Images Dated 14th May 1971

The Mayor of Rugby, Councillor Horace Stephens, said bon voyage to the party from Rugby

The Mayor of Rugby, Councillor Horace Stephens, said bon voyage to the party from Rugby Fire Station who are travelling to Rugby's twin town, Evreux in France, in one of the brigade's pump and personnel carriers. They will take part too in processions and attend ceremonies to commemorate the centenary of a Paris Fire. The men taking the trip are A.D. Wilkshire, A.G. Griffin, J. Colledge, Leading Fireman I. Bealing, Station Officer R. Hall, Sub-officer A. Watters and the driver M. West.
The Palais des Tuileries was a royal palace in Paris. It stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed in the upheaval during the suppression of the Paris Commune. On May 23, 1871, twelve men under the orders of a Commune extremist, Dardelle, set the Tuileries on fire at 7 p.m., using petroleum, liquid tar, and turpentine. The fire lasted for 48 hours and entirely consumed the palace. It was only on May 25 that the Paris fire brigades and the 26th battalion of the Africa Chasseurs managed to put out the fire. Other portions of the Louvre were also set on fire by Commune extremists and entirely destroyed. The museum itself was only miraculously saved.
14th May 1971

© Mirrorpix