1811 — Dec 26, Fire (lit chandelier candles), Richmond Theatre, Richmond, VA –72-77
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-22-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
— 77 Baker, Meredith Henne. The Richmond Theater Fire. 2012, 2022. (Listing of victims.)
— 75 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 84.
— 72 Historichampshire.org. “Richard Channing Moore Monumental Church Honoring Theatre Fire Victims.”
— 72 Historic Richmond. “Richmond Theatre Fire, Monumental Church: Tragedy…Stewardship.”
–>72 Martinez. The Fatal Lamp…Nightmare after Christmas: 1811 Richmond Theatre Fire. 2015. v.[1]
— 72 NFPA. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 1, July, 1930, p. 78.
— 72 National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).
— 72 Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Richmond Theatre Fire-December 26, 1811. 1937.
— 72 Wolfe, Brendan. Richmond Theatre Fire (1811). Encyclopedia Virginia. 12-7-2020.[2]
–66 whites
— 6 blacks
–“at least 54 [of all 72 fatalities] were women and girls.”
–>70 Calamity At Richmond… 1812, cover.
–<70 Childs. A History of the U.S. In Chronological Order…1492…to…1885. 1886, 69.
— 70 Gerhard, William P. Theatre Fires and Panics: Their Causes and Prevention. 1896, 12.
— 70 Grand Rapids Tribune. “Lists of Holocausts of a Century,” April 5, 1911, p. 5.
— 70 National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996.
— 61 U.S. Central Publishing Co. Important Events of the Century: 1776-1876, p. 50.
–>60 Kingston, J. Particular Account of The Dreadful Fire At Richmond, Virginia. 1812.
Narrative Information
Childs: “A theatre in Richmond, VA., was burned on the evening of the 26th of December, when more than six hundred persons were present. Nearly seventy lives were lost on the occasion, and many more died afterward from injuries received.” (Childs 1886, 69)
Gerhard, William Paul. Theatre Fires and Panics: Their Causes and Prevention. 1896, 12:
“Theatre in Richmond, Va.
“Date of fire: December 26, 1811.
“Time of fire: During the last act of the evening performance.
“Number of people in audience: About 600.
“Cause of fire: Careless hoisting of a stage chandelier with lighted candles, whereby a border became ignited. Panic, jam at exits.
“Number of victims: Seventy persons killed, many injured…”
National Fire Protection Assoc. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, 24/1, July 1930, 78:
“Dec. 26. 1811. Richmond, Va. South Theatre. Fire occurred during the last act of the evening performance. There were 600 people in the audience. The fire was due to the careless raising of a stage chandelier of lighted candles, which ignited a combustible border. In the panic which ensued 72 persons were killed and many were injured.” (National Fire Protection Association. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 1, July, 1930, p. 78).
NFPA: Victims included Virginia Governor. (NFPA. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996.)
U.S. Central Publishing Co.: “Dec 27. – Burning of the Theatre at Richmond, Va. There were about 600 persons in the audience when the fire was first discovered. There was but one door for egress, and men, women, and children were pressing upon each other to get out, while the flames were surging upon those behind. It is supposed there were 61 persons burned to death.” (U.S. Central Publishing Co. Important Events of the Century: 1776-1876, p. 50.)
Newspaper
The Enquirer, Richmond, VA. “Overwhelming Calamity.” 12-28-1811, p. 3:
“In the whole course of our existence, we have never taken our pen under a deeper gloom than we feel at this moment. It falls to our lot to record one of the most distressing scenes which can happen in the whole circle of human affairs. – The reader must excuse the incoherence of the narrative; there is scarce a dry eye in this distracted city. Weep, my fellow-citizens; for we have seen a night of woe, which scarce any eye had seen, or ear hath heard, and no tongue can adequately tell.
“How can we describe the scene? No pen can paint it; no imagination can conceive it. A whole theatre wrapt in flames – a gay and animated assembly suddenly thrown on the very verge of the grave – many of them, oh how many, precipitated in a moment into eternity – youth, and beauty, and old age and genius overwhelmed in one promiscuous ruin – Shrieks, groans and human agony in every shape – this is the heart-rending scene that we are called upon to describe. We sink under the effort. Reader! Excuse our feelings, for they are the feelings of a whole city.
“Let us collect our ideas as well as we can. On Thursday night a new play & a new after piece were played for the benefit of Mr. Placide. Crowds swarmed to the theatre – it was the fullest house this season – there were not less than 600 present. The play went off – the pantomime began – the first Act was over. The whole scene was before us – and all around us was mirth and festivity. Oh God! What a horrible revolution did one minute produce! The curtain rose on the 2d Act of the Pantomime – the orchestra was in full chorus; and Mr. West came on to open the scene – when sparks of fire began to fall on the back part of the stage, and Mr. Robertson came out in unutterable distress, waved his hand to the ceiling, and uttered those appalling words – ‘The house is on fire.’ His had was immediately stretched forth to the persons in the stage-box to help them on the stage – and aid their retreat in that direction – the cry of fire, fire, passed with electric velocity through the house – every one flew from their seats to gain the lobbies and stairs.
