On September 2, 1666, a fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane in London. What followed was a devastating event that would go down in history as the Great Fire of London.
The fire raged for three days, destroying over 13,000 homes and businesses and leaving nearly 100,000 people homeless. But what happened to the man who started it all?
The man responsible for starting the Great Fire of London was Thomas Farriner, the owner of the bakery where the fire began. Farriner had been baking bread late into the night on September 1st and had left some embers smoldering in his oven before going to bed.
The next morning, one of his maidservants went down to the bakery to start the fires again and accidentally knocked over one of the embers onto some nearby straw. The straw quickly caught fire and spread throughout the bakery.
Despite their best efforts to put out the fire, Farriner and his family were unable to contain it. The flames quickly spread from Pudding Lane to surrounding areas, fueled by strong winds and wooden buildings.
As news of the fire spread throughout London, panic set in among residents who were desperate to save their homes and belongings. King Charles II himself even got involved in trying to contain the blaze by ordering buildings to be demolished in order to create firebreaks.
In total, it took over three days for firefighters (who were essentially just volunteers) to fully extinguish the flames. By then, much of London had been destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
So what happened to Thomas Farriner? Despite being blamed for starting one of history’s most destructive fires, he was actually acquitted of any wrongdoing. A parliamentary inquiry found that there was no evidence that he had acted negligently or intentionally started the fire.
Farriner continued working as a baker in London until his death in 1670 at age 76. His name, however, will forever be associated with the Great Fire of London.
In conclusion, the Great Fire of London was a tragic event that had far-reaching consequences for the city and its residents. While Thomas Farriner may have inadvertently started the fire, he was not held responsible for it and lived out his life as a respected member of his community. The story of the Great Fire of London serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of fire and the importance of being vigilant when it comes to fire prevention.