When was the Great Fire of London?
The record of the Great Fire of London is extensive, mostly thanks to the works of two diarists: Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn. Both writers gave extensive first-hand accounts of the fire which starts on September 2nd, 1666. The place where the fire began is now legendary: a bakery on Pudding Lane. Once it had started, the blaze raged on for three whole days!
How did the Great Fire of London start?
The Great Fire of London started in a bakery on Pudding Lane. However, no one is entirely sure how the fire actually began. It’s most likely that it was an accident, as bakeries at the time would have had open fires in order to bake the bread. The fire began in the bakery and quickly spread to neighbouring houses due to their wooden construction. There was no proper fire training back then
All told, the fire is estimated to have destroyed the homes of 70,000 of London’s 80,000 residents, and it left destroyed four-fifths of the buildings. An investigation carried out by archaeologists discovered that temperatures where the fire began reached 1250°C!
How many people died in the Great Fire of London?
Fortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, the number of deaths from the fire are thought to have been very few (many estimates as low as 6). It is difficult to know for sure because there may have been a number of casualties which were officially recorded. Some historians take issue with the low estimates given the number of casualties from similar fires in the same era.
How long did the Great Fire of London last?
The Great Fire of London lasted a total of 3 days, from September 2nd to September 5th, 1666.
Where did the Great Fire of London start?
The Great Fire of London started in a bakery on Pudding Lane which is near the Bank of England, and just set back from the banks of the Thames. This area is the very heart of London.
Who started the Great Fire of London?
In the wake of the Great Fire, a number of conspiracies arose as to how it was caused. One French watchmaker actually confessed to having started the fire, claiming he was an agent of the Pope. He was hanged at Tyburn a few weeks later, but it soon came to light that he hadn’t even been in London at the time. However, it is now known that the fire started in a baker on Pudding Lane, and was probably an accident. The bakery belonged to Thomas Farriner, although no one is entirely sure how the fire itself started.
What year was the Great Fire of London?
The Great Fire of London took place in the year 1666. Although there had been a number of fires before, and a great many would follow, this fire was, and remains, particularly significant in the history of London.
Who was the king during the Great Fire of London?
Charles II was the King of England at the time of the Great Fire of London, and he even helped the firemen in their attempt to extinguish it. He also ordered for gunpowder to be used to blow up houses and create a fire break. This, however, proved unsuccessful.
How did the Great Fire of London start?
The Great Fire of London was started in a bakery on Pudding Lane. The baker belonged to Thomas Farriner. No one is certain how the fire began, but it is likely that it was an accident, as bakeries at the time would have had open fires in order to bake the bread.
How did the Great Fire of London stop?
Many of the attempts to prevent the fire spreading were unsuccessful. At the time, London did possess some advanced firefighting technology. This was because of how frequent fires were. They even had fire engines, but very few were on wheels, and they were particularly difficult to transport. This meant that, often, the fire engines would arrive too late. The fire services were unable to control the fire using water, as the roads were too narrow to get fire engines down, and many people simply began feeling rather than attempting to dowse the flames. The next plan was to attempt to create a fire break by pulling down houses that were in the path of the fire. However, the fire spread too quickly, and the people of London were unable to pull down the houses in time.
How do we know about the Great Fire of London?
Our knowledge of the Great Fire of London is so extensive because of two famous diarists who wrote first-hand about the fire. Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn both experienced the fire and wrote about it in their diaries which remain preserved to this day. Other than that, there are a lot of other primary sources on the fire, including newspapers and other diary records.
Did the Great Fire of London stop the plague?
Some argue that the Great Fire of London cut short the plague epidemic of 1665. The Great Fire is often suggested to have saved lives in the long run as it burnt down many unsanitary houses, as well as killing many of the rats that were carrying the fleas which transmitted the plague. But the role of the Great Fire in preventing further plague outbreaks is far from obvious. Many historians dispute the fire’s role in this, arguing that many of the unsanitary areas of London, such as the slum suburbs, untouched.
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