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Samuel Pepys Reports

60 second histories

This video covers:  Samuel Peyps report of where and how the great fire started.

From the Tower of London, I could see that a great fire was raging at both ends of London Bridge. This upset me greatly, so I went to see the Lieutenant of the Tower who informed me the fire had begun that morning at the King’s bakery in Pudding Lane and that it had burned down Saint Magnes Church and most of Fish Street already. On hearing this I went down to the river and hired a boat that took me along the river and under the bridge where I saw the fire, which was quickly spreading in all directions and in no time it had spread as far as the Stillyard. People were saving their belongings by throwing them into the river Thames or into boats from their houses. The poorer folks stayed as long as they could in their houses and then ran to the river as the fire reached them and I saw pigeons, hovering above the fire, burst into flames and fall to the ground.
Eras: 
17th Century
Great Fire of London
Topics: 
Great Fire of London
Key people
Character: 
Samuel Pepys
Key words: 
History, Social Studies, European, European history, Great Fire of London, Fire of London, Great fire, fire, London, 1666, September 1666, Pepys, Samuel Pepys, KS1, Key Stage 1, KS2, Key Stage 2, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6, Tower of London, London Bridge, Kings bakery, King's Bakery, bakery, Pudding Lane, Saint Magnes Church, St Magnes Church, Fish Street, river, boat, Stillyard, Thames, flames,