I mistakenly refer to the Staffordshire Hoard as the Sutton Hoo hoard during this video - I am choosing to blame this conflation on the fact that I am very excited about (hopefully...pandemic permitting) getting to see the Staffordshire Hoard being displayed at Sutton Hoo this year!
Sat with my 8 yr old grandson listening to you talk about the Great Fire of London. He was fascinated, maybe the start of an interest in history for him?
My Grandfather was always a history enthusiast, if not a scholar. I was about 10 when he first took me to a used bookstore to feed my developing interest in history. I miss him very much.
Oh to be the heroes we describe in our diaries: _Thank goodness I returned to London where I could explain to His Majesty what was happening outside and suggest bringing down buildings to slow the fire. His Highness and all of London could have been lost without my keen observations, decisive action, and calm direction. And to think, my wife actually scoffed at my supposed "rubber-necking" when I left for London to save the parmesan..._
I would love to see a video on Pepys. I read up on him recently and he’s a really interesting character in history! I also don’t blame him as I love me some cheese! 😂😂
This is going to sound weird but I liked hearing about the various conditions (i e the weather and buildings) that created the "perfect storm" for the fire. Thanks, Dr. Kat I always look forward to my Friday history lesson.
It was really fascinating, wasn't it?! As interesting as it was hearing it from Dr Kat.. I really think she could make anything sound as compelling, hahah 😉 Cheers
Thanks, Dr. Kat. This is fascinating! Trying to imagine acres of molten lead on the streets really brought the scale of the disaster home to me. I think about all the medieval treasures lost, and all those books...but also of new St. Paul's; a gem among the world's most beautiful cathedrals.
I agree. Knowing that the fire was hot enough to melt the lead and send it flowing down several streets brought home to me how hot and persistent the fire was. I have a hard time believing only six people died in such a fire.
@@lav1073 Yes, me too. There were probably blackened, scattered remains in the rubble, and some dead may have been hurriedly buried and basically forgotten.
A fire burning that hot and long , with tons of rubble crushing a incinerated body, might render it unrecognizable in the massive cleanup that followed. The mass exodus would have left many uncounted as fatalities for some days, weeks or more, until they found their way to their families, somewhere outside the city proper. With a disaster on this scale at that time, it could well be impossible to determine the body count.
You are a wonderful teacher. I recently retired as a Special Education teacher but you and your videos have sparked a pleasure for history that I didn’t know was there. Wonder if I would have been as happy being a historian. Sending my gratitude and admiration from San José, Costa Rica.
Samuel Pepys' diary entries were fascinating. His observations and descriptions of his own efforts to preserve his valuables echo what many of us might recount and do today if faced with a similar calamity. In fact, I recall moving my essential documents and valuables to my car on the night a fire broke out in a house near my home. I can certainly see myself burying them in my backyard however! Thankfully, the fire was quickly extinguished, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Several years ago, when bushfires were raging near my home in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, I went out on the deck first thing in the morning to check the progress of the fires during the night, and found a layer of ash all over the floor. This was nothing new- bushfires were a yearly occurrence near my home, but when I looked closer, I saw the remnants of print on many of the pieces of ash. Someone had just lost all their books. Nothing compared to lives and habitat, but still, I will never forget the sadness I felt seeing that ashy print. Fast forward to 2020, and it seems we had the Great Fires of Australia before the plague. Trust Down Under to get it backwards. 😏
For 6 years we ,I've in a street on the Sydney northern beaches. The street had a CFU (Community Fire Unit) as a first line of defence. We had some excellent training from the fire service that warned that houses were most at risk in the hours after the fire had passed due to smouldering embers hidden away in the structure.
Dramatic, huge tragedies are usually caused by a series of small events. The costs are under reported. Rebuilding is rarely ever finished as populations move elsewhere.
Such an amazing look at a classic tragedy. Most folks fail to get the full details of a fire that long ago yet you breathe life into it. Thank you for never disappointing me. Keep up the great work educating me on fascinating history!
Great video, Dr. Kat! I've seen several documentaries on this topic. It never ceases to amaze me how people can utterly lose their senses in such a situation. The story of people attacking and killing a woman who was carrying baby chicks in her apron horrifies me. They had gotten it into their heads that she was carrying fireballs and was spreading the fire. I can't wait for the next episode of Monarchs Anonymous! 😉🤴
Thank you Dr Kat, a great and terrible story, the possible plague connection is interesting as is the information on how London was so ready to go up in flames! And I agree with you that human nature hasn’t changed very much in either direction 🥰 Stay well ❣️
When I first saw that you had done The Fire i was a bit confused, But this was fantastic. I wonder what London would have been like today if there was no fire?. Thank you Dr Kat, looking forward to more Stuart history.
Thank you for that Dr Kat. I am a huge fan of Pepys and his diary, I hope your viewers follow up and read his full description of the days of the fire and afterwards. There is a wonderful entry about pigeons, another of his human touches.
