This key facts covers Response During the Fire within The Great Fire of London for GCSE History. Revise The Great Fire of London in Restoration England 1660-1685 for GCSE History with 11 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 5 of 17 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📌 Response During the Fire
| Action | Who | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Firebreaks (gaps created by demolishing buildings to stop fire spreading) | Eventually ordered; King and Duke of York supervised | Demolished buildings ahead of fire — only effective measure |
| Water squirts | Parish fire equipment | Useless — fire too big, water pressure too low |
| Fire posts | Set up around city | Tried to coordinate response; limited success |
| King's presence | Charles II personally helped fight fire | Boosted morale; showed he cared (unlike fleeing during Plague) |
Practice questions for The Great Fire of London
Where did the Great Fire of London begin on 2 September 1666?
Which of the following best explains why Lord Mayor Bludworth's response to the Great Fire made the situation worse?
Quick recall flashcards
Where did the Great Fire start?
Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane, in the early hours of Sunday 2 September 1666. An unextinguished oven overnight started the blaze that spread rapidly through dry wooden buildings.
How many houses were destroyed?
13,200 houses and 87 churches, including the medieval St Paul's Cathedral. The fire burned for four days, destroying about one-third of the City of London. Remarkably, only 6-8 deaths were officially recorded.