Creepy Photo Displays Damaged Mannequins From 1925

A fire occurred back in 1925, that changed everything for Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum located in London. This photo is a remnant from the moment it happened. The creepy looking photo, has captured an obscure moment in British history. Originally, news of this fire outbreak was released by the Manchester Guardian back on March 19th.

The famous waxworks exhibition (located on Marylebone Road, London) was discovered not long after 10:30 PM. It didn’t take long for the interior of the building, to quickly turn into a raging inferno.

After a while, the roof collapsed and the only remaining part of the building was a dome-like structure located along the western end. The fire burned for a while and by 11:30 PM the structure was damaged quite badly.

At the scene, were many fire engines and an estimated 10,000 people gathered around the neighborhood to witness the tragic event. By midnight, the blaze was finally extinguished.

The firemen on the scene, had trouble putting out the fire due to hydrants being located so terribly far away. There was about a mile worth of fire hose, carried both in and out of garages and through other buildings nearby.

The fire brigade was under the command of a Mr. A. R. Dyer. He was brought to the scene, after being interrupted spending time with friends at a theatre. Being well dressed didn’t stop him from helping to put out the flames.

The was bad news for Anna Maria “Marie” Tussaud, a well known French artist specializing in wax sculptures. Her famous museum in London, attracted many from all around during this time.

It was a strange and unusual sight for everyone, as they laid witness to mannequins being brought from the building. The total amount of damage couldn’t be estimated until later. One eye-witness at the scene explained there were blazing red and golden flames that leapt upwards of 50 feet from the rooftop. It was quite a spectacle to say the least. They went on to explain that the wax figures could be heard sizzling loudly.

Madame Tussaud’s famous waxworks were now destroyed. Among the destruction were the lost likenesses of Parliament members among criminals. After Marie retired, her son Francis became a chief artist for the Exhibition. He was later succeeded by his son Joseph, who was then succeeded by his son John Theodore Tussaud.

Madame Tussaud’s wax museum has now grown to become one of the major tourist attractions in London, and has expanded with branches in Amsterdam, Beijing, Bangkok, Berlin, Blackpool, Sydney, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Shanghai, Washington, D.C., New York City, Orlando, Hollywood, Singapore, Vienna and recently New Delhi.

Now, the wax museum franchise is owned by Merlin Entertainments. This company is owned by the Blackstone Group. Perhaps future generations can enjoy the work done by this family and their legacy left upon the world, amidst the tragedies of their past.

(Source: The Guardian and Wikipedia)