Thank you Dr. Kat for your amazing narrative skills, and for delivering Tudor's history and UK history in such an entertaining way. I have always loved history, but your programme is really a joy, Bernardita Cardenas from Belgium.
Times change but people are always the same. Funny how rumours of plots etc started up - who knows how they started but I can just imagine it, this sounds so believable!
I lived in London 2000-2003 and one of the things I did was take a walking tour of the route of the great fire. I’m embarrassed to say I had forgotten that until today, so thanks for the memory nudge! I remember a monument of some kind and stairs...or maybe I don’t! It’s been a while! Thanks again for the video! Peggy
Oh to be the heroes we describe in our diaries: _Thank goodness I returned to London where I could explain to His Majesty what was happening outside and suggest bringing down buildings to slow the fire. His Highness and all of London could have been lost without my keen observations, decisive action, and calm direction. And to think, my wife actually scoffed at my supposed "rubber-necking" when I left for London to save the parmesan..._
I've only been to London twice in 25 years, but is fascinating to walk the modern streets and think about all the changes which have occurred in over 1,500 years. The London Museum is amazing!!
I find your interpretation of history is very informative. I wish I had you has an history teacher I'm sure I would have passed my exam. Love listening to you thank you. 💕
I enjoyed your video so very much! It made me think about the great Chicago fire which we suffered here in the states. This one said to be started by a lady milk cow upsetting an oil lamp. It amazes me how such small occurances can have such a terrible impact upon the communities in which they happened. Thinking of small things then reminds me of the Corona virus. Such a small thing to have caused such grief and loss! I earnestly pray that the day will soon come when the fear of such diseases will pass away. May our future lead to generations who only know of such a thing as viruses from their history books and not from personal experience.
Well done, as always, Dr. Kat! I am fascinated at seeing the archeological remnants still found that show record of the extent this conflagration. Many cities have tales of destructive fires, but London's is probably the greatest, likely due to it's written documentation.
As always another awesome video! I really look forward to every “Dr Kat video” Friday lol. I also really enjoyed hearing the Pepys diary cheese hiding anecdote. Those tidbits of knowledge and history really make your videos enjoyable!
I seriously appreciate your views and interpretation of history so much, I look at history myself so much and often wonder why we can’t learn from it.....
This is rapidly becoming one of my favourite UA-cam channels. And to think, I found it as part of my research for an assignment for a cybersecurity degree...
I really, really enjoy your videos. I love how you go through primary and contemporary sources with us, rather than just saying 'this happened' as most history channels do. This was very interesting as I hadn't realised that (while devastating) the damage had been somewhat contained, so was unlikely to have anything to do with the plague greatly decreasing. Thanks again for another video!
Oh my gosh I so enjoyed this thank you so much! I’d happily watch you on the BBC your delivery was fabulous and had me holding on to every word... we studied the subject in school back in the 70’s but listening to you documentary was gripping. I never thought about things like the “weather” or that people would rubber neck 🤔. As humans unfortunately we haven’t changed much have we? But again thank you so much. 🙏🏻
I really enjoyed this video. I had thought the fire of London slowed the plague by killing lots of rats, but I have to admit your take is more likely. The topic of the London fire is particularly interesting to me because I come from a city that also suffered a major fire, ours in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire. In Chicago, city officials scapegoated a cow to prevent others from scapegoating (and lynching) a likely suspect, a local drunk, Pegleg Sullivan, who is occasionally tried and usually acquitted as part of moot court competitions at local law schools. A friend of mine exonerated the cow in a book he wrote on the subject based on the historic land records and surveys. I got a chuckle about the burying of the Parmesan cheese in London. In Chicago, they buried the local land records in the sand on the beach to preserve them. I used to work for the company whose employees did that long before I worked there. When I first started, we were allowed to look through the formerly buried title books and they still had sand in them. Now, these books are specially stored and locked up. Similar to London, the Chicago fire destroyed a lot of wood buildings, dried from previous drought conditions, and building standards were changed after the fire and a much nicer city grew on top of the ruins. Chicago had no royal family of course but the members of wealthy families who stayed for rebuilding received similar praise for having stuck around.
I am a nurse and when I have worked in nursing homes and jails, in the event of a fire, along with evacuating patients, we are to save the medication, medication records and patient charts.
My greatest concern during a fire would be animals first then people second. People would know what's going on and could help themselves whereas animals wouldn't know (at least not as much as us) and couldn't help themselves as much as we can. But yeah I agree 😢 when I was a teenager a house a neighborhood over from mine burnt down I forgot how it started but the owners were at work when it happened and their poor pets one cat and two dogs ended up dying in the fire 😢
Thank you Dr. Kat, this was a very interesting video. I didn't know much about the Great Fire, and certainly don't recall hearing anything about molten lead! Sad to have lost the books, and that some people chose to use the as an excuse to act on their biases. Some things never change when it comes to hate and false accusations. I'd love for you to do a video on that portrait of Charles II! Just who is that, over on the left there??
