In 1896, oil and paraffin lamps were still in common use especially in working class homes. The cheapest lamps were made of tin but they were highly dangerous.In 1893, an anonymous writer, calling himself Humanity, wrote to all the Newspapers and called for an automatic extinguisher to be fitted to every lamp and called on all electors to support a Short Act of parliament to make this measure law. The Article claimed that 156 fires per annum in London were caused by such lamps. In March 1883, Georgina Barnard of 50, Webber Road set her clothes alight while using one. On the 23rd December 1895, little Charles William Saunders aged 3 years and 11 months died after he tried to play with one despite his mother having taken the lamp from his reach minutes before. Just how dangerous these lamps were is sadly illustrated in the story of the Milwards, the family of Joseph Jacob and Caroline Millward. Joseph worked in the card industry and in July 1896 he was a Store Card Mounter. He was a skilled worker and lived with his wife and 7 children aged from 16 years to 8 months in Bermondsey. The eldest was a boy named Joseph and the youngest little Bert was 8 months. In between were the girls, Maud (Caroline Maud) aged 14, Amy Amelia aged 12, Sarah Harriet Margaret aged 8, Ada Anne aged 6 and Martha Beatrice Millward aged 3. The family were living at Rudyard Place, Kipling Street off Long Lane. London never slept, at about a quarter to ten at night, on the 10th July 1896, the eldest boy was sent by his mother to have his hair cut. The mother and father then went to London Bridge Station to meet some friends off a train who were returning from holiday leaving the girls and the baby in the house. Caroline, the mother didnt want to leave the little girls without a light so left a tin paraffin lamp in the front room upstairs before she left for the station. Her husband left a lamp downstairs on the Mantle. Little Bert was awake, so Amy aged 12 decided to put him in his chair in the front room. Maud decided to play outside on the street while their mother was out and Amy not wanting to be left, ran out after her. They had been outside only a short while when a local boy ran up to tell them there was smoke coming from their house. The girls ran to the house and tried to get in through the front but the front room was ablaze already. Poor Berts clothes were alight, Amy described how she grabbed his chair to try and pull him out but the heat from the flames forced her to let go. Joseph jnr was sitting in the Barbers chair, he heard a commotion outside and saw people running. He jumped up and ran to follow them. Seeing his home in flames young Joseph tried his best to enter but flames were now pouring from the front door, he shouted for water and grabbed a box which he threw through a back window but to no avail the fire was too strong. Henry John Harvery, a bricklayers labourer also tried to enter the house but was forced back by heat and smoke. The Tooley Street Engine and rescue ladder arrived but it was too late. Maud was nowhere to be found at first, she had it seemed run away in a distressed state, Amy was found at a neighbour. The parents arrived home to discover the tragedy, the mother is reported to have collapsed in the street begging for her babies to be unharmed and stating she didnt care if the house was gone, she wanted her children. At the inquest the family all were called to give evidence. It was noted that two other fatal accidents with such lamps were known to the Coroner. Mr Thomas Samuel Ross, Inspector for the Petroleum act stated that a tin paraffin lamp had over-heated and simply fallen apart or exploded as it was only soldered together. This had caused the fire, the spilt paraffin from the lamp allowing it to spread quickly. The deaths of the four younger children were put down to the faulty paraffin lamp and a recommendation was given to increase the power of the London County Council to prevent the sale of such items.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 02:03:10 +0000
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