Tom and Fanny Rogers' House after the Great Fire
Unusual picture, of Tom and Fanny’s home after the fire, a view not captured by other photographers. This must have been taken the day after, as there are no signs of the firemen and hoses seen in other images. The men seem to be salvaging wood from the roof timbers.
The lady on the left (marked by an X) is said to be Fanny Maria Rogers, and if so, she is standing in front of her burnt out home. Might that be her husband Tom next to her? We don't at present know the identity of any of the other people in the photos, but note the strange arrangement of wheels on the pram, the youth – with a jug of milk perhaps - stopping on his errand to get into the picture.
The damage to Thomas Rogers’ home cost £120 in the fire (2nd highest non-farm amount, suggesting it covered both 16 & 18 High Street) and £30 of their personal possessions. After the fire, they were rehoused at 10 High Street paying 2/- week. These houses, unlike the others in the High Street, where remodelled and rebuilt rather than just repaired and so look significantly different from the road view [see DK054] when they were finally finished in 1908.
 
Photographer: Unknown
Image lent by : Mrs Sandra Batchelor
Connected Photos: KL023 | DK033 | DK054 | AP053a