Cambridge Independent Press 4 Sep 1869: Trinity College Farm fire

TRINITY COLLEGE FARM, TRUMPINGTON, _ A most disastrous fire occurred on this farm on Monday last, which resulted in an extensive destruction of property. The farm, which is situate in the parish of Trumpington, between Hills-road and Trumpington-road, is the property of Trinity College, Cambridge, and is in the occupation of Mr. James Field Fetch, who resides in Gonville-place, Parker’s-piece, Cambridge.

It seems that Mr. Fetch’s labourers, or several of them, live in cottages contiguous to the stack-yard, and that Mr. Fetch had nearly completed the ingathering of his crops. With the exception of about a hundred combs, which had been thrashed and dressed, and partly disposed of, the whole of the wheat produce of this year’s harvest, with that of the haysel, were placed in or contiguous to a large stack-yard, which was surrounded on three sides by a wall between five and six feet high, the remaining side being occupied by two large barns, which were constructed of wood, with slate roofs. The main line of the Great Eastern Railway runs across the field in which is situated this stack-yard, and when the devouring element had full power the scene, though by daylight, as witnessed from the passing trains, was imposing. The yard contained six wheat stacks, the produce of about 60 acres of land, and three hay stacks, comprising from 60 to 70 tons of hay. Just outside the walls, next the railway, were a small wheat stack, the yield of two acres, and a new straw stack, the produce of about 10 acres, and about five or ten tons of old straw. In the barns which have been alluded to were 16 acres of peas, 3 acres of rye, from 1½ to 2 acres of winter oats, and 20 quarters of wheat thrashed and dressed. The waggon shed was against the north gable of this barn, and in the barn were cutting, dressing, and weighing-machines, and chaff-box, &c. At the extreme north-east part of the yard was a large hay stack, which a month or so since was discovered to be heated, and to prevent it from firing Mr. Fetch had it cut through the centre. Nothing more was noticed the matter with the stack, as we are informed, but on Sunday night Mr. Fetch and Mr. Mann examined it, to see if all was right. Irons were put through it and drawn out, but these gave no indication of heat; but it would seem as if Mr. Fetch was not altogether assured of its safety, for on Monday morning (after superintending his men in the erection of a barley stack in an adjoining field, before breakfast), he told them to remove the hay stack out of the yard, and they were to commence immediately after breakfast. Mr Fetch went home to breakfast, and the men seem to have had their breakfast in the barn. On completion of their meal, they state that they discovered the hay stack on fire, and a messenger was dispatched for Mr. Fetch, who speedily arrived, but a very strong wind blowing from the north-east, in an incredibly short space of time the whole stack-yard, with the large wooden barns, were enveloped in flames. Owing to the dryness of the stacks and the power of the wind, the flames raged so furiously that nothing could possibly save the contents of the stack-yard and barn, and attention had to be devoted to saving the adjoining buildings, which, fortunately, were chiefly in an opposite direction to that in which the wind blew the flames. Mr. Fetch’s own labourers, as well as those of Messrs. Emson, Marsters, Bland, Witt, Slater, and Hudson, rendered efficient service in this work. The stock-yards contained a number of pigs, but these were all saved, as were a number of carts, waggons, and other implements, but two waggons which were standing against the stack were in flames. Water was very scarce, there being but one well available, and when the engines of the Norwich Union and Royal Farmers’ Fire Insurance offices arrived they were of no use, as there was no water for them to use. For some reason or other unknown to us, upwards of two hours elapsed from the breaking out of the fire to the arrival of the engines, which shortly after left. The fire raged on, some of the stacks being completely licked up by the flames in the course of two or three hours, and at twelve o’clock it might be said to have burnt itself out, although there was still a good deal of flame from some of the stacks which burned slower than the others. A white wheat stack seemed to burn the slowest, which was accounted for on the ground that it had been reaped, and therefore was more close and compact. Three of the wheat stacks were thatched. The fire smouldered for several days after. We understand that the value of the agricultural produce destroyed is between £1,500 and £1,600. The buildings destroyed and damaged will probably entail a loss of about £500 or more, so that the total cost of the property destroyed may be put down something over £2,000. We are glad in being able to state that Mr. Fetch’s loss is not only amply covered by insurance in the Norwich Union Fire Office (of which Messrs. Elliot and John Smith are agents for this town and county) but that its agricultural agent, acting with that commendable promptitude which characterises the extensive transactions of the Norwich Union, upon receiving information of the extensive character of the fire visited the farm on Wednesday last, and, with the aid of Mr. J. R. Mann, who was well acquainted with the extent and the value of the crops consumed, and who acted on Mr. Fetch’s behalf, investigated the extent of the loss, and amicably arranged the amount of compensation to be paid to Mr. Fetch. No portion of the crops of barley (which were stacked in the fields) or beans, with a portion of a field of oats, were injured. The buildings, including two large barns, were the property of the landlords, and we are unable to state whether insured or not. The college intend to take early steps to rebuild them.