The Insurance Cyclopáedia: Being a Dictionary of the Definition of Terms Used in Connexion with the Theory and Practice of Insurance in All Its Branches

Omagh (Ireland). Town, with church and castle, destroyed by the soldiers of
James II. (1742.)

Newry (Ireland). Burned by the Duke of Berwick.

Copenhagen. The beautiful Palace of Amalienburg destroyed; upwards of 300 persons perished.

Eisleben (Prussian Saxony). June. The house in which Martin Luther was born destroyed by fire.

Prague (Bohemia). The Jew quarter of the city destroyed.

(1754.)

Marlborough (Wilts). Town considerably damaged. (1681, 1738.)

Cavan (Ireland). Burned.

Whitehall (London). April 10. Considerable portion of Old Palace destroyed. (1619, 1698.)

Salem (Massachusetts). Great damage.

Warwick (England). Sept. 8. More than half the town destroyed, and the castle
greatly damaged. A national collection was made by means of BRIEFS,
under which £110,000 was raised. Queen Anne gave £1000.
Dieppe (France). July 13. Nearly destroyed during siege by English.
Southwark (London). Dec. 18. St. Thomas's Hospital. This fire threatened
to become one of great magnitude, but the fire engines rendered efficient
services. [FIRE ENGINES, MANUAL.] The fire originated under the
hearth of the new hall, the timber bearers having been burned through,
and it extended to a closet adjoining. Among the payments made by
the Governors after the quenching of the flames was an amount of 16s. 9ď.
to "thirty-six seamen, patients and others in the house, and some women,
that carried away the rubbish, mopped up the water, and wrought in the
fire to stop it by carrying water-some at 6d. a piece, some at 3d."
Stockholm (Sweden). The Royal Library burned.

Westminster. April 16. Derby Court. It was out of this fire, the loss from
which was estimated at £3035, that the exposure of the abuses practised
in connexion with "King's Briefs" arose. See FIRE BRIEFS.
Whitehall (London). Jan. 4. The Old Palace completely destroyed, in a fire
of 17 hours' duration. Regarding it there was pub. :

A Full and True Account of a most Dreadful and Astonishing Fire
which happened at Whitehall, and begun in Col. Stanley's lodgings, on
Tuesday last, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, continuing with great.
violence until about 9 o'clock the next morning, burning down and
consuming the King's Chapel, the Guard Chamber, the Long Gallery,
etc., together with near 150 Houses. An Account also how several
persons were killed, with the blowing up 20 Houses, etc. Licensed
according to Order. Lond. Printed by G. Bradford, in Little Britain,
1698. Fo. containing 2 pages.

Many and various have been the relations concerning this dreadful and surprising accident, some affirming it had its beginning in one place, and some in another, and yet all, or most of them remote from truth; therefore, for satisfaction of all such who desire to be truly informed in these unhappy and amazing particulars, I have pub. this following account, viz.

On Tuesday last, being the 4th of this instant, January, 1698, betwixt the hours of 3 and of the Clock in the afternoon a Dutch woman who belonged to Col. Stanley's lodgings which were near adjoining the Earl of Portland's house at Whitehall), having sudden occasion to dry some linnen in an upper room (for expedition sake) lighted a good quantity of Charcoal, and carelessly left the linnen hanging round about it, which took fire in her absence to such a degree that it not only consumed the linnen, but had seized the hangings, wainscots, beds, and what not, and flamed and smoaked in such a violent manner, that it put all the inhabitants thereabouts into consternation as well as confusion, not knowing from whence it proceeded, insomuch that the unhappy Dutch woman could not return; so that in an instant (as it were) the merciless and devouring flames got such advantage, that notwithstanding the great endeavours used by the Water Engines, numerous assistance, and blowing up houses to the number of about 20, it still increased with great fury and violence all night, till about 8 of the clock next morning, at which time it was extinguished, after it had burnt down and consumed (according to modest computation) about 150 houses, most of which were the lodgings and habitations of the chief of the nobility.

Such was the fury and violence of this dreadful and dismal conflagration, that its flames reduced to ashes all that stood in its way, from the Priory Stairs to the BanquettingHouse, and from the Priory Garden to Scotland-yard, all on that side, except the Earl of Portland's House and the Banquetting-House, which were preserved, though much damnified and shattered. The fire proceeded close to the Gate by the Duke of Ormond's lodgings, before it could be extinguished. The most remarkable houses which were consumed by these astonishing flames are the Guard-Chamber, Council-Chamber, Secretary's Office, the King's Chapel, the Long Gallery to the Gate, the Queen's Lodgings, Duke of Devonshire's, etc., but not the Earl of Portland's, as has been impudently affirmed in a late scandalous and ridiculous pamph. The danger done by this fiery disaster, is at present unaccountable, considering the vast riches that were contained among those noble families; therefore consequently their loss must be very great, and might have been much greater, had not the officers of the Guards taken care to stop the numerous Crouds from pressing forward into houses where goods were remaining..

