Learning from our past mistakes

The old saying that ‘An English man’s house is his castle’ is one that seems to have stood the test of time and throughout the ages the materials used in building property and the methods utilised in their construction has adapted. These adaptations either occur from finding quicker, safer and more cost-effective ways of doing things or as a reaction to something that has happened – usually something negative. The Great Fire of London is one such disaster. The methods and materials used nowadays by Gloucester Roofers like http://hempstedroofing.com/gloucester-roofers/ are a far cry from those used back in London in 1666. Here are a few facts about the event:

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  • It is thought the fire broke out in a bakery in Pudding Lane.
  • In total the fire lasted for four days from 2nd to 5th September and around 13,000 homes and 87 churches were destroyed during that time and it is estimated that 70,000 became instantly homeless.
  • One of the main reasons the fire spread so quickly was due to the materials used in the construction of the buildings – wood and straw, and the fact that they were built so closely together. Another possible reason was because immediately before the fire started the city had experienced a period of drought that itself had lasted for around 10 months.
  • We are aware of how the events unfolded during those fateful days because newspapers wrote about the events and numerous people detailed what happened in their personal diaries. This included the well-known writer Samuel Pepys. Many artists also portrayed the fire in their works for a few years following on from the impact it had on the city.
  • Tackling the fire was virtually impossible as it quickly became out of control. The only items people had at their disposal was metal buckets filled with water and water squirters.
  • Those people who lost their homes in the fire had to live in tents in the surrounding fields whilst their homes were rebuilt. During this period of construction the houses were built further apart and materials such as bricks were used rather than wood, both to help prevent a disaster on this scale from ever happening again.

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  • A monument was designed by Sir Christopher Wren to mark the event and those who lost their lives and can still be seen in London today.
  • In 1668 as a direct result of the fire New fire prevention regulations were approved by Parliament.