150
NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. yi. AUG. 24, 1912.
RELICS OF LONDON'S PAST.
(11 S. v. 270, 391, 471.)
The Pagoda in St. James's Park.
THE PAGODA in St. James's Park was erected in July, 1814, and formed a part of the jubilee and firework display which began upon 1 Aug., 1814, with the double purpose of celebrating the Treaty of Paris and the centenary of the accession of the House of Brunswick. The Pagoda and bridge designed by John Nash were set up under the direction of Sir William Congreve, the inventor of the Congreve rocket and " superintendent of military machines." Congreve was a per- sonal friend of George IV. The excitement in the country over the jubilee was very great, and celebrations were continued for several days.
On 19 July, 1814, The Sun remarked (p. 3, col. 1) :
" The Chinese bridge and pagoda begin to look very pretty. The general colour will be yellow, and all the roofing a very bright blue. It will be almost covered with lamps ; among which the gas lights will have the greatest share. Several little boats are already swimming in the canal, which are to be adorned with ensigns and lamps. Five hundred men have been at work for more than a month past in preparing the fire- works at Woolwich."
On 2 Aug., the day after the beginning of the celebrations, The Times burst into woodcut illustrations, and on p. 2 is a picture, 8| in. by 6 in., of the Pagoda, which was set up on the bridge in the Park. There were other illustrations all relating to the celebrations.
>.*On the evening of 1 Aug. the Pagoda took fire, and the story of this catastrophe is told in The Times (2 Aug., 1814, p. 3, cols. 3 and 4) as follows :
" St. James's Park was the chief place of
attraction About ten [P.M.] the bridge, with
its temples and pillars, and its towering super- structure, became an object of singular beauty and magnificence It appeared a blazing edifice
4-i fire- Ev . el> y P ar t of it was covered
with lamps, the gas lights in proper places relieving the dazzling splendour with their silver lustre ; the canopies of the temple throwing up their bright wheels and stars, the pillars enriched with radiance, every rising tower of the pagoda pouring forth its fiery showers, and rockets springing from the lofty top with majestic flights Almost presuming to out-rival the ancient inhabit ants of the firmament. . . .
" But we have now a sad story to tell. Near the expiration of the fireworks, the pagoda
xhibited an appearance that excited much doubt.
Its upper tower seemed enveloped in llames ; and
t was soon learned that it had actually caught
ire by some accident in the management of the machinery. The fire increased rapidly. Several engines were procured, and played upon it ; but
t continued burning till, in a short time, the five upper towers were destroyed or fell over the
- astern side of the bridge ; the lower ones were
in a state little better, and some part of the sub- structure was much deteriorated .... The fate of s erection was much regretted, as it was the
lavourite object, and displayed more taste than anything else connected with the exhibition. We are informed, that in the very commence-
rient of the fire, a workman who was employed at the top of the building, in attempting to throw
limself into the water, fell upon the bridge and was killed. We have also heard, that another man was taken to the hospital, without the slightest hope of recovery ; and that four men were most seriously bruised."
The following day, 3 Aug., The Sun stated (p. 2, col. 3) :
" At first it was rumoured that several men fciad lost their lives .... only one man was killed on the spot. This man was a lamplighter .... There were other men injured ; William Wood, John Scott, James Day, John Taylor, and two others .... John Taylor has since died ....
" It appeared that in the hurry of discharging some of the fireworks, room was not left for a rocket-wheel to play, and the flames bursting constantly on one spot, ignited the timber, and thus produced the lamented catastrophe."
Both The Times and The Sun (5 Aug.) contain details of the inquest, which was held before A. Gell, Esq., at "The King's Head," York Street, Westminster.
On 8 Aug. The Sun announced that " all the parts of the Pagoda on the canal that were injured by fire have been removed, and the lower tower only now remains, like a temple on the centre of the bridge."
There are several prints of the Pagoda as completed, and several also representing it on fire. Details of these will be found in the Catalogue of the Grace Collection, pp. 303-4, and also in Mr. Hodgkin's ' Rariora,' vol. iii. pp. 84-5. In the latter work is a reference to a broadside surrounded by eight illustrations, one of which is of the Pagoda on fire. Edward Orme, the publisher of Bond Street, issued
" An Historical Memento representing the dif- ferent scenes of public rejoicing which took place the first of August in St. James's and Hyde Parks, London, in celebration of the glorious Peace of 1814, and of the Centenary of the House of Bruns- wick to the throne of these Kingdoms [by F. W. Blagdon]. London, 1814."
This book has pretty illustrations, including two of the Pagoda, one as it was when illu- minated, and one as in the daytime. The letterpress is of no value, the newspapers of the time giving far better accounts.