It was confidently affirmed, that 20 or 30 persons were killed, but, blessed be God, upon a strict inquiry, I cannot learn that above 12 persons perished, among whom were 2

grenadiers, a waterman, and a painter; who endeavouring to reach out some goods at a window, while the house was on fire, a piece of iron fell upon his head and beat out his brains. The like fate had a gardener, by the blowing up of a house: yet it is certain many more are dangerously wounded.

The Banquetting-House, though not much injured by the Fire, except that part next Westminster, yet all parts of that renowned and ancient building are so much shattered and disordered, that it little resembles what it was the day before; as are also most houses thereabouts, whose inhabitants were under the apprehension of danger, particularly the Duke of Ormond's at the Gate, which is not only cleared of all its rich furniture, but of all hangings whatsoever that could possibly be got out, during the fury of the fire.

To conclude, it is a dismal sight to behold such a glorious, famous, and much renowned palace, reduced to a heap of rubbish and ashes, which the day before might justly contend with any palace in the world, for riches, nobility, honour and grandeur. God save King William.

Note.-There is a scandalous, lying, and ridiculous pamph. pub., which asserts that the Earl of Portland's and Duke of Shrewsbury's houses are burnt; which is notoriously false, they being both standing, having received no damage by the fire; with other impertenancies which the printer is ashamed to set his name to, or the place where he lives: only a counterfeit one, like his pamph.

We give this publication-which is reprinted in the Harleian Miscellany, vol. x. p. 359-entire, not only on account of the interesting details, but because it is one of the earliest we have met with of those Official or Semi-official Accounts of fires which became so general about this period. This is stated to be "Licensed according to Order;" and it is more than prob. that some person obtained a patent for the right of publishing these accounts-which after the interest created by the Great Fire of London prob. had a great sale in the country-of which we shall meet with more hereafter. (1691.)

Limehouse (London). A considerable fire. No details.

The continuance of these large fires in and round Lond. still kept alive
the idea of a" Popish Plot." In a pamph.-The Quakers Remonstrance to
Parl. etc., Touching the Popish Plot, and Sir Edmunbury Godfrey's Murder;
much of which not being unseasonable at this juncture, it is now reprinted:
as also to show that the Quakers were formerly as zealous against Popery, as
any others; notwithstanding they have so much appeared to the contrary
of late. Licensed the 15 June, 1689. Lond. printed 1689, and sold at
several Booksellers. Quarto, 8 pages-there is the following passage:
When the noise of fire and sword is in our ears; when we cannot walk the streets
without being stabbed, nor sleep in our houses for fear of being burned: witness the
dreadful fire of Lond., the fire of Southwark, and that the other day of Limehouse,
to say nothing of 40 attempts they have made in other places. To which, let me add,
the design in general, of massacring all the best people in the kingdom.
Edinburgh. Feb. 3. North-east corner of Meal Market. "All that magnificent
pile of buildings (exclusive of the treasury room) on the eastern and southern
sides of the Parliament Close, with the Exchange, were destroyed.”—
Maitland. (1677, 1771.)

Charleston (U.S.). Nearly destroyed; hurricane and fire.
Port Royal (Jamaica). Jan. 9. The entire town burned; but much of the
merchandize saved by means of H. M.'s ships lying in the harbour. (1750.)
Bergen (Norway). May 19. Large portion of town destroyed.
Norfolk (England). Nov. 26. During the height of the great storm of this
date, a town in Norfolk [name not given] was almost ruined by a serious
fire, which burnt with such vehemence, and was so fanned by the tempest,
that the inhabitants had no power to concern themselves in extinguishing
it; the wind blew the flames together with the ruins, so about, that there
was no standing near it; for if the people came to windward, they were
in danger to be blown into the flames; and if to the leeward, the flames
were so blown into their faces, they could not bear to come near it.—Hist.
of the Storm, p. 36.

Port Royal (Jamaica). Destructive fire. (1750.)

Moscow. June 19. Considerable fire this year, during which the "Great Bell" fell from its position. (1752.)

Erlangen (Bavaria). Seat of the Protestant University. Suffered severely by fire.

