I’m hugely indebted to Jean Wyldbore from South Australia for sending in these fantastic images of the Castor Fire on 11th October 1912 – thanks also to Russell Boyd in Adelaide for handling the scanning ! I will let Jean summarise the images ………
“I believe that there were four postcards in the series; these are No. 2 and possibly No. 4.
In No. 2 there is a woman and child (with someone behind them) in the middle of the picture looking out at the camera. In No. 4 (maybe – it’s smudged on the print) there are not only the firemen and locals who probably helped to put it out, but also lots of locals – men, women and children – milling around. And one dog !
They come from the photo album owned by my great grandmother, Harriet Wyldbore (born Castor 1869; died Pipe Lane, Peterborough, 1946). Harriet married Reuben Parker in St Kyneburgha, Castor, in 1891. I assume she was, or knew some of the people, in the photos and that is why she kept them. I now own the album – full of lots of unidentified relatives, whose pictures I am gradually scanning and will send out around the world to see if anyone can put names to faces!
I’d love to know more about the fire – was it shop or house or pub ? Was it an accident ? Was there a police report ? Was anyone hurt ?”
