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CHARLIE
CODLING
THE DAY
PARLIAMENT
BURNED DOWN
Caroline Shenton
It is with great sadness that we have to report
that Charlie Codling, son of Liveryman, Karen
Eves-Codling and Grandson of Liveryman Brian
Eves passed away on Thursday 6th September.
Charlie was featured in our last newsletter being
given a real treat on the annual Wessex Cancer
Trust day out to Paulton Park, a children's theme
park, in Hampshire, made a bit more special
courtesy of the Fire Service Preservation Group
allowing Charlie, Karen and Brian to travel in
their 1975 Volvo Water Tender.
Our thoughts remain with Brian, Karen and their
family. From the money raised at Charlie’s
funeral, Karen hopes to acquire a beach-hut near
the coast in Charlie’s memory where children in
a similar condition as Charlie can have a bit of a
holiday with their families.
has recently written a book
called ‘The Day Parliament Burned Down’ which
is the first full-scale study of the catastrophic
1834 fire that burnt down the old Palace of
Westminster. Lady Antonia Fraser is quoted as
saying that this book is “absolutely riveting … It's
a thriller”.
Caroline Shenton is clerk of the Records at the
Parliamentary Archives in London and has had
unique access to historical information on the
fire.
Your editor has really enjoyed reading this book
and I can agree with the Antonia Fraser comment
above – it does read like a thriller, bringing
together all the little seemingly insignificant
elements that allow this catastrophe to develop,
from the political scheming and intransigence of
King and government to prevent any spending on
a new House of Commons (whilst at the same
time spending a fortune on Buckingham House)
to the decision to use old tallies to stoke the
furnaces rather than give the wood to poor
labourers. The drama of it all is set against a
wonderful picture of political and social life in the
1830s, with as much parliamentary corruption
appearing then as now in the award of contracts
and sinecures. The expansion of the west end of
London and the plight of Irish labourers also
feature in the story. There are snippets of
delightful knowledge such as the name
“exchequer” derives from the process of
counting tallies or money owed on a counting
table with a cloth in the form of chequered cloth
or scaccarium, used as a form of abacus.
All those interested in firefighting will understand
the manifest indications of danger of fire, the
actions of the firemen, heroically led by James
Braidwood (who, despite being a leader in
modern firefighting theory, was later to die in the
great warehouse fire of Tooley Street in 1861),
with their hard worked pumps aiming to contain
the fire spread, the impact of the flashover, the
immense and appalling splendour of it all, and, of
course, the aftermath process of blame and
analysis.
Although the flames were put out without loss of
life, the impact of the fire on Westminster was
significant in terms of the development of our
democracy as well as social, cultural and political
life.
5
MEMORABILIA
In celebration of 21 years since the
formation of The Guild of Firefighters,
a unique crystal glass to keep as a
future family heirloom is available for
purchase. The goblet is priced at
£10.00. Please add £2.50 for postage
and packing. There are only 7 left.
WCoFF ties in blue and
red are available for
purchase at £25 each.
Also available are
crystal glass paperweights
at £10 each, Salamander
lapel pins at £80 each and
cuff links at £22.50 for a set.
All enquiries to Brian Eves at:
.