Sepoy Posted 29 April , 2015 Share Posted 29 April , 2015 Such sad news! The House was used as a hospital during WW1.It was also the home of the Queen's Regimental Museum which was housed in the basement. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-32524445 Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted 29 April , 2015 Share Posted 29 April , 2015 This is very sad news. I've spent a lot of time at Clandon Park. The resturant and kitchens also in the basement of this lovely house next to the museum. The photos look very bad. ><((((*> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 29 April , 2015 Share Posted 29 April , 2015 How terrible...........no mention though of the Military stuff being saved from the basement?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 29 April , 2015 Share Posted 29 April , 2015 The regimental archives were transferred ti the Surrey History Centre some while ago. I'll ask my National Trust friend about the museum material. Incidentally there is a thread in Chit-Chat too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 30 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 April , 2015 This is a comment from the former Queen's Museum curator on his facebook page (posted around 2300 hours)"It is all gone burnt out with just the walls of the house standing and when I left an hour ago there were still flames coming out of the museum windows" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 They have had no luck, about 10 years ago there was a break-in and 1,000 medals stolen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Absolutely heartbreaking to watch the horrifically graphic (drone ?) footage of the destruction of a beautiful place that I've visited so many times over the last 35+ years. As Jane says, the regimental archives are safe at the Surrey History Centre, but there cannot be much, if any, hope for the museum exhibits in the right-hand end of the basement. Regardless of other damage, there must be thousands of gallons of water down there this morning. As I visualise the magnificent 'Speaker's Dining Room', my heart goes out in particular to the Onslow family, who have lost the treasured family heritage they believed they had secured for the future when the house was passed to the National Trust. It remains to be seen what caused the fire and why it spread so devastatingly quickly from the basement to the upper floors and the roof, but I do hope that it doesn't turn out to be something connected with the use of the house as a venue for weddings, receptions, etc, of which I have been critical in the past, as it has meant that the house was often closed when I would have liked to visit it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Absolutely heartbreaking to watch the horrifically graphic (drone ?) footage of the destruction of a beautiful place that I've visited so many times over the last 35+ years. As Jane says, the regimental archives are safe at the Surrey History Centre, but there cannot be much, if any, hope for the museum exhibits in the right-hand end of the basement. Regardless of other damage, there must be thousands of gallons of water down there this morning. As I visualise the magnificent 'Speaker's Dining Room', my heart goes out in particular to the Onslow family, who have lost the treasured family heritage they believed they had secured for the future when the house was passed to the National Trust. It remains to be seen what caused the fire and why it spread so devastatingly quickly from the basement to the upper floors and the roof, but I do hope that it doesn't turn out to be something connected with the use of the house as a venue for weddings, receptions, etc, of which I have been critical in the past, as it has meant that the house was often closed when I would have liked to visit it. Difficult to believe from the pictures, but a National Trust spokesman, speaking on local radio this morning, seemed optimistic about the Speakers Dining Room; On the other hand a spokesman for the Infantry Museum was extremely pessimistic about possible salvage of any of its contents, but did relate that fire crews, realising their importance, had removed the display of regimental colours - a small but welcome piece of good news. A couple of local news links with coverage: http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/soldiers-return-clandon-park-recreate-7098945 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-32527293 NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 My daughter attended a lovely wedding there just last Saturday and had a great day. She and the bridal party are all really upset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Considering that the fire apparently started in the basement, and the museum is at the far end of it, I am surprised, but pleased and grateful, that the fire crews were able to get in and 'save the Colours'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 I think it went straight up, Mike. Got to the roof very soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 I think the NT will have to rethink its fire procedures in view of this apparently near total loss of major house within a few miles of considerable fire brigade assets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 One of the those interviewed on the radio this morning said there was a shaft which ran from top to bottom of the house, also large voids between floors and ceilings which would have done nothing to hinder the spread. There is speculation - and I hasten to add it is no more than that - that it was caused by an electrical fault. One of the room attendants said it took no more than six minutes from the time the alarm first sounded till the arrival of the first fire appliance on the scene, but it sounds as if it spread just too quickly to allow it to be got under control easily. NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 I think the NT will have to rethink its fire procedures in view of this apparently near total loss of major house within a few miles of considerable fire brigade assets. They do, apparently, have an established & regularly practised drill for rescuing material in the event of a fire, but as yet it remains to be seen just how much was rescued; understandably human safety always has to take precedence over the rescue of material however rare or valuable it might be. One would hope that fire protection lessons were learnt - and acted on - from the fire at Uppark (another similar NT property) in 1989, also those at Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. Wikipedia relates that Uppark was rebuilt because 'it was determined that restoration would be a cheaper insurance settlement than complete payout for a total loss' BBC Local radio has just reported that the fire is now out, but the fire service has had to extend its exclusion zone because of the sighting of cracked lintels and a real fear of collapse of the remaining structure. Sadly it seems difficult to be optimistic about the building's future; hope I'm wrong. NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Latest from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-32528435 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 It appears that pretty much the entire collection of the E Surrey Regimental Museum is lost, barring five regimental standards. The regimental archive was fortunalely elsewhere. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 There have been reports that the fire brigade was 'winning' when the water pressure dropped and the fire then went out of control. I'm puzzled by reports that water tankers had to be brought in, as there is a lake very close to the house. As regards a 'route' from the basement to the upper storeys and the roof, I imagine that the servants' back-staircases, mostly narrow and wooden, which make their way up through the structure, may have acted as 'chimneys' for the fire. Despite a number of moderately optimistic reports, it seems very likely that most of the house's interior fittings and contents will have been lost. Incidentally, several reports have mentioned the Maori meeting-house that stands in the garden behind the house, and at least one has said that it is uncertain whether that unique building has been saved. In fact, it is visible (and apparently unaffected) in several published photos showing NT staff laying out rescued items on the back lawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Mike, If the lake is very weedy there might have been issues with its suitability for use (vegetable matter sucked into the machinery); but apart from that I couldn't say. The pictures are painful to look at. sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westkent78 Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Queen's, East Surreys and all affiliated London Battalions. It's a very grim day. I am so, so relieved the Archives moved in 2003 but I wonder how much was in the "Reserve" collection. I hope that the roof caved in on the museum quickly and some of the medals might have survived, but it really doesn't sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 This is a tragic I hear the Fire Brigade included some ex Servicemen who ran straight to the case with the Colours, smashed it and saved them. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 The saving of the colours was a tremendous effort. Thanks to those concerned. But as regular visitors to this house just a few miles from home, we are all really upset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 Just think....all of the irreplacable lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 The DM is talking about 6 VCs lost, but I presume the crosses on display were museum-grade replicas and the originals are hopefully safely locked away elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 30 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 April , 2015 I have been advised by a person connected to the museum that the VCs were kept in a secure location off site. I have sent a message back to try and discover whether the original VCs were kept with their supporting campaign groups or if the latter were lost in the fire.I will up date if anything else is heardSepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 30 April , 2015 Share Posted 30 April , 2015 If they follow the practice of some other museums (such as The Buffs) - replica VC in front of real group. This is a heartbreaking day for all manner of historians; so much loss in so many areas. I hope the fire was not caused by human error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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