Great Fire Of London Research Paper

“Jane called us up about three in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose and slipped on my nightgown, and went to her window…but, being unused to such fires as followed, I thought it far enough off; and so went to bed again and back to sleep.” These words, by famous writer Samuel Pepys, were written following one of the great tragedies in London history - the Great Fire of London. The Great Fire of London took place in 1666, and it brought death and destruction to the city. The Great Fire of London changed the history of London, and the ramifications of the fire are still influencing the city today. It was on the evening of September 1, 1666, when Thomas Farriner, the king’s baker, failed to properly

Bucket-bearing locals abandoned their futile efforts at fire fighting and rushed home to evacuate their families and save their valuables (“Great Fire Of London”). It was a hot, dry summer, and a strong wind further encouraged the flames. As the fire grew, city authorities used a fire hook but they struggled to tear down buildings and create a firebreak, but the flames repeatedly overtook them before they could complete their work (“The Great Fire Of London”). Many of the townspeople fled into the Thames River dragging their possessions, and the homeless took shelter in the hills on the outskirts of London. Light from the Great Fire could be seen 30 miles away. The Great Fire of London destroyed 13,000 houses, nearly 90 churches, and scores of public buildings (“Great Fire Of London”). The old St. Paul’s Cathedral was destroyed, as were many other historic landmarks. The City of london is a forest of wood and highly flammable tar-paper, with houses leaning out into the incredibly narrow streets until they are close enough to kiss. The minimum street widths were routinely flouted; thatched roofs are illegal but common. Many houses were overcrowded too, subdivided and let out to however many families can squeeze in ( Davies ). A warm summer that had dried out the wood used to construct homes an area mile and a half wide along the River Thames was almost completely

A fire in 1633 destroyed houses on London Bridge and in 1643 another fire caused 333,526 worth of damage. In 1650 seven barrels of gunpowder exploded in a fire in Tower Street that made 41 houses uninhabitable. People did not have house insurance and if their house was damaged by fire they had to rely on the charity of other people to replace their possessions ( The Stuarts ). As early as 1200 laws had been passed banning people from thatching their roofs. By 1600 most houses in London did not have thatched roofs. In 1620 a new order was made that new buildings should be made from brick or stone and that top floors should not jut out into the street. Suburbs were appointed with officers who inspected houses for fire hazards and fined owners if they did not remove the hazard. Householders were instructed to investigate any smell of smoke and raise the alarm if necessary. At night it was the night-watchman’s job to guard against fire and in hot weather householders were often told to leave buckets of water outside their doors in case of fire ( The Stuarts ). Much of the equipment used by seventeenth century fire-fighters is very similar to that used today. Fire Hooks, These were used to pull down roof tiles or even buildings to prevent the spread of fire. Fire Buckets, Made out of leather, these buckets, filled with water, were passed along a chain of people from the water supply to the fire ( The Stuarts ). Pick