Great Fire of London Day 1: The Spark on Pudding Lane
Timeline
- London Before the Fire: An Era of Vulnerability
- Saturday, September 1st, 1666: The Bakery on Pudding Lane
- Sunday, September 2nd, 1666 – The First Day of the Fire
London's Past and Present: A Lesson in Resilience
London today is a vibrant metropolis, blending a rich history with modern innovation. The city is a hub of culture, finance, and technology, bustling with diverse communities and a dynamic arts scene. From the historic landmarks like the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace to contemporary structures like The Shard and the bustling markets of Borough and Camden, London offers a unique mix of the old and the new.
If a catastrophic event similar to the Great Fire of London were to occur today, the impact would be profound and far-reaching. With towering skyscrapers and densely packed neighbourhoods, the risk of rapid fire spread would be a serious concern. Fortunately, modern firefighting technology, urban planning, and building regulations aimed at fire safety would play a crucial role in mitigating the disaster. Emergency services would mobilise quickly, utilising advanced communication systems to coordinate efforts and possibly even deploying drones to assess the situation from above.
Public safety campaigns and community preparedness are vital in protecting residents, as are effective evacuation plans. The city’s infrastructure, including well-established road networks and public transportation systems, would facilitate swift action. However, despite all precautions, the psychological and emotional toll on the population would be significant, echoing the devastation witnessed in 1666.
Ultimately, while the Great Fire of London was a monumental event that reshaped the city, a similar incident today would require not only immediate response efforts but also long-term planning for resilience, rebuilding, and a renewed focus on community safety.
London Before the Fire: An Era of Vulnerability
Post-plague London
In 1666, London was a city in recovery from the devastating Great Plague. Over the course of 18 months, from 1665 to 1666, this catastrophic event claimed the lives of approximately 100,000 people, which accounted for about a quarter of the city's population.
A City Built to Burn
During this time, London's architectural landscape was quite distinct from the modern metropolis we know today. Most buildings were constructed primarily of wood, straw, and pitch, designed to resist water damage but highly susceptible to fire. The city featured a maze of narrow cobbled streets, with buildings standing close together, allowing neighbours to converse from their sitting rooms while horse-drawn carts passed by.
Unsanitary conditions and Fire Risk
In 1666, despite its bustling activity, London was plagued by unsanitary conditions. The streets were often littered with animal and human waste, and rubbish was carelessly thrown out of windows due to the lack of a proper waste disposal system. Combined with the cramped space within the London Wall, these conditions created an environment that was ripe for disaster.
Saturday, September 1st, 1666: The bakery on Pudding Lane
On Pudding Lane in East London, Thomas Farriner's bakery stood just ten doors away from Thames Street. The bakery was famous throughout London for its delicious bread and other treats, holding the official title of King's Baker. Each morning, the bakery's large beehive stone oven would be lit early and would burn throughout the day. As a result, the bakery was always bustling with activity, and the aroma of freshly baked goods filled the air.
The Fateful Night
When night fell and it was time to close the bakery, Thomas would typically ensure that the fire was completely extinguished before leaving for the night. However, on the fateful night of 1st September 1666, the fire was not fully put out, and the oven continued to burn unnoticed. Unaware of the impending danger, Thomas and his household went to sleep, never realising the catastrophic events that were about to unfold.Sunday, September 2 1666 - The First Day of the Fire.
The Start of the Fire in Pudding Lane
In the early morning hours, at around 01:00 a.m., a devastating fire ignited at Thomas Ferriner's bakery in the bustling area of Pudding Lane. Thomas's journeyman baker, Thomas Dagger, fast asleep on the bakery shop level, was the first to be aware of the hazardous situation. He awoke to a suffocating smoke that had spread throughout the premises. Despite the danger, the brave young man immediately sprang to action and hurried up the stairs to Thomas's room to alert him of the dangerous situation. Upon noticing that the lower floor of his bakery was engulfed in a thick cloud of smoke, Thomas quickly instructed Dagger to awaken his daugher, Hanna, and alert the housemaid. Due to the absence of any viable escape routes from the ground level, Thomas and his entire household were left stranded on the upper floor of the building with no immediate means of escape.A Desperate Escape and Tragic Loss
Due to the bakery being blocked off, Thomas and his family had no other option but to climb from an upstairs window onto their neighbour's roof. With the flames rapidly spreading, they urgently screamed 'FIRE, FIRE' to alert their neighbours and draw attention to the dangerous situation.
