3-028-452 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Ruins of Day and Martin's Blacking Factory, 1870. 'The fire which broke out, at ten o'clock in the evening of Wednesday week, in the newly-built factory of Messrs. Day and Martin, blacking manufacturers, in Vauxhall-road, Nine-elms [south London], destroyed a large amount of property. The building...contained a quantity of oils, vitriol, and other highly-inflammable substances, which caused the fire to spread very quickly; and, as the flames rose high into the air, the sight from the opposite side of the Thames was both terrible and grand. The steam fire-engines arrived early and got an abundant supply of water, but it was an hour before they could subdue the conflagration. The official report of the damage was as follows: "Messrs. Day and Martin, blacking-makers. A building of two floors, used as paper, oil- saturating, and drying rooms, 200 ft. long and 27 ft. broad, nearly burnt out, and most part of roof off. Messrs. Rolfe and Gardiner, lath-renders. A building of one floor, 200 ft. long and 27 ft. wide, all adjoining and communicating, damaged by breakage and water. Lambeth Supplementary Workhouse. The ground floor severely damaged by water, &c. Messrs. Day and. Martin were not insured. The origin of the fire is unknown".' From "Illustrated London News", 1870.