THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON

Question 1

When was The Great Fire of London?

Answer 1

1666

Question 2

Why did it spread so quickly?

Answer 2

-strong wind
-dry summer
-warehouses were filled with flammable substances
-jettied housing, meaning they were built close together
-lack of reaction form authorities

Question 3

What was the Major of London’s initial reaction to the fire?

Answer 3

Thomas Bloodsworth being woken up states that “a woman might piss it out” and refused to give orders to pull down houses to reduce the rapid spread of the fire

Question 4

What did the authorities do later on?

Answer 4

James the Duke of York called for houses to be pulled down, this goes by the name firebreaks

Question 5

How much of London was destroyed?

Answer 5

Approximately 436 acres of London

Question 6

Why was firefighting in this time period so ineffective?

Answer 6

-there was not an easy access to water supplies, most wells and rivers dried out due to warm weather
-the equiptment was not good enough for the magnitude at which the fire grew, mainly buckets were used (small water pumps as well)

Question 7

What was the fires effect on population?

Answer 7

-25% of people who left never came back
-houses were rebuilt with wider streets

Question 8

What was the fires effect on the economy?

Answer 8

-up to £25,000 worth of cloth was burned
-up to £20,000 worth of coal was burned
-rent went up as a 5th of all houses in London were burnt

Question 9

What changed?

Answer 9

-houses were rebuilt further apart
-fire insurance was introduced
-rent went up
-cost of coal also increased