A long article in The Bristol Mercury of December 22 1855 describes a fire in St Augustine's Parade. This is my summary with a few quotations.
"Terrible and Destructive Fire"
A fire broke out on the premises of Mr Warry, jeweller and watchmaker. Mr Warry escaped, his housekeeper, Mary Brown, fell while trying to escape from an upper window and later died from her injuries. The occupants of the adjoining properties –Mr Jones, confectioner, and Mr Linter, haberdasher– were rescued. A strong wind fanned the flames and the fire spread to Mr Jones' house. At 3 a.m. the whole of the front of Mr Jones' property collapsed and "fell into the road, pitching fire-escape, men and all into the street and burying them under the ruins."
A summary of the outcome is given as: "Mr Warry's premises were reduced to a heap of smouldering ruins, Mr Jones's were destroyed excepting a part of the shop, and Mr Linter's and those lately occupied by Mr Stockham, gas-fitter, were considerably damaged."
W B Jones rebuilt the property and reopened for business (4 October 1856: Bristol Mercury) but went bankrupt shortly afterwards (17 January 1857: Bristol Mercury)
