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Great Fire at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1850. Creator: Unknown
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Great Fire at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Great Fire at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1850. The premises consumed consisted of a building rented by shopkeepers, one portion being occupied as a grog-shop...Mrs. Craddock and her family found their retreat cut off by the staircase being in flames, and had to be lowered from the front gallery in a sheet... the fire is not yet extinct; the engines still continue to pour in floods of sea-water from the wharf hard by...The Government Bonding warehouse, in the next block of buildings, was opened, and the rum, amounting to eighty puncheons, rolled to the quay, to be plunged into the sea, if requisite. The conduct of the lower orders exceeds all praise; nearly all the puncheons of rum were rolled away by women, and they performed at least an equal half of the duty in supplying the engines; and the next day scarcely an article was missing'. From "Illustrated London News", 1850
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Media ID 36198994
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Accident Burning Caribbean Dramatic Incident Indies On Fire West Indies
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Great Fire at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 1850: An Unforgettable Episode of Caribbean History This evocative image captures the chaos and destruction wrought by a devastating fire that engulfed Port-of-Spain, Trinidad in 1850. The exact creator of this engraving remains unknown, but it was first published in the prestigious Illustrated London News, providing a glimpse into the Victorian era's fascination with far-off lands and their calamities. The fire consumed a building rented by shopkeepers, with one portion serving as a grog-shop. The premises were quickly engulfed in flames, leaving Mrs. Craddock and her family with no escape route but to be lowered from the front gallery in a sheet. The fire was not yet extinguished, and the engines continued to pour in floods of seawater from the nearby wharf. The Government Bonding warehouse, located in the next block of buildings, was opened, and the rum, amounting to eighty puncheons, was rolled to the quay and plunged into the sea to prevent further spread of the flames. The lower orders, mainly women, played a crucial role in the firefighting efforts, rolling away the rum barrels and supplying the engines with water. The conduct of the local population was praised for their heroic actions, with nearly all the rum barrels saved and no articles missing the following day. This event underscores the resilience and unity of the people of Port-of-Spain during a time of crisis, making this image a poignant reminder of the Caribbean's rich and complex history.
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