Letter – Peter Mulcaster to Nicholas Walton – 16 May 1779

(Copy of Mr Mulcaster's Letter to Messrs Walton & Turner)

                         						Langley Mill 16th May 1779

Gentlemen

      I am exceedingly Sorry to have you to acquaint that an accident has happened here this Morning which might have been a very sad one, and as it is, bad enough. The Cynders in the Room where they are kept had took fire in the Night, and when Forsters People arose this Morning they found them all in a Blaze. Mr Walton will remember the Cynder Room was an upper one, a Coal Room under it, and before it was discovered the Floor was fallen in and Cynders and Coals all laid together, we however by taking a great run of Water out of the Dam and forcing it into the Coal House, and also heaving it in at every Door soon got the Fire out with no other Damage than the loss of the Floor of the Cynder Room, but that is entirely consumed Joists and all, but I think myself happy it is no worse, for both the office and Forsters House were in the greatest Jeopardy, the Joist upon which the Principles stand had took fire in two places but are no Worse the Gavel between it and Forsters was so hot through as to set the Deal Ends a Frying but were not actually on Fire, all the Damage we have done in getting the Fire Extinguished is Two or Three Slates taken off to pour water in at, and which I now see might as well have been let alone, the Coals and Cynders to be sure are somewhat damaged by having the water running through them, and by their being partly mixt, but I hope tomorrow to get them put into tolerable order again. 

      The occasion of the Fire to be sure has been this, Browns People were leading Cynders yesterday they brought us in three Fodders, I stood by them and saw two of the Fodders put in myself and did not observe the least sign of Fire in them, the other Fodder I did not see put unto the House. Browns Son and Thomas Temperley say they were as Cold that they Loaded them with their bare Hands yet notwithstanding all this, there has undoubtedly been some hidden Spark of Fire amongst them, and they may have been on Fire 

before I left the Mill last night, or before Forster and Wife went to bed but Cynders make no Smoak and therefore not easily discovered. I shall do nothing about repairing the House (only getting an Inner Lintle to one of the Doors put in which is burnt out) and indeed it will be my advice never to put a Floor there again, for now I see it is exceedingly unsafe to put Cynders into a House that has a Boarded Floor; they are better being kept in a House, tho' at most other Mills they lye at the Door and I believe we must keep ours there too, for I never dare Venture again having any in a House ajoining to any other Building, I tremble yet to think what danger there was of both the Office and Forsters House being burnt, and if them perhaps the whole of the Mill, indeed I believe half an Hours later discovery would have made us had great difficulty in saving them I can blame myself for nothing about it, but that I lay in bed an

Hour later than I commonly do on a Sunday Morning. I have seldom since the Bellows were cut missed being at the Mill as soon as it is light on a Sunday Morning and to day I was out of Bed about half past Four, but finding myself somewhat out of order unluckily laid down again, and was not up at Six when Forster came running naked and almost distracted to alarm us. I am your most Obedient 

      Humble Servant

      Peter Mulcaster