The Crystal Palace was destroyed in November 1936 in the biggest
peacetime conflagration London had ever known.
"The Crystal Palace is on Fire!" was
the frantic cry that brought thousands of people on to the streets
on that fateful night. This "Palace of the People", constructed of
iron and glass, had been London's centre for 'enlightenment and
entertainment' for four generations. Its demise was, for many, like
the passing of an old friend.
To tell this fascinating tale, the
editors used interviews from firemen, police, Palace staff and those
who witnessed the spectacle from near and far. Their memories form
the core of this splendidly illustrated work which is the most
in-depth study of the fire and it background ever published.
Was it an accident, or was it
arson? Alison Edwards and Keith Wyncoll share with you the theories
which abounded at the time and are still the subject of many a
debate today. These, together with previously unpublished official
records, are examined in an attempt to solve the mystery of the
Crystal Palace fire.
Also available...
The Perfect Playground: Childhood
Memories of the Crystal Palace by Pat Scott, Alison Edwards
and Eileen Pulfer £4.50
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs
by Steve McCarthy & Mick Gilbert £6.95 |