Im watching your lovely channel, from Prince George County, Virginia on the James River, with my 8 year old, (we just finished the smallpox vaccine episode) and "lady wee" cracked her up. But it was awesome to have a chance to talk about our history with the Stuart-Hanover named area, and giggle and learn! You're the best Dr Kat!
I simply love your videos. You are a breath of fresh air. I also love learning about different topics in history. Please keep it up Dr Kat. Congratulations on the baby 🙂
The part that fascinates me and baffles my mind most is the idea of a merchant evacuating his property and securing his wine and cheese elsewhere, over the course of several days, and then going home to sleep on that very property in the meantime. That takes a certain kind of chill.
Hello Dr.Kat I watched the mini series of the Great Fire about 6 years ago Andrew Buchanan played the owner of the Baker love historical stories. Stay safe Dr.Kat and happy Friday💞
Hi doctor Kat. I'm not new since I've seen a whole of your episodes. But I did enjoy this as a second episode. Thank you for your constant readings of the past.
This is terrific! I love listening to you . You have a lovely voice and read beautifully.. Also Pepys diary is fascinating--very real. He illustrates the human reaction to things, which I think has not changed much if at all. How about a video about Christopher Wren?
Samuel Pepys offered us a very detailed insight into the tragedy of the Great Fire of London and how the tragedy had brought out the best and worse in humanity. Such a great city during those times but sadly, no thoughts or insights in saving the city from disasters if one incident ever occurred. The medieval buildings were built one next to the other. Its like the structures were fused by bricks and stones. Some Lord in Parliament, should have called for the formation of early "fire brigades" that could somehow be located in the middle of olde London. Samuel Pepys have also given life and made us imagine, of the extent of people's dread and fear of a huge fire that might wipe clean their precious belongings and also cut short their lives, in it's path of destruction. Thank you for the documentary. I think I might want to locate Samuel Pepys diary kept somewhere in my room and enjoy a second read. Thanks Dr Kat. .
As with many great disasters - even today - I have no doubt at all that there were dire warnings from those aware of what could happen. Which, as today also, fell on deaf ears.
What a perfect lesson about the Great London Fire! 👏 Applause 👏. I’m Dutch and as a teenager (65 years ago) I’ve learned at school in Holland about the Great Fire of London. Our history teacher was very mediocre compared to the quality of the lessons of dr. Kat. 👌👍
I love Sir Christopher Wren's monument to the Great Fire of London and used to pass it each day on my way into work. The view from the top part is rewarding and well worth the 202 ft climb. They also have a 360°camera which is sped up and shows the past 24°in a matter of minutes, fascinating. The tragedy of this fire makes one realise how vulnerable the majority of the population were in their overcrowded wooden dwellings at that time. Robert Hooke, FRS, made his name / money after carrying out over half the archaeological surveys after the 1666 tragedy. Prior to this he was a brilliant but impoverished scientist, who discovered the "cell" because as a junior to Boyle he built a microscope, discovered heat expanded matter, investigated light refraction etc, etc, etc. He initiated the idea of evolution and imho seemed to be almost a "Leonardo da Vinci" type of genius / polymath. I'm still not quite sure where it all went wrong for him as he is little remembered and his contemporaries ( especially Newton) all but managed to obliterate him and his reputation from the Royal Society, even removing his bust and portraits!! Is it possible that you can tell us more as to what actually happened to bring him so far down, because when you examine the life of Samuel Pepys he was hardly an angel, but is fondly remembered. Congratulations on 40k subscribers Dr. Kat ❤🥂🍾🎆🌞👍🎉💕.
Great video. Fascinating facts. Find it had to believe CW's plans to rebuild London were rejected. Any idea on what basis? Did his plans perhaps have a street layout that wasn't so jumbled and convoluted?
Yes, and that was the reason they were rejected. The powers that be wanted the old medieval street layout. (He did get an awful lot of architectural work though!)
I love history , I always feel grateful for the safety I enjoy visiting the past , thanking my lucky stars I wasn't actually there suffering with those unlucky people to be at a disaster or a war . I also reflect on the realisation that in a way we have all endure the tragedies of somewhere or other in time through our ancestors ,otherwise we wouldn't be here now perusing life vicariously via a laptop or tablet ensconced comfortably in bed .
Regarding the loss of books did you ever come across information that indicated how, far back some of those books went? Perhaps, the 13th, 14th, or 15th century?
The heat must have been intense. Stonework in the interior of the Guildhall, noticeable in the left hand side about 2/3 of the way down is still marked. The heat of the fire is said to have opened up the structure of the stone to allow the staining to enter into the stone itself. We hear a lot about Wren's replacement St Pauls but of the earlier destroyed version, not so much. That could be an interesting topic to look Dr Kat at as it was not just a building but a series of communities. What happened to these communities and how did things change? There are also snippets such as Upon Paul's Steeple There Stands a Tree.
I've shared your talks on Facebook, they're just so good and professional. You're so clever, I sincerely wish you success as your memory and knowledge is superb. Goog luck and thanks .