The

Shadwell (London). May 13. About 100 houses burned or damaged. following details of this fire we obtain from a printed sheet purporting to be issued on the day of the fire, and stated to be "Licensed according to Order":

A Full and True Account of a great and most dreadful Fire which happened between 12 and 1 of the clock this Tuesday morning the 13th May, at one Mr. Shaw's house, a Victualler living at the sign of the New England Arms, near Bell Wharf in lower Shadwell; having burned down threescore Houses, damaged forty two, and quite ruined a great many families, to the Loss of above One hundred thousand pounds, besides the unfortunate Burning of about nine or ten Men,

Women, and Children, particularly two of Mr. Shaw's Children, in

whose House the terrible Fire first began.

Yesterday being Monday, the 12th of this instant May, there being a burial at one Mr.
Shaw's, who keeps a Victualling-House at the sign of the New England Arms, near
Bell Wharf, in Lower Shadwell, some men that lodg'd in his House, and being come
home from the Funeral, instead of reflecting on the miserable circumstances of mortality,
they got Drunk; and when they went to bed, which was about 12 o'clock at night, being
careless of their Candle, it took fire on the curtains, and in less than half an hour the
House was all in a Blaze, and the Houses thereabouts being most old Buildings, so
furious were the flames, that in four or five hours they had, on Tuesday, the 13th inst.,
burned down Sixty Houses to the ground, and damaged above Forty Houses more.
This dreadful Fire happening so unfortunately in the dead time of the night as one may
say, and displaying its Fury with great expedition, the Inhabitants thereabouts, instead of
saving their Goods, were forced to fly for their Lives, being put to the terrible Nonplus of
not having time to dress themselves; insomuch that Men, Women, and Children were
running in their Shirts and Shifts about the Streets to seek for shelter in their friends or
relations Houses, making the most dismal Outcries and Shrieks imaginable, Husbands
for the Loss of Wives, Wives for the Loss of Husbands or Children, and Children for the
Loss of both; for in the Merciless Flames about Ten Men, Women, and Children are
already known to be burnt; particularly two of Mr. Shaw's Children in whose House the
Fire first began; and several other persons are missing, whom 'tis fear'd are come to the
like deplorable End. Moreover, the Fire getting to such a Head that people had not
time to save their Goods, nay a great many not so much as a Bed to lie upon, the
Damages thereof, with the distruction of Threescore Houses, besides as many more in a
manner as bad as Burnt, is computed to be no less than above Two Hundred Thousand
pounds. There were about half a score Engines, which being briskly plaid, and the Ins.
Officers men very diligent to suppress the same, they conquer'd the Flames, without
blowing up any Houses, by between five and six of the clock this morning, which is one of
the most dreadfulest Fires which has happen'd about London for above these twenty years.
A copy is preserved in the Library of the Corp. of Lond. "Briefs"
were issued in regard to this fire.

Lisburn (Ireland). Burned.
London. Feb. 9. St. Clement Danes and St. Martin's in the Fields. Large fire,
burnt down 36 houses, while 14 others were demolished in view of pre-
venting its spread. About 100 families were rendered homeless. The
sworn damage was £17,880 5s. 6d. A Brief was issued.
Epworth (Lincolnshire). A fire occurred at the parsonage house which
assumed a real historical importance. The house was then occupied by
the father of the Rev. John Wesley. The infant son was left in his cradle,
forgotten, when all the others had escaped. Finally he was rescued just
before the roof fell in. He became the founder of the So. of Methodists
which bears his name. More than a century later [1839] a "centennary
picture was pub. entitled "Fire at Epworth, 1709." This was largely

subscribed for.

Oederan (Saxony). Town nearly destroyed. (1733.)
Boston (U.S.). Oct. 2. About 100 houses destroyed. In connexion with this
fire there was pub.: An Account of the Gt. Fire in Boston in the year 1711,
prefixed to a Sermon preached by Dr. Cotton Mather, two days afterwards,
at the Public Lecture (sic) in the South Meeting House; with some extracts
from the Sermon.

London.

Serious fire in Covent Garden, concerning which the following remarkably explicit statement appeared:

A Full and True Account of a most cruel and dreadful Fire, which happen'd betwixt two and three this morning in King Street, Covent Garden, and burnt down the Crown and Cushion, being the House where the Indian Kings liv'd, and several other Houses; having done near 10,000 pounds damage.

Notwithstanding the good and wholsom laws provieded of late for punishing wicked and careless servants in these cases, by Fines and Imprisonment, etc., yet they won't take warning, but generally are the occasion of the Calamities of this nature, a dismal instance of which we have in the following relation.

