The Phoenix Arises From the Ashes

 

The mid-1600s brought intense  strife to the City of London. The Great Plague took the lives of 100,000 people in 1665, one-third of the population. The following year saw the destruction of 80 percent of the city in the Great Fire of London.

The fire started in the King Charles II’s own bakeshop located on Pudding Lane and owned by one Thomas Farynor. A journeyman discovered the flames in the early morning hours of 2 Sept. The family’s maid was the first casualty when fear paralyzed her as the rest of the family escaped across neighboring rooftops. Most of the structures in London at this time were made from wood providing fuel for the flames. The fire spread to the Star Inn on Fish Street Hill. Then a strong wind blew the sparks that ignited the Church of St. Margaret. The fire engulfed Thames Street next. The warehouses by the river contained hemp, oil, pitch, tar and other combustible items, food the fire quickly devoured.

With no organized fire brigade, citizens had little success fighting the flames with buckets of river water. Fires were normally fought by tearing down buildings in the path of the flames to create firebreaks. Whether the mayor of London was hesitant to ask for the destruction or the owners just refused, the firebreaks were not made at first. On Sunday morning, Samuel Pepys took matters into his own hands and went to see the king to tell him about the situation. Charles immediately ordered the demolition of as many buildings as were needed to stop the fire. Even after they started putting firebreaks in place, the strong winds enabled the flames to jump past them.

Londoners packed or hid their possessions and started a mass exodus of the city. Guards were set to control looting. Even St. Paul’s Cathedral burned with the lead from the stained glass windows running in the street.

The fire raged for three more days halting by the Temple Church. It gathered new life and moved onto Westminster. Fortunately the king’s brother, the Duke of York, ordered the Paper House destroyed as a firebreak, which finally forced the fire to die down. The wind also changed direction moving back into the fire and towards the river. After raging for four days and nights, the citizens of London were finally able to douse the flames.

Even with the immensity of the blaze, loss of life was minimal. Although, the total number is unclear, less than 20 people perished. Property damage, however, was substantial. The destruction included 13,000 homes, 89 churches and 52 guild halls. Approximately 200,000 people were homeless and destitute. The fire damages totaled £10 million.

On the bright side, the fire cleansed the rat-infested buildings and the fleas that carried the plague. It also gave Londoners the opportunity to rebuild their city. Commissioners were appointed to oversee the reconstruction of a London with wider streets and brick buildings. In only five years, 9,000 homes and public buildings went up, including a new St. Paul’s. King Charles even commissioned a monument, which still stands at the site of the bakery where the fire started on what is now Monument Street.

Save Water, Improve Your Bottomline

Water conservation is critical to help meet the future needs of communities and to lessen the strain on our fragile ecosystems. A little water conservation at home can also save you some money. Here are 12 ways you can reduce water consumption in your life, as recommended by SmartIrrigation.org:

• Don’t let the water run when rinsing your dishes. Fill one sink with wash water and one sink with rinse water.
• Adjust your sprinklers so they’re watering your garden and not the sidewalks, fences or street.
• Run your washing machine only when it’s full. This can save up to 1,000 gallons of water per month.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead.
• Water your garden in the morning or evening when it’s cooler to minimize evaporation.
• Wash fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of under running tap water.
• Use organic mulch around plants to retain moisture.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway.
• Shorten your shower time by just one or two minutes to save up to 150 gallons of water per month.
• Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If you see it seep into the bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak. Fix it and you can save up to 1,000 gallons of water per month.
• Turn faucets off tightly after each use.
• Designate one glass for drinking water all day to reduce the number of glasses that need to be washed.