What an interesting topic! It’s too bad no one back then, didn’t realize that, like you said, it was basically a “tinderbox”. Fire codes were unheard of and apparently not even thought about. Some many artifacts, paintings, portraits, cathedrals, buildings & lives etc all burned which was very telling of that time...all gone. I can imagine the rumors, blaming and often for political gain. So many suspects and “scapegoats”. Once again, an excellent topic. Thank you!
Toni Stark Not exactly not thought about- there were laws about cleaning out one’s chimneys several times a year, in the Tudor era- & copping one hell of a fine if you didn’t... that being said, I think people have a ‘don’t think stuff is going to happen to me’-mentality - the people of London (& other places) lived with the risk of fire for ages, & it had *_never_* been this **bad** - &, of course, innovation & change costs 💷 & no one really wants to put their hand up, to foot the bill...
OcarinaSapph1r3 -24 thank you. I think I was talking about when Dr Kat was speaking of leaving hay around for their livestock near houses, houses being so close together etc. and lots of “tinder type” issues not necessarily just about fireplaces. Plus, I think drought and wind might have played a part. Thank you for letting me know about them being fined if their chimney wasn’t cared for. Yes of course, we still have that attitude “it won’t happen to me” still today. Thanks again. Nice to know 👍🏼.
Fire is always terrifying,we know that here in Australia.The suffering of the people of lesser means than Peypes et al would have been unimaginable,for years after.Still gives me shivers to think of it😱
Brilliant video, I love this period of history. One of my favourite novels is The Ashes of London, the main characters of which are a Cat and James! I have read quite a bit of Pepys diary on the topic, I too love the cheese reference. I found your information about the molten lead particularly powerful. It really brought it home
Hi, thank you so much for this video, totally fascinating and really enjoyed the eye-witness accounts. On the subject of different historical episodes, I was wondering if you would consider doing a programme on Stephen and Matilda - never quite got this straight in my head!
Wow... I cannot imagine such an awful happening! I watched a neighbors house burn when I was about 6, I dreamed of that fire for years to follow and still do occasionally. They lost one of their children and a pet. I cannot image how the people of that time would have been permanently scarred but such a tragedy. I also find it hard to believe that all that fire and only 6 souls were lost.
Thank you, very interesting! I find it particularly fascinating to hear the excerpts from That Diary. It is better for me to hear it than read it, because that is more difficult in English let alone Old English
I mistakenly refer to the Staffordshire Hoard as the Sutton Hoo hoard during this video - I am choosing to blame this conflation on the fact that I am very excited about (hopefully...pandemic permitting) getting to see the Staffordshire Hoard being displayed at Sutton Hoo this year!
Just imagine finding something even remotely similar in value!! Hope you get to go!☺️
Staffordshire hoard is amazing. I live in Birmingham uk ... a proper Peaky Blinders fan. .... hahhh x
Is that the one made of broken Saxon jewelry and militaria?
You're only human Dr Kat! Hope you get to see it.
The Hoard would be a great topic for a video. Hope you are able to view it!
Sat with my 8 yr old grandson listening to you talk about the Great Fire of London. He was fascinated, maybe the start of an interest in history for him?
My Grandfather was always a history enthusiast, if not a scholar. I was about 10 when he first took me to a used bookstore to feed my developing interest in history. I miss him very much.
@@williamharris8367 same with me with my Grandma! When I was little we would read together. I’ve loved reading ever since
Lol! "Lady wee is far inferior for fire extinguishing."
Less easily aimed?
My sister and I attempted to wee like Daddy as children and to our disappointment merely soaked our jeans, lol.
Hilarious!
😂
Thank God for Pepys' Diary and the humanity of the description. Hope he enjoyed the cheese!
It was be nicely oak smoked.
From now on I will always remember “Save the cheese!” Whenever I go to my basement for a tornado (sans cheese).
Oh to be the heroes we describe in our diaries:
_Thank goodness I returned to London where I could explain to His Majesty what was happening outside and suggest bringing down buildings to slow the fire. His Highness and all of London could have been lost without my keen observations, decisive action, and calm direction. And to think, my wife actually scoffed at my supposed "rubber-necking" when I left for London to save the parmesan..._
I wonder if he dug it up and ate it.? Eeewwww 🤣🤣🤣🤣 was a devestating fire. How terrifying
I would love to see a video on Pepys. I read up on him recently and he’s a really interesting character in history! I also don’t blame him as I love me some cheese! 😂😂
This is going to sound weird but I liked hearing about the various conditions (i e the weather and buildings) that created the "perfect storm" for the fire. Thanks, Dr. Kat I always look forward to my Friday history lesson.
It was really fascinating, wasn't it?! As interesting as it was hearing it from Dr Kat.. I really think she could make anything sound as compelling, hahah 😉 Cheers
The picture showing the narrow street with the cantilevered successive upper stories drives home how tight it was.