The Crown and Cushion above said being a very large and fine House (an Upholsterer's by Trade), have usually several gentlemen Lodgers, and it happen'd that one of 'em tarry'd out late last night about business, but his man was at home, and sat up for him, but being in drink, and consequently falling asleep, the Candle took hold of the window curtains, which firing the hangings, the room was instantly all in flames, when the fellow presently awakening, cry'd out, and the whole family had the good fortune to save their lives by running down, tho' the fire began one pair of stairs, and has burnt entirely not only that House, but four or five backwards.

A great many rich beds are burnt, and quantities of silk not made up, with all sorts of the most richest furniture, to the damage of above £9000, very little being sav'd.

The servant that carelessly set it on fire, it's said, will be sent to the House of Correction, and fined, pursuant to the late Act.

In reference to the Act here referred to, see FIRES CAUSED BY NEGLI

GENCE.

New York. The Indians made an attempt to burn this city. (1811.)
Blandford (Dorset). July 9. Great number of houses burned; thatched
roofs. (1731.)
London. Jan. 13. Thames Street.

This fire began in the house of Mr.

Walker, an oilman, in Thames Street, and was occasioned by making fireworks against the King's coming to St. Paul's. The house blew up; the fire extended, and in all consumed more than 100 houses, extending into Tower Street. The fire was regarded as the greatest since 1666. Regarding it there is preserved: A Sermon preached in London, Jan. 16, 1714-5, on occasion of the dreadful Fire which began in Thames Street on Thursday, Jan. 13. By John Evans. 8vo.

London.

Dec. 2.
The French Chapel, together with its Library, and several
dwelling-houses in Spring Gardens, were destroyed by fire. The Prince
of Wales [afterwards Geo. II.] attended, and aided in extinguishing it.
[FIREMEN, 1716.]
Wapping (London). Dec. 4. Nightingale Lane. 150 houses burned; 50 lives
lost. We have given some remarks on the want of order and system exhibited
at this fire under FIRE EXTINGUISHMENT, at this date. The then Prince
of Wales contributed £1000 to the sufferers. He was prob. present at it.
Several of the early fire offices advertised their payment of claims arising
out of this fire.

Paris. Fire in wax-chandler's shop, Rues St.-Martin et Neuve-St. Méry.
Threatened to burn the entire quarter. The Fire Brigade of Paris was

much strengthened after this. (1763.) [FRANCE, Fire Ins.]
London. Custom House burned. (1814.)

Cöslin or Koslin (Prussia). This ancient city destroyed.
Carlstad (Sweden). Suffered severely. (1660, 1752.)
Rennes (France). Dec. 22-29.

Fire lasting a week consumed 850 houses.

Klagenfurt (Illyria). Destructive fire. (1535, 1796.)
Woburn (Bedfordshire). Town destroyed.
London Bridge. Burned. (1633, 1758.)

Hilversum (Holland). Greater part of village burned. (1766.)

Gravesend. Aug. 24. 120 houses with other buildings destroyed; damage
£200,000. (1844.)

Burwell (Cambridge). Sept. 8. A barn in which 160 persons had assembled
to see a puppet-show was set on fire by carelessness, and all but 6 perished.
Copenhagen. 1650 houses, 77 streets, 5 churches, the University, and 4
Colleges burned. (1689, 1794.)

Constantinople. 12,000 houses burned, and 7000 inhabitants. (1679, 1745.)
Brussels. Jan. 25. Fire at Arch-Duchess's Palace, which, with the Royal
Chapel, was speedily consumed. All the records of State contained

therein were consumed.

Enniscorthy (Ireland). Mar. 15.
damage.
London. April 28. White's Chocolate House, near St. James's Palace, and
2 other houses burned. Fine collection of pictures belonging to Sir Arthur
Fountain burned. The King and Prince of Wales were each present at
this fire, and encouraged the firemen, and afterwards liberally rewarded
them, as also those who worked the engines.

About 42 houses consumed, and other

Ramsey (Hunts). May 21. Village destroyed.

Blandford-Forum (Dorset). June 4. The whole of this town,

with the exception of 26 houses, destroyed; buildings mostly thatched. The loss, after deducting all insurances, was found to amount to £84,348. Towards meeting this, King's Briefs" were issued, under which about one-third of the loss was recouped after paying the expenses of collection.

