The fire that nearly destroyed Parliament

Parliament’s watchman Amos Wilby had just done his rounds at 2am and was about to make himself a cup of cocoa.
Up til then nothing had alarmed him. And as he reached his office he heard a noise that sounded a bit like rain. In fact, it was the sound of a huge fire breaking out.
He rushed to sound the alarm, threw open the gates for the fire trucks and tried to fight the fire himself with a hose.
It was December 11, 1907.
With most of the building made of wood, the fire spread rapidly, through the lobby and Bellamys restaurant.
Bellamys was soon lost and the battle was on to save the library.
Chains of people began ferrying out the precious books to the lawn of Parliament, desperate to save irreplaceable books, paintings, documents and even furniture.
The library however stood up to the fire, behind iron fire proof walls and an iron fire proof door.
Attention then turned to the Government buildings which were next to be threatened but hosing down its walls saved it.
The fire was large enough that it lit up the night sky, bringing people from all over Wellington to watch.
Bellamy’s was largely destroyed and the cellar filled with wine and cigars was flooded.
It was believed an electric fault in the wiring that started the fire.
Once the fire was out and the damage, attention turned to where Parliament would be sitting while rebuilding was done.
Governor General William Plunket offered the Government House for Parliament use until the current Edwardian neo-classical Parliament Buildings could be designed and built in later years.
In turn, they decided to rebuild Government House in a spot that would provide more privacy, which gave way to the current Mount Cook location adjacent to Wellington College.
Wilby had been born in Leicestershire, England in 1836 to Amos and Mary Ann.
He married Mary Ann Clark in 1867 in New Zealand.
He died in Wellington on December 19, 1921 and is buried in Karori Cemetery.​