Thanks, Dr. Kat. This is fascinating! Trying to imagine acres of molten lead on the streets really brought the scale of the disaster home to me. I think about all the medieval treasures lost, and all those books...but also of new St. Paul's; a gem among the world's most beautiful cathedrals.
I agree. Knowing that the fire was hot enough to melt the lead and send it flowing down several streets brought home to me how hot and persistent the fire was. I have a hard time believing only six people died in such a fire.
@@lav1073 Yes, me too. There were probably blackened, scattered remains in the rubble, and some dead may have been hurriedly buried and basically forgotten.
A fire burning that hot and long , with tons of rubble crushing a incinerated body, might render it unrecognizable in the massive cleanup that followed. The mass exodus would have left many uncounted as fatalities for some days, weeks or more, until they found their way to their families, somewhere outside the city proper. With a disaster on this scale at that time, it could well be impossible to determine the body count.
I doubt the death rate as well...accounts at the time discussed many missing.
And heat like that leaves nothing...
You are a wonderful teacher. I recently retired as a Special Education teacher but you and your videos have sparked a pleasure for history that I didn’t know was there. Wonder if I would have been as happy being a historian. Sending my gratitude and admiration from San José, Costa Rica.
Samuel Pepys' diary entries were fascinating. His observations and descriptions of his own efforts to preserve his valuables echo what many of us might recount and do today if faced with a similar calamity. In fact, I recall moving my essential documents and valuables to my car on the night a fire broke out in a house near my home. I can certainly see myself burying them in my backyard however! Thankfully, the fire was quickly extinguished, and the rest (as they say) is history.
The burying cheese and wine brought me back to a memory of learning about this in primary school that I didn't know I had
Your videos are the best part of my Fridays, Dr. Kat. :)
Several years ago, when bushfires were raging near my home in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, I went out on the deck first thing in the morning to check the progress of the fires during the night, and found a layer of ash all over the floor. This was nothing new- bushfires were a yearly occurrence near my home, but when I looked closer, I saw the remnants of print on many of the pieces of ash. Someone had just lost all their books. Nothing compared to lives and habitat, but still, I will never forget the sadness I felt seeing that ashy print. Fast forward to 2020, and it seems we had the Great Fires of Australia before the plague. Trust Down Under to get it backwards. 😏
For 6 years we ,I've in a street on the Sydney northern beaches. The street had a CFU (Community Fire Unit) as a first line of defence. We had some excellent training from the fire service that warned that houses were most at risk in the hours after the fire had passed due to smouldering embers hidden away in the structure.
"Lady wee" hahahahahaha!! Awesome! Thanks for doing this video. I love history and your videos are interesting, informative, and entertaining.
TGIF, it means Dr. Kat!!!! ♡
Dramatic, huge tragedies are usually caused by a series of small events. The costs are under reported. Rebuilding is rarely ever finished as populations move elsewhere.
Such an amazing look at a classic tragedy. Most folks fail to get the full details of a fire that long ago yet you breathe life into it. Thank you for never disappointing me. Keep up the great work educating me on fascinating history!
Great video, Dr. Kat! I've seen several documentaries on this topic. It never ceases to amaze me how people can utterly lose their senses in such a situation. The story of people attacking and killing a woman who was carrying baby chicks in her apron horrifies me. They had gotten it into their heads that she was carrying fireballs and was spreading the fire.
I can't wait for the next episode of Monarchs Anonymous! 😉🤴
Nophing changes.Look at what is happening Now
Thank you Dr Kat, a great and terrible story, the possible plague connection is interesting as is the information on how London was so ready to go up in flames!
And I agree with you that human nature hasn’t changed very much in either direction 🥰
Stay well ❣️
When I first saw that you had done The Fire i was a bit confused, But this was fantastic. I wonder what London would have been like today if there was no fire?. Thank you Dr Kat, looking forward to more Stuart history.
Thank you for that Dr Kat. I am a huge fan of Pepys and his diary, I hope your viewers follow up and read his full description of the days of the fire and afterwards. There is a wonderful entry about pigeons, another of his human touches.
Thank you Dr. Kat for your amazing narrative skills, and for delivering Tudor's history and UK history in such an entertaining way. I have always loved history, but your programme is really a joy, Bernardita Cardenas from Belgium.
I was just thinking to myself I could do with another of your videos - and here you are. Thanks very much!
Times change but people are always the same. Funny how rumours of plots etc started up - who knows how they started but I can just imagine it, this sounds so believable!
I lived in London 2000-2003 and one of the things I did was take a walking tour of the route of the great fire. I’m embarrassed to say I had forgotten that until today, so thanks for the memory nudge! I remember a monument of some kind and stairs...or maybe I don’t! It’s been a while! Thanks again for the video! Peggy
Yes, I believe it is actually called the Monument. Location of start of fire.
Thanks for the absolutely super illustrations in this video, Dr K!
