Northampton Mercury, November 25th. 1776
"The same day, about noon, a fire broke out in the roof of a barn belonging to Mrs. Hawley, at Paulerspury. In this County, (occupied with her house near thereto by her under-tenants) which almost instantly communicated to a shed, the dwelling house, workshop, and premises, belonging to one Inwood, a wheelwright; and by a sudden gust of wind, catching Mrs. Hawley's house, when all appeared a conflagration: The wind being extremely high all the premises thatched there being a very great quantity of dry wheelwright's stuff, and upon an eminence, with the cries of distress, and of other were momentarily dreading the like calamity all together, exhibited a scene truly deplorable; and had it not been for the humanity and courage of a neighbour, Inwood's wife must have become a prey to the flames, some part of her clothes being on fire when forced out. It is impossible to conjecture by what means the fire happened. Poor old Inwood, by his industry, had stored up a satisfactory provision for himself and family in old age, and at noon on Wednesday could say he was clearly master of £400 value; but before night was reduced to the utmost poverty and distress, having lost his all.- So strange and adverse is fortune."
