A wonderful but devastating image showing the end of the Stanground Manor House after a fire in the early hours of Sunday 8th January 1899. The house was the residence of Irishman John Selby.
The fire broke out in the library and spread rapidly, sending all the inhabitants fleeing in their night clothes and destroying many valuable paintings, silverware and other artifacts.
Three fire brigades battled vainly to halt the fire but the Peterborough Brigade’s steam tender had an accident on route to the fire and was rendered of no use.
The Manor House was sited behind the parish church, underneath today’s Burystead, but fortunately the prevailing winds blew the flames away from the church.
