ROBYN PARKES
York Place, (between Nicholls Auto Centre and Burger King) in Richmond, is today no more than a right of way to various businesses, but the lane began life as a private street.
In February 1894 it was, by special order, rezoned as a public street. For many years it was fondly known as Incubator Lane owing to there being a lot of babies and children in the street.
The most notable event in the lane occurred in June 1925 when the fire brigade was called to a house fire.
Roland Walter Neilson and his wife were renting a home from Anne Coleman and had been living there for around eight months. On the night of the 12th, they travelled into Nelson to the Salvation Army church.
Around 9pm, a member of the public noticed the fire and called the fire brigade.
On arriving they found the fire was restricted to one room in which all the furniture was heaped together and destroyed.
Once Neilson returned home, he was informed of the fire and stated that he had no idea how it started.
Unable to stay in the house, a neighbour, Herbert Downs, invited the family to stay with him. However, after being there for a few days they left after Neilson and Downs fell out.
An investigation began to determine the cause of the fire and slowly the truth came to light.
Downs, who had only known Neilson for around six weeks, told the police that earlier in the week he had dined at Neilson’s.
Allegedly, while there, Neilson told him he was hard up but could get out of it.
In a back room he showed Downs a dress basket, a couple of newspapers and a piece of candle and stated this was where a fire would be started.
Investigators discovered that Neilson had taken out an insurance policy for his furniture and personal effects for £200, in his wife’s name, around two months prior, however the furniture was worth little more than £30.
Both he and his wife signed documents stating the origin of the fire was a complete mystery. Neilson was arrested on the suspicion of arson, and his wife was arrested for falsifying an insurance declaration.
Neilson made a confession after being questioned for several hours but later recanted saying he was not well at the time, was tired, and did not know what he was doing when giving a confession.
The trial started in the Supreme Court where Neilson denied the charge of arson.
Downs was called as a witness, informing the court that Neilson had lit the fire by lighting a short candle close to some paper and furniture, then left the house knowing that once the candle had burned sown it would light the paper and start a fire.
He further stated that Neilson had informed him he could then claim insurance, get the payout, and would be out of trouble.
Neilson denied ever having made any such statements, but his wife had made statements that he lit the fire to claim insurance money.
With both defence and opposition having completed their case the jury adjourned, returning with a verdict of guilty.
Neilson was sentenced to three years hard labour and his wife was admitted to probation by ordering her to come up for sentence when called upon, for a period of two years.