Thomas and his family managed to get to safety by jumping on a neighbouring roof, but Hanna was severely burnt while attempting to escape. The maid, whose name was never recorded, fearing falling, refused to jump and was engulfed by the rage of the fire. Sadly, Thomas's maid became the fire's first victim, and no one knew her name.
Chaotic Firefighting and Stalled Efforts
Upon hearing the commotion outside, the inhabitants of Pudding Lane were stirred from their slumber and immediately moved to investigate. As they emerged onto the street, they were greeted by the disturbing sight of the bakery engulfed in flames. Without hesitation, they sprang into action, using whatever resources were available to them to try to extinguish the blaze. Buckets of water and urine were hastily gathered, and shovels of dirt and manure were employed in a desperate attempt to quench the inferno. The situation was chaotic, with people shouting and running, trying to save their homes and livelihoods. Despite their valiant efforts, it was not long before the fire spread to neighbouring buildings, including the Star Inn, which had a courtyard filled with highly flammable hay and straw.When the parish constables arrived at the location, one hour had elapsed. To their dismay, they were greeted by the distressing spectacle of the fire rapidly escalating. The constables briefly contemplated demolishing the neighbouring houses to restrict the spread of the flames. However, they ultimately decided against it due to the lack of authorisation from the Lord Mayor. As a result, they promptly reached out to Sir Thomas Bludworth to request his immediate approval before any further action could be taken.
Lord Mayor Bludworth's Inaction
When Bludworth arrived, the fire spread to the neighbouring houses and headed towards the warehouses of Thames Street. Unfazed by the fire, Bludworth considered the advice of the firefighters to create a firebreak by demolishing several homes untouched by the fire. Bludworth refused the firefighters' request because he would not allow it without the property owner's consent and decided that the buildings should not be destroyed. Pressed to reconsider, Bludworth, in defiance, expressed the fire wasn't all that serious and said, "Pish!, A woman could piss it out" and returned home to bed.
Samuel Pepys's Awakening
At 3 a.m., in Seething Lane, Jane Birch, the maid to Samuel Pepys, was finishing her duties for the day and headed for bed. She noticed a fiery glow in the west from her bedroom window. Alarmed by what she saw, she rushed to her master's room and informed Pepys of what she had seen. Abruptly awoken by Jane's news, Pepys leapt out of bed, threw on his dressing gown, and followed Jane into her chambers.
Initial dismissal
Upon seeing the fire in what appeared to be the furthest part of Mark Lane, Pepys returned to bed unalarmed (due to the dry summer, fires were familiar)."I thought it far enough off and so went to bed again and to sleep." - Samual Pepys, 2nd of September 1666.
The Fire's Spread
A mighty eastern wind was helping the fire move faster. The flames could now be seen high above Pudding Lane and from a quarter of a mile west of Pudding Lane, pushing southwards towards London Bridge.
"London, so famous for wisdom and dexterity, can now find neither brains nor hands to prevent its ruin. The hand of God was in it!" - Thomas Vince, God Terrible Voice in the City.
By early morning, the fire reached as far as Fish Street by London Bridge and left a trail of destruction along Thames Street, burning hunderds of houses and Warehouses containing everything combustible, the Parish of St. Margaret, St Magnus-the-Martyr Church and St Botolph Billingsgate. The Thames Waterhouse that pushed water to Gracechurch Street and Leadenhall was also destroyed after the firefighters' efforts. Also, a Fishmongers Hall (once a manor), run by the Salt and Stock Fishmongers United, was the first of the forty-four company halls to fall.
