Susanna Wesley's Epworth Memoirs by Colin Ella - part 7 Fire Destroyed Our Home
The 1702 fire almost made us homeless but the awful conflagration of 1709 completely destroyed all we had.
Our house, furniture, clothing, money, books and writings were all consumed by that terrible and frightening inferno.
It was a miracle that we all escaped with our lives, and especially our young Jacky, who always remarked later in his life, that he had been like a brand plucked from the burning.
It was around midnight on the night of the 19th February that the blaze was discovered and by that time it had taken a good hold of most of the first floor and above.
Hetty's loud shrieks aroused us and at the same time we heard shouts of 'Fire! Fire!' from the street below.
Leaving our bedchambers we found flames running above us along the entire length of the landing and in places snaking down the walls and billowing across the passage.
My husband told me, Emilia and Hetty, to get out of the house with all speed.
Samuel then rushed off to the nursery where the servant and our other children were still asleep.
They were quickly roused and joined the rest of us assembled in the hall ready to escape.
To our horror we discovered that the keys of the lower doors had been left upstairs.
The staircase was well ablaze and yet my fearless fellow immediately set off up to fetch the keys.
He came back with them just before the entire staircase went up with a tremendous roar.
Opening the front door our troubles were far from over for a fierce north east wind drove in a rush of flame preventing us getting out.
Some of the children scrambled through windows and some got out by the garden door. I was in no fit state to climb out of any window nor could I get to the garden door.
Three times I tried to force my way through the front door but each time the heat blast drove me back. I prayed and prayed and putting myself into God's hands I waded, naked as I was, straight out through the flames.
Amazingly, I was preserved, and got away with only some severe scorching of my hands and face.
From the nursery Betty came running with Charles in her arms and we gathered together on the front lawn where we found that Jacky was still missing.
He had slept through it all - unaware of all the racket around him. With our staircase gone we felt beaten and Samuel implored God for Jacky's safe keeping.
As it happened, by now Jacky was astir and saw the flames streaking across the top of the nursery.
He ran to open the door but was met by a wall of flame. Closing the door he dashed across to the window.
Placing a chest there he stood upon it so that he could be seen from below. Some men wanted to fetch a ladder but Jacky needed rescuing there and then. Standing on each others' shoulders the men formed a pyramid and managed to pull Jacky out to safety.
Sadly we watched the whole house light up the night in the most awesome roar and crackle. My good man gathered us around him and gave thanks to God for our safe deliverance; aye, and then, after all that terror, he quipped, 'We have now little more than Adam and Eve had when they first set up house keeping!'
Next week in Part 8 - A Scattered Family
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Weather for Epworth
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
