Demonstration of instant French Polish REMOVES STAINS AND HEAT MARKS Ground Floor—Main Building azet LENTISH POST, THE CANTERBURY PRESS, THE DOVER STANDARD, AND THE HYTHE REPORTER Lefevres of Conterbu 62266 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1971 By Post: 8p 3p £20,000 blaze at country club DAMAGE estimated at more than £20,000 was caused at Bridge Place Country Club, Bridge, on Saturday morning, when fire ripped through the upper floors of the 17th Century mansion. Nearly 40 firemen fought the blaze and used a turntable ladder to pour water on to the blazing roof. The only occupant, an au pair "The cause is not yet known girl, escaped down a drainpipe after she had been trapped in but there is a suggestion that her bedroom by flames and it could have been an electrical failure or a fault in the chimney smoke. A dog belonging to the flue. owner, Mr. Peter Malkin, suffo- cated despite attempts by fire- "The Fire Brigade did a mar- men to revive it with oxygen. vellous job and I am full of praise for their speed and effici- Although the old house was ency. The magnificent oak stair- badly damaged—part of the roof and some ceilings collapsed and case has been saved and many of the great old beams with- some original oak panelling was stood the heat fantastically." burned off the walls—the club- room, main bar and kitchens Mr. Malkin said that the tele- were untouched and were open vision lounge and part of the as usual on Saturday evening. restaurant were flooded with water pouring down from the The fire started around 9.30 upper floors but they were able a.m., soon attar MAYRATI 'rat left to do some shopping in Can- to clear up in time to open on terbury. Saturday — and entertain 300 members. The au pair girl, 23-year-old Miss Pam Liverton, a New "We shall be continuing on Zealander, was still asleep in Fridays and Saturdays as her third floor bedroom and was usual," said Mr. Malkin. "It is awakened by thick smoke. a great pity that this happened She tried to get down the at this particular time for the main staircase but was driven club has been doing so well back by the swirling smoke. "I lately." threw the clothes that were on Assessors have not yet com- my bed cut of the window and pleted their estimation of the climbed out on to a ledge in damage or what the insurance my nightie," she said. repayments will be but Mr. Mal- "I climbed down a drainpipe, kin has already announced that jumping from ledge to ledge. he intends to restore the build- There was a lot of flames com- ing completely. Smoke pours from Bridge Place Country Club, almost blotting out the top two store ing out of the upstairs windows "I am a great lover of history the 17th Century mansion, during the height of Saturday's blaze. and smoke was billowing every-, and am extremely keen on help- where. It was really horrid." ing to preserve interesting old buildings," he said. To safety "This house dates back to the 17th Century and was once at- Or.e of the first on the scene tacked by Cromwell's men. It was Mr. John England, of Ivy may cost me more than I get Cottage, Bishopsbourne, a friend in insurance but I will have of Mr. Malkin, who managed to this house put back into its catch a Great Dane—one of two original, beautiful condition." dogs trapped in the building— and take it to safety. Mr. Brian Pearson, a Special Constable, also went into the building to see if anyone was trapped but was driven back by flames and smoke. Firemen from Canterbury were joined by crews from Aylesham, Sturry, Wingham and Chilham, under the command of Divisional Officer Arthur Noutch, of Canterbury. They pumped water from a nearby stream to spray through the shattering windows and used breathing apparatus to fight their way into the smoke- logged building. But by the time they brought the flames under control, most of the furniture, clothing and personal belongings in the house had been destroyed. The 20-room mansion was built in 1638 and opened as a country club in July, 1967. "The fire must have started soon after I left for Canterbury," said Mr. Malkin. "I saw the smoke as I was returning down Bridge Hill and my first thought was for the dogs. "I saw that Becket, the Great Silhouetted against the sky, a Canterbury fireman directs a jet of water from the top of a Dane, was safe and I dashed turntable ladder on to the burning roof of Bridge Place Country Club. [More pictures on in to search for the other, Rupert. I managed to get up to back page.] top floor but there were flames everywhere. "I went into my bedroom and found the ceiling was falling in. I managed to rescue some money I had left there, although it was slightly charred, .by the time I could reach it. "There was nothing more I could do. The 17th Century oak panelling in two of the rooms has gone and £1,500 worth of carpets have been ruined. "My large collection of classi- XQ.n.rds._;14,Art.k. ru.,_ FIB Of MY c,„,,, at the tltrine'Vs, The- owner of Bridge Place Country Club, Mr. Peter Malkin, inspects the damage in one of the upper rooms after Saturday's fire. In his hand is a sword which once hung on the wall but which was twisted out of shape by the heat. fire. In his hand is a sword which once hung on the wall but which was twisted out of shape by the heat. A fire-blackened bedroom shows the intensity of the fire. Furniture was destro‘ ed, the ceiling _collapsed a:id -oak-panelling more than 300 ye ars old was burned off the wails. Miss Pam Liverton, a 23=year-old an pair girl, shows her escape route. Wearing only a nightdress, she climbed out of this third-floor window on to a ledge and scrambled down a Miss Pam Liverton, a 23=year-old an pair girl, shows her escape route. Wearing only a nightdress, she climbed out of this third-floor window on to a ledge and scrambled down a nightdress, she climbed out of this third-floor window on to a ledge and scrambled down a drainpipe.