr. C. A. Gemmell, the local agent - the former for £1,500, and the latter for £400; but much sympathy is expressed for Mr. Dendle in the loss of the season's business through the unfortunate occurrence.
THE HOUSE
Langleigh Park House was a most substantially built house containing three large sitting rooms and eleven bedrooms. It was built by Mr. Dendle 26 years ago on a site commanding a magnificent view. The water supply was obtained from a tank of ten thousand gallons capacity, on the hillside, about 40 ft. from the house. This in turn was fed from a large pond about 200 yards away, which is kept full in the driest seasons by springs which have not been known to stop flowing. There were several taps in the house, including the kitchen and bathroom, and at other points, and use was made of these, as stated below.
HOW THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED
The outbreak was first noticed by Mr. Dendle, but almost at the same moment it was seen by a number of young Welsh gentlemen, who were camping on Langleigh Farm, which is situated just below the grounds of Langleigh Park House. As already stated, the maid servant on leaving her room on Sunday morning, passed close to the spot where the outbreak took place, but did not see any indication of it. On getting up that morning, Mr. Dendle lit the fire in the kitchen stove and made tea for himself , the maid and some of the guests. He went into the garden about 8 o'clock to gather vegetables for dinner, and on returning to the house he saw smoke and the reflection of fire showing about half way up the barge-board on the gable of the house, under the tiles of the roof. He immediately ran to fetch a ladder and met the young gentlemen mentioned running up the avenue. With their assistance he placed the ladder against a low wing of the building, and by means of it several of the young gentlemen were able to get up on the flat roof of the rear portion of the main building. Others ran indoors and collected all the baths and buckets they could find. These they filled at the taps and passed to those on the roof who had meantime removed some of the slates adjacent to the fire, and the water was poured in with, it is stated, considerable effect. Had more assistance been available at this time so that there had been a continuous chain of helpers to pass the buckets, Mr. Dendle and those who assisted him are confident the fire could have been extinguished. The names of the young gentlemen who rendered such willing and valuable service were Messrs. Fred Pratt, Dick and William Pearce, Gwyn Howe, Stan and Gwyn Bevan, Ithol Watkins and George Richards (all of Southerndown, S. Wales). It was Mr Fred Pratt who telephoned for the Police and Fire Brigade.
FINE WORK BY YOUNG LADIES
Deserving of special mention is the splendid work done by some young lady guests in the house at the time. They worked in a way beyond all praise in helping to remove valuables from the house and everyone who saw them is loud in expressions of admiration at the way they handled heavy furniture and their utter indifference to the risks they ran. One of them, Miss Margaret Wild, of Longford, Colnbrook (whose father is acting-Captain of the Colnbrook Fire Brigade) climbed up the steep hill to turn on the supply to the lower tank in order to ensure a full supply to the lower tank being maintained. It is stated that the lower tank was full when the outbreak occurred. The names of the other two young ladies who deserve special mention are Miss Ivy Healey (of Guildford, Surrey) and Miss Gladys Bladworth (of Yorkshire).
Valuable assistance in removing the contents of the house was also rendered by the following guests: Mr. and Mrs. Turner, Mr. Miss and Master Taylor, Mr., Mrs. and Miss Blakeborough, and Miss Munro.
Miss Kitty Adams, housekeeper at Langleigh Farm, also rendered assistance, and afterwards kindly prepared breakfast for the unfortunate inmates of the house. Mr. Baker very kindly placed his sitting room at their disposal, and also provided sleeping accommodation for Mr. Dendle, the others being accommodated as stated above.
THE POLICE
Mr. Dendle spoke very highly to our representative of the work done by Sergeant Brown and the Ilfracombe Police, and of their promptitude in arriving on the scene.
Reprinted from The Ilfracombe Chronicle and Gazette, Saturday, August 11, 1923.