Crystal Palace - Accident or Arson ? - The Crystal Palace Foundation

The cause of the conflagration that destroyed the Sydenham Crystal Palace on 30th November 1936 has intrigued many people and has been the subject of many a debate since that fateful night.

Here, aided by transcriptions of original documents and new interviews, along with fresh information and his well-researched account of events, the late Robert Knowles points us in new directions and gives us many fascinating new insights.His account will, nevertheless, leave us pondering…

Chapter one The Sydenham Crystal Palace
Chapter two The years between: a brief resumé
Chapter three The Palace restored
Chapter four Brigade call
Chapter five Accident or arson?
Chapter six Motive
Chapter seven Postscript
Appendix one Kirk’s Law of ‘rolling fire’
Appendix two Inflammable liquids
Appendix three They ripped up the floor boards – 1866 fire review

The following additional documents and reports were not available to Robert when he wrote his book.

Gas Board reports
Penge Fire Brigade – Chief Officer’s Report
Metropolitan Police reports
Excerpt from the book ‘In the Wake of Disaster’ by David Wainwright about the insurance
Request to the Home Office for a Public Enquiry re BBC broadcast
London County Council – Report of the Fire Brigade and Main Drainage Committee
Report by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
Chapter 7 of the book ‘Fire’ by Major C. C. B. Morris, Chief Officer, London Fire Brigade
Memories of fireman Jim Barnard, present at the fire
Memories of C. G. Allaston Stationmaster, Crystal Palace High Level railway station
Memories of Sydney A. Legg, General manager’s private secretary
Weather report for 30th November 1936

Was this calamitous event an accident, or was it arson…?

Reader reviews:

"10 out of 10"
"Compelling"
"Arson theory is thoroughly well researched and argued"
"Great read and value for money" Alan Leventhall

What, on the surface, could have been a relatively mundane investigation is transformed into an immensely readable book through the calm, straightforward approach of Robert H Knowles. In an almost Poirot-esque fashion he lays out the known facts, reports on the possible theories and investigates what could, or could not, be probable. The result is a fascinating collection of news, interviews and testimony that allows the reader to comprehend facts, without bulldozing an opinion. It must have taken many years of exhausting, extensive research to gather the information, but never is this about Knowles. Instead, his consistently humble approach shines light on the main players without judgement but with empathy and understanding of the place, the time and the circumstance. It’s a terrible shame that Knowles never got to see his work published. It’s a beautiful legacy from him and a must-read for anyone vaguely interested in the Crystal Palace or British society at the end of Empire. Alan Pottinger

124 pages. Paperback

Crystal Palace - Accident or Arson? is also available from Bookseller Crow on the Hill, Westow Street, London, SE19.