Pepys's growing concern
Pepys awoke early in the morning and checked on the fire progressing; still unalarmed, he thought nothing more of it and continued with his day. While sitting for breakfast, Jane informed Pepys that over 300 houses had been burnt down, and Fish Street by London Bridge was burning down. Alarmed by the news, Pepys dressed and went to the Tower of London.
At the Tower, Pepys, accompanied by Sir John Robinson's Son, went to the highest point of the Tower of London and surveyed his surroundings. From there, he saw houses on the north side of the London Bridge all on fire and a vast, endless fire covering the bridge's north end. Feeling downhearted, Pepys returned to the Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir John Robinson, where he was told what had transpired.
Witnessing the devastation
By 08:00 a.m., the fire raged along Thames Street, burning everything to Old Swan Lane, going as far as the Steelyard (now Canon Street Station), burning Dyer's and Watermen's Hall and destroying The St Laurence Poultney.
Wanting to see the size of the fire, Pepys hired a boat from the riverside of the tower and headed towards London Bridge. Passing through the bridge, Pepys got his first glimpse of the horrors of the fire. At Old Swan Lane, the flames engulfed the houses one by one as people frantically moved their belongings onto small boats clustered around the riverside. As the fire got closer and closer to the riverside, people who could escape ran to their boats; others climbed from one set of stairs by the Waterside to another to avoid the fire. Pigeons trying to escape the fire had their wings singed and plumped to their deaths.
For an hour, Pepys watched in awe as the fire spread to the Steelyard. Then, in horror, he noticed the very top of the Laurence Pountney caught alight; within minutes, the hungry flames devoured the spiral and came crashing into the street. He then decided to meet with the King and travelled to Whitehall by boat.
King Charles II is Motified
At 10:00 a.m., a robust eastern wind blew the fire's rage to Westminster. Large flakes seen three meters in the air landed on people, burning their skin, clothes, and houses and causing the fire to spread.
Pepys arrived at Whitehall and was immediately surrounded by people asking about the crisis in East London. Soon, word got to the King, and Pepys was summoned to King Charles II and James Stuart, the Duke of York.
Pepys, in the presence of the King and the Duke of York, told them of the horrors he had seen and how much worse it would get if the King didn't authorise the demolition of buildings.
King and the Duke of York were troubled by the news, so they ordered Pepys to go to Lord Mayor Sir Thomas Bludworth and command him to pull down the buildings. The Duke of York and Lord Arlington offered to use more soldiers to tackle the fire if the Lord Mayor required them.
Rumours and Panic Spread
Around 11:00 a.m., rumours spread that the French and Catholic residents had caused the fire. People panicked, screaming "arms, arms," and began arming themselves and attacking French and Catholic residents. William Taswell witnessed a blacksmith attack a Frenchman walking along the street with an iron bar.- "My brother told me he saw a Frenchman almost dismembered in Moorfields because he carried balls of fire in a chest with him when in truth, they were only tennis balls." - William Taswell, Autobiography and Anecdotes.
A priest's eyewitness account
Elsewhere, William Taswell (a parish priest who was a young boy at the time of the fire) was standing on the steps of the pulpit of Westminster Abbey and noticed people panicking below him. Upon hearing the news of the fire, Taswell left his post without notice, proceeded to Westminster stairs near the River Thames, and witnessed four boats crowded with objects that had escaped the fire.Lord Mayor Bludworth's failure
Upon leaving, Pepys ran into Captain George Cocke and used his coach to travel towards St Paul's Cathedral.Churches were filled with people's belongings, and merchants used them as warehouses, hoping their valuables would be safe. St. Paul's Cathedral was packed with people all seeking refuge, forcing Pepys to leave the coach and curiously walk down Watling Street.