Oh to be the heroes we describe in our diaries:
_Thank goodness I returned to London where I could explain to His Majesty what was happening outside and suggest bringing down buildings to slow the fire. His Highness and all of London could have been lost without my keen observations, decisive action, and calm direction. And to think, my wife actually scoffed at my supposed "rubber-necking" when I left for London to save the parmesan..._
I've only been to London twice in 25 years, but is fascinating to walk the modern streets and think about all the changes which have occurred in over 1,500 years. The London Museum is amazing!!
I find your interpretation of history is very informative. I wish I had you has an history teacher I'm sure I would have passed my exam.
Love listening to you thank you. 💕
My goodness you’re a new mother! I’m impressed that you are back on track. Love your work.
I enjoyed your video so very much! It made me think about the great Chicago fire which we suffered here in the states. This one said to be started by a lady milk cow upsetting an oil lamp. It amazes me how such small occurances can have such a terrible impact upon the communities in which they happened. Thinking of small things then reminds me of the Corona virus. Such a small thing to have caused such grief and loss! I earnestly pray that the day will soon come when the fear of such diseases will pass away. May our future lead to generations who only know of such a thing as viruses from their history books and not from personal experience.
This is a really fabulous recounting. I truly enjoyed it.
Congratulations on 41k subscribers.
Your videos are very interesting.
Well done, as always, Dr. Kat! I am fascinated at seeing the archeological remnants still found that show record of the extent this conflagration. Many cities have tales of destructive fires, but London's is probably the greatest, likely due to it's written documentation.
As always another awesome video! I really look forward to every “Dr Kat video” Friday lol. I also really enjoyed hearing the Pepys diary cheese hiding anecdote. Those tidbits of knowledge and history really make your videos enjoyable!
Fantastic! I love your channel so much. This is so interesting and you deliver the information in such a great way.
I seriously appreciate your views and interpretation of history so much, I look at history myself so much and often wonder why we can’t learn from it.....
How wonderful that diaries remain where events great and small were documented that give insight to future generations.
Ah, what a lost treasure trove of books!
This is rapidly becoming one of my favourite UA-cam channels. And to think, I found it as part of my research for an assignment for a cybersecurity degree...
I really, really enjoy your videos. I love how you go through primary and contemporary sources with us, rather than just saying 'this happened' as most history channels do. This was very interesting as I hadn't realised that (while devastating) the damage had been somewhat contained, so was unlikely to have anything to do with the plague greatly decreasing. Thanks again for another video!
Thanks for the face on narrating instead of just pictures. That adds so much emotion and depth to the matter.
Oh my gosh I so enjoyed this thank you so much! I’d happily watch you on the BBC your delivery was fabulous and had me holding on to every word... we studied the subject in school back in the 70’s but listening to you documentary was gripping. I never thought about things like the “weather” or that people would rubber neck 🤔. As humans unfortunately we haven’t changed much have we? But again thank you so much. 🙏🏻
I really enjoyed this video. I had thought the fire of London slowed the plague by killing lots of rats, but I have to admit your take is more likely. The topic of the London fire is particularly interesting to me because I come from a city that also suffered a major fire, ours in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire. In Chicago, city officials scapegoated a cow to prevent others from scapegoating (and lynching) a likely suspect, a local drunk, Pegleg Sullivan, who is occasionally tried and usually acquitted as part of moot court competitions at local law schools. A friend of mine exonerated the cow in a book he wrote on the subject based on the historic land records and surveys. I got a chuckle about the burying of the Parmesan cheese in London. In Chicago, they buried the local land records in the sand on the beach to preserve them. I used to work for the company whose employees did that long before I worked there. When I first started, we were allowed to look through the formerly buried title books and they still had sand in them. Now, these books are specially stored and locked up. Similar to London, the Chicago fire destroyed a lot of wood buildings, dried from previous drought conditions, and building standards were changed after the fire and a much nicer city grew on top of the ruins. Chicago had no royal family of course but the members of wealthy families who stayed for rebuilding received similar praise for having stuck around.
I am a nurse and when I have worked in nursing homes and jails, in the event of a fire, along with evacuating patients, we are to save the medication, medication records and patient charts.
I always enjoy your uploads! I'm home on medical leave of absence right now and I absolutely love learning! You are an absolutely lovely teacher 🦋
I hate to think of all the animals that must have been trapped; after people, they are my greatest concern in fires.
My greatest concern during a fire would be animals first then people second. People would know what's going on and could help themselves whereas animals wouldn't know (at least not as much as us) and couldn't help themselves as much as we can. But yeah I agree 😢 when I was a teenager a house a neighborhood over from mine burnt down I forgot how it started but the owners were at work when it happened and their poor pets one cat and two dogs ended up dying in the fire 😢
And so I may have “Save the cheese” ringing in my head the next time I take shelter in the basement, but I will be cheeseless, with pets!
I am a lover of all things English History related so this certainly did not disappoint! Keep up the great work Dr Kat 🔥🔥🏫🏫
Dr. kat, I love your voice and calming nature. Thank you for the work you put into your channel.
