Today I want to try and discover a little bit about the Great Fire of London. When we picture London, we usually see a powerful city, but in 1666 it was, in many areas, overcrowded, dirty, and vulnerable.
The fire started in the early hours of the 2nd of September in 1666. It started in a bakery on Pudding Lane that was owned by Thomas Farriner. Fires happened a lot in London, but this one was different. The summer had been extremely dry, and the buildings were close together. Most of the houses were made of wood with pitch and tar that burned really quickly. The narrow streets allowed the flames to travel from building to building with remarkable speed. There were also strong winds that helped to spread the fire even further. Looking back, it does seem inevitable that this disaster would eventually happen.
Many people were still asleep when the fire began. People woke up to smoke and heat filling their homes. Panic started to spread through the streets. People were rushing about to try and save what they could. Some were loading carts with their furniture and belongings while others decided to just run while they carried their children or a few possessions in their arms. Wealthier citizens were able to escape by boat along the River Thames. But poorer families lost absolutely everything.
One of the most important witnesses was Samuel Pepys. He wrote a diary and in it he described the horror as the fire spread across the city. He buried some of his most valuable possessions, which included his cheese and wine, in his garden to protect them. Pepys also went to Whitehall in order to warn King Charles II about how bad the fire really was. His writings are fascinating, they allow us to understand the fear and confusion of the people that experienced the terror.
The fire burned for four whole days and tragically destroyed around 13,000 houses, churches, businesses, and famous landmarks including old St Paul’s Cathedral. The official death toll was recorded really low, at about six people but many historians believe the number must have been much higher. Poor people were usually not recorded properly, and the intense heat may have completely destroyed any evidence of remains.
When the fire finally ended on the 6th of September, much of medieval London was gone. But from the devastation came change. When the city was rebuilt, they used more brick and stone instead of wood and timber, the streets were widened and they introduced better fire prevention measures. People had learned the hard way just how dangerous overcrowded wooden cities could be. The Monument to the Great Fire was built near Pudding Lane as a reminder of the tragedy and of the city’s survival.
Street names in London still reflect the past. Pudding Lane reflected the food traders who once worked there, while places like Bread Street were connected to baking.
Do you think that the Great Fire of London was inevitable or could it have been prevented?
Image info:
Date: 1675
London Museum
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