Adrian Tinniswood, a historian and expert on the Great Fire of London, joins the discussion to unravel the catastrophic events of September 1666. He delves into the fire's origins in a bakery, the chaos and panic that ensued, and the gripping personal narratives, including those of Samuel Pepys. Tinniswood contrasts the Duke of York's heroic actions with King Charles II's indifference. The aftermath saw not just destruction but scapegoating of foreigners, highlighting societal tensions of the time. The conversation underscores the profound legacy of this disaster in reshaping London's future.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
The Baker's Maid
Thomas Fariner's bakery fire ignited the Great Fire of London.
His maid perished, the fire's first casualty, due to a fear of heights.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Bloodworth's Blunder
Mayor Bloodworth downplayed the fire's severity, claiming a woman could extinguish it.
He then returned to bed, securing his place in history for this misjudgment.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Pepys' Cheese
Samuel Pepys buried his Parmesan cheese to save it from the fire.
This act highlights the personal losses amidst the larger disaster.
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BY PERMISSION OF HEAVEN: THE STORY OF THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
Adrian Tinniswood
This book provides a comprehensive and dynamic history of the Great Fire of London, starting from a small fire in a Pudding Lane baker's house and detailing the devastating impact it had on the city. The narrative includes first-person accounts and forensic investigation, highlighting the panic, search for scapegoats, and the subsequent rebuilding of the city. Key figures such as Charles II, Samuel Pepys, and Christopher Wren are featured, along with the everyday people who witnessed the disaster. The book also explores the royal and civic efforts in rebuilding London after the fire[2][4].
Global Crisis
War, Climate Change and Catastrophe in the Seventeenth Century
Geoffrey Parker
This book by Geoffrey Parker examines the 'General Crisis' of the 17th century, a period marked by revolutions, droughts, famines, invasions, wars, and regicides that affected regions from England to Japan and from the Russian Empire to sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. Parker uses firsthand accounts and scientific evidence to demonstrate the impact of climate change, particularly the 'Little Ice Age', on global societies. The changes in weather patterns, such as longer winters and cooler, wetter summers, disrupted growing seasons, leading to crop failures, famine, malnutrition, disease, and increased mortality. The book highlights how these environmental factors contributed to social unrest, wars, and revolutions, and discusses the contemporary implications of these historical events in the context of modern climate change.
In the early hours of September 2, 1666, a small fire broke out on the ground floor of a baker's house in Pudding Lane. In five days that small fire would devastate the third largest city in the Western world.
Adrian Tinniswood is a historian, teacher and writer, as well as a consultant to the National Trust. Adrian joins Dan to explore the cataclysm and consequences of the Great Fire of London. Together, they piece together the story of the Fire and its aftermath - the panic, the search for scapegoats, and the rebirth of a city.
This episode was produced by Hannah Ward, the audio editor was Dougal Patmore.
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