Thank you Dr. Kat, this was a very interesting video. I didn't know much about the Great Fire, and certainly don't recall hearing anything about molten lead! Sad to have lost the books, and that some people chose to use the as an excuse to act on their biases. Some things never change when it comes to hate and false accusations.
I'd love for you to do a video on that portrait of Charles II! Just who is that, over on the left there??
Im watching your lovely channel, from Prince George County, Virginia on the James River, with my 8 year old, (we just finished the smallpox vaccine episode) and "lady wee" cracked her up. But it was awesome to have a chance to talk about our history with the Stuart-Hanover named area, and giggle and learn! You're the best Dr Kat!
"circumstances conspired" ❤️
I simply love your videos. You are a breath of fresh air. I also love learning about different topics in history. Please keep it up Dr Kat. Congratulations on the baby 🙂
I truly enjoy your very proper delivery yet with occasional cheeky sarcasm! I look forward to every one of your stories!
The part that fascinates me and baffles my mind most is the idea of a merchant evacuating his property and securing his wine and cheese elsewhere, over the course of several days, and then going home to sleep on that very property in the meantime. That takes a certain kind of chill.
Excellent...thank you for the discussion of scapegoats.
Hello Dr.Kat I watched the mini series of the Great Fire about 6 years ago Andrew Buchanan played the owner of the Baker love historical stories. Stay safe Dr.Kat and happy Friday💞
Hi doctor Kat. I'm not new since I've seen a whole of your episodes. But I did enjoy this as a second episode. Thank you for your constant readings of the past.
Always look forward to your weekly “lessons” This was particularly fascinating😎
“As we all know Lady Wee is not an effective fire extinguisher” is now my favorite phrase 😂🤣😂
That was really good! Really good! Human nature never changes.
I love all of Dr. Marchant's videos!❤
I adore your channel! Thank you for the work you do to bring knowledge and enjoyment to others! So happy to see your channel growing ❤
Thank you for this wonderful video!
You stay safe, healthy & happy too! Have a fabulous weekend 😃
This is terrific! I love listening to you . You have a lovely voice and read beautifully.. Also Pepys diary is fascinating--very real. He illustrates the human reaction to things, which I think has not changed much if at all. How about a video about Christopher Wren?
Always enjoy your thorough analysis of the subject matter. Excellent presentations.
Awesome video as usual! And a fascinating topic!
Samuel Pepys offered us a very detailed insight into the tragedy of the Great Fire of London and how the tragedy had brought out the best and worse in humanity. Such a great city during those times but sadly, no thoughts or insights in saving the city from disasters if one incident ever occurred. The medieval buildings were built one next to the other. Its like the structures were fused by bricks and stones. Some Lord in Parliament, should have called for the formation of early "fire brigades" that could somehow be located in the middle of olde London. Samuel Pepys have also given life and made us imagine, of the extent of people's dread and fear of a huge fire that might wipe clean their precious belongings and also cut short their lives, in it's path of destruction. Thank you for the documentary. I think I might want to locate Samuel Pepys diary kept somewhere in my room and enjoy a second read. Thanks Dr Kat. .
Thank you, Dr. Kat. The illustrations were wonderful!
Your videos are the very best. And you are a fun person. Makes all the difference. Thank- you. Dave
As with many great disasters - even today - I have no doubt at all that there were dire warnings from those aware of what could happen. Which, as today also, fell on deaf ears.
congrats on the baby doc. hope you are ok and sending love
What a perfect lesson about the Great London Fire! 👏 Applause 👏. I’m Dutch and as a teenager (65 years ago) I’ve learned at school in Holland about the Great Fire of London. Our history teacher was very mediocre compared to the quality of the lessons of dr. Kat. 👌👍
I love Sir Christopher Wren's monument to the Great Fire of London and used to pass it each day on my way into work. The view from the top part is rewarding and well worth the 202 ft climb. They also have a 360°camera which is sped up and shows the past 24°in a matter of minutes, fascinating.
The tragedy of this fire makes one realise how vulnerable the majority of the population were in their overcrowded wooden dwellings at that time.
Robert Hooke, FRS, made his name / money after carrying out over half the archaeological surveys after the 1666 tragedy. Prior to this he was a brilliant but impoverished scientist, who discovered the "cell" because as a junior to Boyle he built a microscope, discovered heat expanded matter, investigated light refraction etc, etc, etc. He initiated the idea of evolution and imho seemed to be almost a "Leonardo da Vinci" type of genius / polymath. I'm still not quite sure where it all went wrong for him as he is little remembered and his contemporaries ( especially Newton) all but managed to obliterate him and his reputation from the Royal Society, even removing his bust and portraits!!
Is it possible that you can tell us more as to what actually happened to bring him so far down, because when you examine the life of Samuel Pepys he was hardly an angel, but is fondly remembered.
Congratulations on 40k subscribers Dr. Kat ❤🥂🍾🎆🌞👍🎉💕.
Great video. Fascinating facts.
Find it had to believe CW's plans to rebuild London were rejected. Any idea on what basis? Did his plans perhaps have a street layout that wasn't so jumbled and convoluted?
