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Samuel Pepys: Great Fire of London part 3

60 second histories

This video covers:  Samuel Pepys explains how high winds drive the fire into the city

I watched for about an hour but couldn’t see anyone fighting the fire; the only people I saw were trying either to save their belongings and goods or watching them burn. The fire was being spread by a strong wind, blowing through the city and everything was so dry after the summer drought that even the stone of the churches seemed to catch fire. I decided to take a boat to Whitehall to see the King and on my arrival people crowded around, eager for news of the fire and when I gave my account they were of course shocked. I told the King and his brother the Duke of York what I had seen and suggested that unless houses in the path of the fire were pulled down, nothing would stop it spreading. So the King commanded me to go the Lord Mayor and convey that he should pull down all the houses in the path of the fire, sparing none.
Eras: 
17th Century
Great Fire of London
Topics: 
Great Fire of London
Key people
Character: 
Samuel Pepys
Key words: 
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