Letter from Lord Munster, London, to Mary Georgiana Dawson-Damer, 1834 October 17 : autograph manuscript signed.

Describing in detail the Parliament fire of 1834; saying "at 7 oclock last night, learning there was a great fire in the direction of Westminster I went in the direction and on turning the corner out of George Street - at once saw it was the devoted (in more ways than one) House of Lords - I was there, within 20 minutes, after it broke out, & it spread with the most extraordinary speed & the Library was then burning [illegible] with volumes of bound Paper & the Roof of the House of Lords, had already fallen in - But not extended to either of the sides - It commenced in one of the rooms belonging to the Coffee room man, attached to the House of Lords - I dont think it was burned on purpose - tho' the Tory ultra papers will no doubt say so - I never saw a finer sight and when I passed round to the Hall - which soon became the object to save - the sight of the Great Window was most splendid - no transparency nor scene at the Theatre, could be finer - for the fires had passed rapidly along the Committee & Paper rooms & approached the area which was left to give light to the window - Westmacott the sculptor & myself - were the persons who saved the Hall & my Brother Frederick, who is quietly at Berwick - has all the credit, with the newspapers. I never saw such confusion and we were obliged to take the command - I then passed on to the Speaker & from his interior quadrangle - saw the Roof of the House of Commons in flames (& the spot where you Ladies used to sit) - quite enveloped - & being of wood - the fire soon spread below & to the large window behind the Speaker's Chair - The Speaker was out of Town and his Son in great trouble but we gutted his House & planted Firemen with two Engines, who checked the devastation spreading - tho with great difficulty along his corridors - We then attended to the North side - where are the Laws of Court, & put all on a safe footing - and on the Roof of the Hall equally settl'd matters - I send you a little plan -of where we stopped the flames & saved the Hall - This was ever the main point with me - as the other can be replaced - tho it is painful to see the House of Lords, with its recollections thus destroyed - Westmacott says 1,200,000£ will not replace what is lost - I fear papers & parchments would have suffered in removal - My Brother Augustus in removing Papers was cut off & obliged to pass through a window. The Mob showed bad feeling & were happy at it - only one fireman hurt - with whom Worcester & myself had been just speaking - His leg broke by fall of materials - I am laid up to day having been six hours & a half on my gouty legs -& most of that time up to my knees in water - I had my Boys with me at first - but sent them home with their Tutor. Where are we to meet next Session? It will be a good excuse for putting it off a few months - 4 o'clock - I have been out - the whole of the Books of the Library of the House of Lords are saved - part of that of the House of Commons - I saw the Speaker bearing his misfortune manfully - such devastation I never saw but in a place taken by Storm - He sent the Despatch to the Chancellor at Brighton - who turned in his Bed - & went again to sleep."