Yes, and that was the reason they were rejected. The powers that be wanted the old medieval street layout. (He did get an awful lot of architectural work though!)
Lovely as always; and by lovely I mean it is a pleasure learning about history with you. Thank you very much.
I love history , I always feel grateful for the safety I enjoy visiting the past , thanking my lucky stars I wasn't actually there suffering with those unlucky people to be at a disaster or a war . I also reflect on the realisation that in a way we have all endure the tragedies of somewhere or other in time through our ancestors ,otherwise we wouldn't be here now perusing life vicariously via a laptop or tablet ensconced comfortably in bed .
Dear Dr. Kat, I thoroughly enjoy your presentations. So informative, pleasantly presented. I look forward to your future videos.
Just stumbled upon your channel, and I am completely enthralled! I am now binge watching and absolutely love your style and knowledge.
Thank you.
Another brilliant, thoroughly researched, and expertly presented video. Exactly right about scapegoating, alas. Thank you, Dr. Kat. 🙂❤
Regarding the loss of books did you ever come across information that indicated how, far back some of those books went? Perhaps, the 13th, 14th, or 15th century?
The heat must have been intense. Stonework in the interior of the Guildhall, noticeable in the left hand side about 2/3 of the way down is still marked. The heat of the fire is said to have opened up the structure of the stone to allow the staining to enter into the stone itself.
We hear a lot about Wren's replacement St Pauls but of the earlier destroyed version, not so much. That could be an interesting topic to look Dr Kat at as it was not just a building but a series of communities. What happened to these communities and how did things change? There are also snippets such as Upon Paul's Steeple There Stands a Tree.
I've shared your talks on Facebook, they're just so good and professional. You're so clever, I sincerely wish you success as your memory and knowledge is superb. Goog luck and thanks .
Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me to get through the pandemic!
What an interesting topic! It’s too bad no one back then, didn’t realize that, like you said, it was basically a “tinderbox”. Fire codes were unheard of and apparently not even thought about.
Some many artifacts, paintings, portraits, cathedrals, buildings & lives etc all burned which was very telling of that time...all gone.
I can imagine the rumors, blaming and often for political gain. So many suspects and “scapegoats”.
Once again, an excellent topic. Thank you!
Toni Stark
Not exactly not thought about- there were laws about cleaning out one’s chimneys several times a year, in the Tudor era- & copping one hell of a fine if you didn’t... that being said, I think people have a ‘don’t think stuff is going to happen to me’-mentality - the people of London (& other places) lived with the risk of fire for ages, & it had *_never_* been this **bad** - &, of course, innovation & change costs 💷 & no one really wants to put their hand up, to foot the bill...
OcarinaSapph1r3 -24 thank you. I think I was talking about when Dr Kat was speaking of leaving hay around for their livestock near houses, houses being so close together etc. and lots of “tinder type” issues not necessarily just about fireplaces. Plus, I think drought and wind might have played a part. Thank you for letting me know about them being fined if their chimney wasn’t cared for. Yes of course, we still have that attitude “it won’t happen to me” still today. Thanks again. Nice to know 👍🏼.
Cheers Dr Kat Brilliant as always James
Thank you so much for the history lessons, I totally enjoy them.
Just a wonderful presentation. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and insights!
Happy Friday!
Fire is always terrifying,we know that here in Australia.The suffering of the people of lesser means than Peypes et al would have been unimaginable,for years after.Still gives me shivers to think of it😱
Brilliant video, I love this period of history. One of my favourite novels is The Ashes of London, the main characters of which are a Cat and James! I have read quite a bit of Pepys diary on the topic, I too love the cheese reference. I found your information about the molten lead particularly powerful. It really brought it home
Wow this was extremely interesting. Thank you. 🙂
Hi, thank you so much for this video, totally fascinating and really enjoyed the eye-witness accounts. On the subject of different historical episodes, I was wondering if you would consider doing a programme on Stephen and Matilda - never quite got this straight in my head!
Thoroughly enjoyed this reading
Thank you so much for your UA-cam broadcasts. Your delivery is so accessible. Any chance you could make one on the Gunpowder plot?
Fantastic video! Absolutely fascinating. I really enjoyed all of it :)
This is great. Please can you do an episode on Angel Meadows in Manchester?
Dr. Kat thank you for these videos. I just discovered your channel and it’s great. Hi from Florida:)
Thanks the upload, always interesting.
Wow... I cannot imagine such an awful happening! I watched a neighbors house burn when I was about 6, I dreamed of that fire for years to follow and still do occasionally. They lost one of their children and a pet. I cannot image how the people of that time would have been permanently scarred but such a tragedy. I also find it hard to believe that all that fire and only 6 souls were lost.
So glad the Tower of London made it through and didn’t get blown up.
Great topic Kat x
Thank you, very interesting! I find it particularly fascinating to hear the excerpts from That Diary. It is better for me to hear it than read it, because that is more difficult in English let alone Old English