The following account of the fire at Beckington on Sunday, November 3, 1782 was published on Monday, December 2, 1782 in the Salisbury & Winchester Journal.
FIRE at BECKINGTON, Somerset
Whereas on Sunday the 3d day of November, at six o’clock in the evening, a dreadful Fire broke out in the dwelling house of Robert Thresher, broad-weaver, in the parish of Beckington aforesaid, which in three hours consumed the same, together with nine other dwelling-houses, with great part of the household goods and furniture, whereby the persons inhabiting the same (which they held by copies of court-roll under the Rector of Beckington, determinable an lives) are reduced to great distress, and are utterly incapable of re-building the same; to do which, at a moderate computation, (made by proper surveyors) will amount to the sum of Eight Hundred Pounds; exclusive of the goods and furniture consumed by the said fire, which amounts to the sum of One Hundred Pounds and upwards.
Therefore, the charitable donations of the public for the poor sufferers are earnestly requested, and which will be received by Mess Francis Skurray and William Chislett, churchwardens of Beckington aforesaid; Mess. Horlock and Co. bankers, at Bath; Mess. Horlock and Co. bankers, at Warminster; the Rev. Dr. Kent, at Berkley; the Rev. Peter Mayson, at Frome; the Rev. William Keate, at Laverton ; the Rev. Thomas Hewitt, at Westbury; Mr. Daniel Clutterbuck, at Bradford; Mr. Isaac Green, at. Trowbridge; and Mr. Richard Read, banker, at Devizes.
A list of benefactions will be published in the Salisbury Journal, Bath Chronicle, and other newspapers; and the same will be impartially distributed amongst the several sufferers.
N. B. The public are hereby cautioned not to give to any person who may go about the country to collect money as pretended sufferers by the said fire.
