Hi Listers, I was reading an account of the Windsor Fire in the Sydney Morning Herald. This was published on the 26th December 1874. Seems like "deja vu" with the Canberra fire of early January this year. I will not re-write all the article only certain particulars and the names of people. But if you are interested in looking at it, it makes interesting reading. The Disastrous Fire at Windsor. Without doubt the most alarming and disastrous conflagation that was ever witnessed here, and probably in any other town in this colony occurred on Wednesday last. A heavy gale was blowing from early morning, and increased by 1 o'clock pm, into a terrific hurricane. The atmosphere was densley intensified by the smoke from the bush fires from almost every point of the compass. At 2 pm an alarm of fire was raised in the town, and the news rapidly ran that several places were on fire, which was readily verified by the appearance of the flames. From the best information that can be obtained there were, if the expression can be pardoned, two origins. It then goes on to say that one origin of the fire was Montgomery's blacksmith shop then crossed George Street to O'Hara's stores. Then to the premises of Mr Gosper in Macquarie street which included a number of large wooden buildings including Mr Gosper's dwelling house. Then to the adjoining dwelling house and tannery of Mr Linsley and on the other side,Mr Dunstan's house. At the same time across the street to the row of houses occupied by Mr W Alderson and others, and to Mr Alderson's tannery buildings - extending to the Oddfellows' Hall - a large brick building - and Mr Tilley's weatherboard cottage adjoining, all of which were destroyed. The fire took a resistless course up both sides of Macquarie street demolishing a row of cottages and the Wesleyan chapel and mission -house on one side and buildings of Mr Calloway, Mr John Bowling [occupied by Mr J Pender], a large barn [property of Mr John Wood], and the whole of the valuable premises of Mrs Rochester on the other. The second fire broke out in Whittaker's buildings in George-street, part occupies by Mr W Byrnes as a grocery store, and part by the Hawkesbury Times office. The flames communicated to the Barraba Hotel, kept by Miss Bushell, a small tenement adjoining, and then with Mortley's boot shop, and Byram's chemist's shop. From the Barraba Hotel [which is situated at the corner of George and Fitzgerald streets] the fire ran down Fitzgerald street, consuming all the buildings on the southern side. Mr John Wood's house and premises were also burnt down. Two other houses in George street have also been destroyed, the one occupied by Mrs Stubbs and the other, a two storied brick house occupied by Mr Trathen. The fire was raging at 3.00pm and fire engines were telegraphed for to Sydney. They arrived by a quarter to 5 by special train and another by ordinary train at 7.00pm. The fire was not under control til late that night. Mention was made of Mr Bown, Mr Coley, Mrs William Alderson [who was carried from the fire by her son]. And special mention was made of Rev C F Garnsey, W Gosper, j Holmes, A Town, S Greenwell, W Beard and J Crowley. Deaths were an old woman named Eliza Wilson at Windsor and Mrs Abraham Johnston died while travelling in a buggy through Wilberforce Common and her clothes caught fire. There is a lot of detail in the article which runs a full column. Also another fire was mentioned at Waratah in the next column. Kristine Wood