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Mr A. W. Gills motor vehicle on a cart after being destroyed by fire. Liskey Hill, Perranporth, Cornwall. June 1906
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Royal Cornwall Museum
Mr A. W. Gills motor vehicle on a cart after being destroyed by fire. Liskey Hill, Perranporth, Cornwall. June 1906
On Sunday returning from Perranporth just as the car was negotiating Liskey Hill, there was a sudden jerk and then a continuance of motion as if everything was right. But almost immediately Mrs Gill saw flames coming through from the lower part of the car at the bottom of the steering gears. Mr and Mrs Gill and a man who accompanied them were out of the car in time to see the vehicle burst into flames. It was a complete wreck. The fire was apparently caused by a breakage of the supply pipe which caused the petroleum to leak onto the hot exhaust. The car is not covered by insurance. Referenced from the Royal Cornwall Gazette, 28th June 1906, page 8, column 2. Photographer: Arthur Philp
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TRURI : TTmvs.43
Media ID 12419342
© From the collection of the RIC
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the aftermath of a devastating incident that unfolded on Liskey Hill, Perranporth, Cornwall in June 1906. The image showcases Mr A. W. Gill's motor vehicle, now reduced to a charred wreck after being engulfed by flames. The story behind this tragic event is recounted through the words of Mrs Gill herself. As the Gills were returning from Perranporth on a fateful Sunday, their car suddenly jerked before resuming motion as if nothing was amiss. However, their relief was short-lived as Mrs Gill noticed flames emerging from beneath the car near the steering gears. Swiftly reacting to the danger at hand, Mr and Mrs Gill and their companion managed to escape just in time to witness their beloved vehicle burst into an inferno. Investigations later revealed that a breakage in the supply pipe had caused petroleum to leak onto the hot exhaust, igniting an uncontrollable fire. To add insult to injury, it transpired that Mr Gill's car lacked insurance coverage. Preserved for posterity by photographer Arthur Philp and referenced in Royal Cornwall Gazette on June 28th, 1906; this poignant image serves as a reminder of both human ingenuity and vulnerability when it comes to early transportation technology. It also provides us with a glimpse into life during this era in Cornwall - where man and horse-drawn carts still coexisted alongside these new-fangled automobiles.
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