“The scene baffles all description. The most heart-piercing cries pervaded the house. ‘Save me, save me.’ Wives asking for their husbands, females and children shrieking while the gathering element came roiling on its curling flames and columns of smoke – threatening to devour every human being in the building. Many were trod under foot – several were thrown back from the windows which they were struggling to leap. The stair-ways were immediately blocked up – the throng was so great that many were raised several feet over the heads of the rest – the smoke threatened an instant suffocation. We cannot dwell on this picture. We saw – we felt it – like others, we gave up ourselves for lost – we cannot depict it. Many leaped from the windows of the first story & were saved – children and females and men of all descriptions were seen to precipitate themselves on the ground below… [unclear three or four words] though several of them with broken legs & thighs, and hideous contusions. Most if not all who were in the pit escaped. Mr. Taylor, the last of the musicians who quitted the orchestra finding his retreat by the back way cut off leapt into the pit where he entered the semicircular avenue which leads to the door of the Theatre & found it nearly empty. He was the last that escaped from the pit! How melancholy, that many who were in the boxes did not also jump into the pit and fly in the same direction. But those who were in the boxes, above and below, pushed for the lobbies – many, as has been said, escaped through the windows – but the most of them had no other resource than to descent the stairs, many escaped in that way – but so great was the pressure that they retarded each other until the devouring element approached to sweep them into eternity. Several who even emerged from the building were so much scorched that they have since perished – some even jumped from the second window – some others have been dreadfully burnt.
“The fire flew with a rapidity almost beyond example. Within 15 minutes after it caught the whole house was wrapt in flames. – The colored people in the gallery most of them escaped through the stairs cut off from the rest of the house – some have no doubt fallen victims. The pit and boxes had but one common avenue – through which the whole crowd escaped, save those only who leaped through the windows.
“But the scene which ensued – it is impossible to paint. Women with disheveled hair, fathers & mothers shrieking out for their children, husbands for their wives, brothers for their sisters, filled the whole area on the outside of the building. A few, who had escaped, plunged again into the flames to save some dear object of their regard – and they perished. The Governor perhaps shared this melancholy fate. Others were frantic, and would have rushed to destruction, but for the hand of a friend…[two unclear words]. Almost the whole town rushed to the fatal spot.
“The flame must have been caught to the scenery from some light behind – Robertson saw it, when it was no longer than his arm – Young saw it on the roof, when it first burst through. Every article of the theatre was consumed; as well as the dwelling house next to it. But what is wealth in comparison of the valuable lives which have gone forever? – The whole town is shrouded in woe. Heads of families extinguished forever – many and many is the house, in which a chasm has been made that can never be filled up. – We cannot dwell on this picture – but look at the following catalogue of the victims, and then conceive the calamity which has fallen upon us – we must drop the pen – when we have time to collect a more particular account, we shall give it hereafter. Oh miserable night of unutterable woe!! [In the next column “A List of Dead and Missing” are the names of 63 people, which we omit.]
Sources
Baker, Meredith Henne. The Richmond Theater Fire: Early America’s First Great Disaster (Updated Edition). Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2012, 2022. Google preview accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Richmond_Theater_Fire/12kh9_C9AToC?hl=en&gbpv=1
Calamity At Richmond, Being A Narrative of the affecting circumstances attending the awful conflagration of the Theatre, in the City of Richmond On the Night of Thursday, the 26th of December, 1811. Philadelphia: Published and sold by John F. Watson, South-west corner of Third and Chesnut-streets, 1812, cover. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbcb.13289/?sp=1
Childs, Emery E. A History of the United States In Chronological Order From the Discovery of America in 1492 to the Year 1885. NY: Baker & Taylor, 1886. Google digitized. Accessed 9-4-2017: http://books.google.com/books?id=XLYbAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Gerhard, William Paul. Theatre Fires and Panics: Their Causes and Prevention. NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1896. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=ZDQJAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true
Grand Rapids Tribune, WI. “Lists of Holocausts of a Century,” April 5, 1911, p. 5. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=13462519
Historichampshire.org. “Richard Channing Moore Monumental Church Honoring the Theatre Fire Victims.” Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://www.historichampshire.org/moore/monumnt2.htm
Historic Richmond. “Richmond Theatre Fire, Monumental Church: Tragedy, United, Stewardship.” Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://historicrichmond.com/news/richmond-theatre-fire-monumental-church-tragedy-united-stewardship/
Kingston, J. Particular Account of The Dreadful Fire At Richmond, Virginia, December 26, 1811 Which destroyed the Theatre and the house adjoining, and in which more than sixty persons were either burnt to death, or destroyed in attempting to make their escape. Baltimore: Printed for and sold by J. Kingston, and all the Book-sellers in the United States. B. W. Sower & co. Printers, 1812. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.particularaccoun00isra/?st=gallery
Martinez, Amber Marie. The Fatal Lamp and the Nightmare after Christmas: The 1811 Richmond Theatre Fire (Master’s Thesis). Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5098&context=etd
National Fire Protection Association. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 1, July, 1930.
National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996. Accessed 2010 at: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/Key%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie%5Ftest=1
National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)
Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Richmond Theatre Fire-December 26, 1811. 1937. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://web.archive.org/web/20110519200850/http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Richmond-Theatre-Fire.html
Simonds, W. E. (Editor). The American Date Book. Kama Publishing Co., 1902, 211 pages. Google digital preview accessed 9-8-2017 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=JuiSjvd5owAC
The Enquirer, Richmond, VA. “Overwhelming Calamity.” 12-28-1811, p. 3. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/richmond-enquirer-dec-28-1811-p-3/
United States Central Publishing Co. Important Events of the Century: 1776-1876. NY: U.S. Central Pub. Co., 1876. Google preview accessed 1-22-2018 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=OGZt1HGsgmEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Wolfe, Brendan. Richmond Theatre Fire (1811). Encyclopedia Virginia. 12-7-2020. Accessed 1-22-2025 at: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/fire-richmond-theatre-1811/
[1] “72 persons perished in the flames with more victims dying of their burns within the following days.”
[2] “Early reports numbered the dead at anywhere from 50 to 200 people, but within a few weeks the number had been fixed at 72…The scholar Meredith Henne Baker has raised to total to 76 and argued that it is probably higher.”