DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0118
102
Kirby’s wonderful museum.
iron bars, or ties, placed across in different directions. A
flag staff, forty-two feet in height, which had stood at the
south-west corner from the year 1776, was removed, and an
electrical rod, or conductor, was affixed from the top of the
spire to the ground, to preserve the building from the effects
of lightning. The means used to effect these alterations were
at once novel and ingenious. Thomas Birch, a basket maker,
undertook, for the sum of 20Z. to erect a scaffold of wicker-
work round the spire. This he formed entirely of willow,
hazel, and othei' sticks. It had a flight of stairs reaching in
a spiral line, from the octagonal balustrade to the vane, by
which the ascent was rendered as safe and easy as the stairs
of a dwelling house. This ingenious contrivance entirely
superseded the use of a scaffold, which would have been
more expensive, and is frequently attended with danger in
works of this kind. The spire on this occasion presented a
very curious appearance, being entirely enveloped as it were,
in a huge basket, within which the workmen performed the
necessary repairs in perfect safety. The emolument received
by the basket-maker on this occasion was very considerable,
from the donations, not only of the inhabitants, but of others
whose curiosity daily led them from London and the adjacent
villages to view this surprising piece of workmanship. By
this exhibition, which was advertised in the newspapers, Birch
is said to have cleared .50/.; and as the price of admission
to the wicker staircase was sixpence each person, he must
have had two thousand visitors. The church on this occa-
sion was shut up for five months; and the whole expense of
the improvements and repairs amounted to near 800/.
The late Sir William Staines is said to have been the first
person who contrived this kind of scaffolding, in some repairs
done to the spire of St. Bride’s church, London, which was
damaged by lightning in the year 1764, after having his scaf-
fold-poles, &c. which had been erected in the usual manner,
carried away by a violent storm. It was afterwards improved
Kirby’s wonderful museum.
iron bars, or ties, placed across in different directions. A
flag staff, forty-two feet in height, which had stood at the
south-west corner from the year 1776, was removed, and an
electrical rod, or conductor, was affixed from the top of the
spire to the ground, to preserve the building from the effects
of lightning. The means used to effect these alterations were
at once novel and ingenious. Thomas Birch, a basket maker,
undertook, for the sum of 20Z. to erect a scaffold of wicker-
work round the spire. This he formed entirely of willow,
hazel, and othei' sticks. It had a flight of stairs reaching in
a spiral line, from the octagonal balustrade to the vane, by
which the ascent was rendered as safe and easy as the stairs
of a dwelling house. This ingenious contrivance entirely
superseded the use of a scaffold, which would have been
more expensive, and is frequently attended with danger in
works of this kind. The spire on this occasion presented a
very curious appearance, being entirely enveloped as it were,
in a huge basket, within which the workmen performed the
necessary repairs in perfect safety. The emolument received
by the basket-maker on this occasion was very considerable,
from the donations, not only of the inhabitants, but of others
whose curiosity daily led them from London and the adjacent
villages to view this surprising piece of workmanship. By
this exhibition, which was advertised in the newspapers, Birch
is said to have cleared .50/.; and as the price of admission
to the wicker staircase was sixpence each person, he must
have had two thousand visitors. The church on this occa-
sion was shut up for five months; and the whole expense of
the improvements and repairs amounted to near 800/.
The late Sir William Staines is said to have been the first
person who contrived this kind of scaffolding, in some repairs
done to the spire of St. Bride’s church, London, which was
damaged by lightning in the year 1764, after having his scaf-
fold-poles, &c. which had been erected in the usual manner,
carried away by a violent storm. It was afterwards improved