The Great Fire of London

The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of London, England, from Sunday the 2nd of September to Wednesday the 5th of September 1666. It consumed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, St. Paul's Cathedral, and most of the buildings of the City authorities. The death toll is unknown but thought to be very small.

            At 2:00am, the 2nd of September 1666, Thomas Farynor, the King’s Baker, was woken up by smoke from an over-heated oven. His house was in Pudding Lane, and, seeing the fire he climbed to the roof. Unfortunately, his maid fell into the grips of the flames. This was thought to be the cause of such a great fire; an over-heated oven.

            Soon after a strong East Wind blew, showering sparks onto stables of the Star Inn at the junction of Pudding Lane, and, at the Thames St.Pepys was woken up by his maid, Jane, but he believed the fire was far enough off. Lord Mayor, Sir Thomas Bludworth, was also woken up but was too drunk and returned to bed.

            But things had become worse. By the morning, the fire had taken hold. It had spread to stores and warehouses in the Thames full of brandy, tar, oil, sugar and butter. A third of The London Bridge was burning and the fire was even going against the wind to The Tower of London where the gunpowder was stored.

The fire had now spread to the river bank and was travelling inwards to the heart of the city. Pepys went to the Tower where the Lieutenant was very worried. Everyone was trying to remove their goods and put them onto boats. It even seemed the Thames was on fire. The fire had spread to the North and West destroying Billingsgate Market, Cannon St, Eastcheap, Gracechurch St, Lombard St, Cornhill, Threadneedle St and The Royal Exchange.

At last, on Wednesday the 5th of September 1666, the wind dropped and the fire lost intensity and broke up. It became possible to douse the flames, but people battled for another 36 hours before the last of the fires were finally extinguished on Thursday night.

In conclusion, the fire caused great devastation to London, and, although no-one was blamed, The Lord Mayor confessed to starting the fire. He did not however start it as proof illustrates he was on board a ship at the time but he was hanged as he wanted to die; miscarriage of justice.