"...and there walked alongWatling street, As well as I could, every creature coming away loaden with goods to save, and here and there, sick people carried away in beds. Extraordinary goods carried in carts and on backs." - Samual Pepys, Sunday, September 2nd 1666
Pepys managed to catch up with Bludworth along Canon Street, trying to coordinate the firefighting operations but failing miserably. Pepys described him as a spent man with a handkerchief about his neck. Pepys forwarded the message from the King to Bludworth; Bludworth cried like a woman about to faint,
"Lord! What can I do? I am spent: people will not obey me. I have been pulling down houses, but the fire overtakes us faster than we can do it." - Lord Thomas Bludworth
Refusing the soldiers' offer, Bludworth parted ways with Pepys and returned home to rest, while Pepys returned home to meet his guest for Sunday dinner.
The Fire Spreads, and the King Takes Charge
At noon, chaos continued as the fire drew closer to the eastern part of Canon Street. People filled the streets with horses and carts loaded with goods, stepping over each other to move their possessions into Lombard Street.
At about 01:00 p.m., Pepys arrived at the King's barge and sailed downriver to view the extent of the fire. They disembarked at Queenhithe, no more than 100 meters from the fire. Disregarding his safety, the King spoke to the people who had taken refuge around Queenhithe, getting detailed information and urging able people to pull down the building in the path of the fire while watching the Waterman Hall burn on top of a tall house's roof.
Official Firefighting Efforts Intensify
The King called for Sir Richard Browne to take over the operation from Bulworth. Browne was responsible for pulling down buildings and the areas below London Bridge towards the Tower of London, hoping to stop it at Three Cranes, above London Bridge and St Botolph's Wharf below London Bridge.The King and the Duke of York headed back to Whitehall to summon a group of Privy Councillors, accompanied by Pepys.
Duke of York Assumes Control
About 02:00 p.m., King Charles assembled his Privy Council at Whitehall . Facing the rapidly advancing inferno, the King dispatched his brother, The Duke of York, to establish command posts on the fire’s periphery. From these points, coordinated under James’s direction, groups of soldiers and volunteers were organised to demolish buildings and carve firebreaks in a last-ditch effort to halt the conflagration.
The Firebreaks are Implemented
The strong wind was carrying large flakes of ember towards Westminster, with fears of the possibility that the palace and government offices might be set alight and assigned teams to smother the embers that reached the western end of Fleet Street.Once the meeting with the Privy Council was over, King Charles headed towards Charing Cross to supervise the erection of fire breaks and spent the rest of the day trying to prevent what would have been another tragedy. Foot Soldiers and Firefighters posted five fire breakers like a fan in London, one in Temple Bar, Clifford's Inn Gardens, Shoe Lane, Fetter Lane, and Cow Lane.
The Blaze becomes an "Arch of Fire"
Pepys from Westminster met his wife at St James Park, where they returned to his boat and travelled downstream to an ale house on the Bankside near the Three Cranes. They stayed till nightfall, watching the horrors as the fire opened the gates of hell and formed an arch of fire a mile high from one side of London Bridge to the other. Samuel Pepys wept.
"We staid till, it being darkish, we saw the fire as only one entire arch of fire from this to the other side the bridge, and in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a mile long: it made me weep to see it." - Samual Pepys, September 2nd 1666
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the River Thames, John Evelyn, with his wife and son, took a coach from Deptford to Southwark bankside. He describes the whole city in dreadful flames near the Waterside, consuming all the houses from the bridge and Thames Street and upwards towards Cheapside, down to Three Cranes.
"On that Sunday night, the fire had run as far as Thames Street; and had crept up into Cannon Street, and levelled it with the ground, and still is making forward by the waterside and upward to the brow of the hill, on which the city was built." - Thomas Vince, God Terrible Voice in the City.
Devastation continues
By 08:00 p.m., the fire claimed twenty-two wharves, almost a thousand houses and shops, six Livery Company Halls, nine churches, and the Three Cranes.