The History and Description of St. George's Church at Doncaster, Destroyed by Fire February 28, 1853 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ...Pillin, aged 12 years, and son of the Sexton. Had observed the nave of the Church on the Friday night to be full of smoke; but he thought it came from a small stove then in use by the workmen engaged in putting up the organ. That stove was not lighted on the Sunday. Henry Pillin, 11 years Sexton of the Church, and in care of it under the Churchwardens. His attention had been called to the smoke in the Church on the Friday evening, and he had replied that it arose from the North flue, the wind being in the wrong quarter. When the wind was in that quarter the flue always smoked: it had done so for 11 years, and was no worse on the Friday than usual. He had named this to previous Churchwardens, but not to the Churchwardens of the present year. The North flue ran for about a foot in length1 under a pew: some brickwork was between them.2 The flue then formed an elbow. The pew had wooden flooring. It was the one next the boiler, there being only the wall of the Church between them. He had examined both the fires, three times on the Friday, twice on the Saturday, and again on the Sunday; first between seven and eight in the morning, and the North fire again at half-past eleven. There was nothing wrong. On Sunday evening, during the service, his attention had been called to the state of the North flue by Robert Smith, who had perceived the offensive smell. Went to look, and found a little smoke escaping. Hirst had also named the smoking of the flue to him, but had said nothing about the smell or the matting. Smith had said the matting was charred, but the witness had not believed it. Examined it and saw no charring, nor the marks of the grate upon it, which Smith had described in his evidence. The matting was not even warm; but he removed it entirely away into the ...