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Early on Monday morning last a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Neumann, tobacconist and toy seller at the corner of Priory Street and Biggin Street and immediately opposite the extensive timber yard of Mr. S. Finnis.

The alarm was raised by Police Constable King about 20 minutes after one o’clock, the constable who was on duty in the neighbourhood perceiving that smoke was issuing from the shutters of the back parlour which overlooks Priory Street. The smoke was issuing in such density and volume that the constable had no doubt that a serious fire must be raging within. He at once raised Mr. Neumann who it appears was alone in the house Mrs Neumann being in London, and the servant usually employed availing herself to the opportunity of her mistress’s absence to take a holiday. Though the evidence of conflagration where such as we described, Mr Neumann seemed unconscious of the jeopardy in which his premises were placed. There was no doubt however that the fire must have been burning for a considerable time, for when the Fire Brigade arrived it was found that the parlour was enveloped in flames.

The brigade was under the direction of Superintendent Coram and his auxiliaries Sergeant’s Barton and Steven’s, and although the men were provided with all the necessary appliances used in the extinguishing of fire, want of an efficient water supply for a time paralysed their efforts. Nearly half an hour elapsed before the defect was remedied and all that could be done in the interim was to throw buckets of water obtained from the neighbouring pumps and wells. All that was possible in this way was done with will though to little purpose. When it was found that there was an adequate supply of water the Fire Brigade made short work of their labours the zeal and intrepidity, which they displayed the up-most commendation from the few by-bystanders that had collected. At one time it was feared the fire would communicate itself to the adjoining house occupied by Mr. Amos the photographic artist, and picture dealer, upon whose premises a number of valuable works of art were collected but by the persevering efforts of Sergeant Barton. He played upon that part of the burning premises adjoining Mr. Amos’s house from a ladder under circumstances very great disadvantage. The calamity of the fire spreading, which as we have said was feared, was adverted and the flames were confined to the house in which they had broken out though not subdued till the premises were completely gutted. Very little explanation can be given to this cause of the fire though a careful examination of the premises has been made. Mr. Neumann himself attributes it to an escape of gas, though it appears that some repairs to the gas fittings were done only a very short time since. The premises and the stock and furniture are all insured, the latter to the amount of some £600 or £700 in the Alliance Insurance Office, of which Mr. Boyton is the agent and the premises in the Kent the local agents of which, are Messrs Fielding and Greehow. Among the property destroyed by the fire is a cash box containing about £40 in gold, which Mr. Neumann states was in a room immediately above the shop.(1869)