On Saturday afternoon, about one o'clock, a supposed incendiary fire occurred in Rickmansworth.
A watercress grower and greengrocer observed dense volumes of smoke issuing from a large old hay rick, standing with two others in Moor Lane.
He at once drew the attention of Mr Henry East, farmer and owner of the rick, to the fire, when Mr East discovered it had been fired in several places.
[From the Watford Observer of February 7, 1880]
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