There was published in 1735: A Brief Account of the Dreadful Fire at Blandford-Forum, in the County of Dorset, which happened June iv. M. DCC. XXXI. Together with a Sermon, preached at Blandford, June 4, 1735, being the day set apart by the Protestant Dissenters there for Prayer and Humiliation under the Remembrance of that Sad Providence. To which is added a Serious Address to the Inhabitants of that Town. By Malachi Blake. "This Treatise is not only calculated for the inhabitants of Blandford, but proper for other Families also." (1713.) Tiverton (Devon). June 4. 200 houses destroyed. The people lay in the churches and meeting-house, and some in the fields. Loss £150,000.

There was pub. by Mr. Sam. Smith, Master of the Free School: Account of the Dreadful Fire at Tiverton, Devon. (1612.)

London. July 4. A large number of vessels burned on the Thames through the overturning of a pot of boiling pitch.

Wellingborough (Northampton). Aug. 14. Burned. (1738.)

Barnwell (Cambridgeshire). Sept. 30. Village burned down entirely. (1751.)
Cockthorpe (Norfolk). Oct. 3. The greater part of the village consumed.
Ashburnham House (Westminster). Oct. 22. Fire broke out in the building,

greatly damaging the King's and Cottonian Libraries (which had been

removed there the previous year), and which formed the nucleus of the Brit. Museum Lib. Out of 958 MS. vols., 114 were destroyed or rendered useless, and 98 damaged. The valuable MS. for Dr. Bentley's Greek Testament (10 years' labour) was also destroyed.

Wareham (Dorset). Town burned. (1742.)

Baireuth (Bavaria). 5000 houses in this town were laid in ashes in less than

2 hours!

Aylesbury (Bucks). May 6. Upwards of 30 houses, and many buildings and much property, destroyed in about 2 hours.

Oederan (Saxony). Town nearly destroyed. (1709, 1753.)

London. Oct. 16. Berkeley House, Piccadilly (Duke of Devonshire's), burned in the day-time. The Prince of Wales was present and assisted to extinguish this fire. [FIREMEN.]

Madrid. The Old Palace destroyed.

one

Liege (Belgium). The Palace of the Prince and the Bishop of the City,
of the fairest and most magnificent in Europe," burned to the ground.
London. July 23. Butcher Row, by Temple Bar; 8 houses burned and many
others injured.
London. Jan. 8. St. Katherine's near the Tower, about 40 houses destroyed.
London. June 9. St. Martin's Lane; 13 houses burned and others injured.
Fire wilful.

Delhi (Hindostan). Partly burned by the Mahrattas.
Liverpool. Town-hall partly destroyed. (1802.)
Stony Stratford (Bucks). May 20.

About 50 houses burned.

(1742.)

Peasmore (Berks). Aug. 11. Greater part of village burned.

St. Petersburg (Russia). Aug. 12. 2000 houses and warehouses destroyed, the
post office, and several palaces also. (1780.)

Shadwell (London). Sept. 1o. 42 houses, 6 warehouses, and 8 sheds burned.
Much other property damaged. (1763.)

London. Jan. 31. Fire at the Inner Temple, about 30 sets of chambers
destroyed. The Prince of Wales was present and encouraged the firemen,
and gave orders to the soldiers to assist.

New Brandenburg (Prussia). Town burned to ashes.

Fenekoping (Sweden). The city burned, destroying the castle, church, and
many fine buildings; the Magazine blew up, doing much damage.
Panama (New Granada). Entirely destroyed.

Moscow (Russia). 12,000 houses, with palaces, etc., destroyed. (1570, 1748.)
Jaroslaw (Muscovy). 2500 houses burned.

London. Jan. 14. Mr. Basket, King's printer's premises burned, including
"the noble printing house. Damage £20,000.

London. July 1. Messrs. Kid & Harbin's sugar-houses near Queenhithe ;
above 20 warehouses and buildings in all, with Mr. Hill's meeting-house.
Wellingborough (Northamptonshire). July 28. About 205 dwelling-houses, 806
out-houses and buildings burned. Total damage about £26,000, of which
about £2000 was insured. (1731.)
Fakenham (Norfolk). Aug. 4.
London. Oct. 21. Gally Key,

quantity of produce burned.

Greatly damaged by fire.

near Custom House; 12 warehouses and large Damage £30,000.

Marlborough (Wilts). Town seriously burned. (1690.)

Martinique (West Indies). About 100 warehouses of sugar, coffee, and other produce burned; damage 12 millions of livres.

Wyburg (Finland). The entire city, except a few houses, burned.

Finedon (Northamptonshire). March 9.

1739

1740