Podington - Fire—Early on Tuesday morning a fire broke out at a lodge near Hinwick occupied by Charles Draper, gardener to Sir Chas. Payne. About 2.30a.m. one of Mr Draper’s daughters awoke and saw a brilliant light, and immediately called her father, who found that some outbuildings at the rear of the house were on fire. The thatch on the cottage was also alight and could not be put out. P.C. Godman was soon on the scene, and, helped by some of the villagers, got the furniture out. Water was thrown on the cottage, but did not extinguish the flames, and by 3.30 the fire had burnt itself out. The house was insured.

Midnight Fire at Wymington
Fowlhouse, Barns and Granaries Burnt Out – Cause Unknown
At midnight on Wednesday the Rushden Fire Brigade received a call to Wymington, where a fowlhouse, store barns, granaries, etc., on the farm of Mr W W Smith, of The Poplars, were on fire. Six members of the Brigade, under Captain R F Knight, turned out and took the steamer, and on their arrival they found the barns, etc., were well alight. Several helpers had quelled the worst part of the outbreak, but there was still much to be done by the Brigade, for the roof and other parts were still smouldering and occasionally breaking into flame. Getting the steamer going, water was pumped from a pond close by, and soon the Brigade had the fire well in hand, and it was not long before everything was finally extinguished.

No live stock was hurt, all having been removed before any damage could be done to them. The roof of the outhouse was knocked off by the force of the firemen’s hoses, after having been weakened by the ravages of the fire. Had there been much wind blowing, the outbreak would have become serious, for there were many other buildings nearby, and Mr Smith’s house is adjacent. The Brigade returned home at 4a.m. on Thursday. The small number of firemen present was due to the fact that this week many of the Rushden Brigade are at Torquay, taking part in the national competitions, and Second Officer W Packwood was also unable to turn out owing to his recent accident.

The cause of the fire is unknown, though it is considered possible that lightning started the outbreak.