History · Year 2 · The Great Fire of London · Autumn Term

Pudding Lane: The Spark and Spread

Investigating the origins of the fire in Thomas Farriner's bakery and the initial factors that caused it to spread.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Events beyond living memory
• KS1: History - Chronological understanding

About This Topic

The Great Fire of London ignited in Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane in the early hours of 2 September 1666. A spark from an overheated oven, left burning overnight to prepare bread, set fire to stored hay and flour. Students examine these origins and the conditions that accelerated spread: closely packed wooden houses with overhanging thatched roofs, narrow winding streets that trapped heat, a long dry summer leaving timber parched, and strong easterly winds driving flames across the city.

This topic aligns with KS1 History requirements for significant events beyond living memory and developing chronological understanding. Children sequence the fire's first hours, contrast 1666 fire precautions with modern ones like fire brigades, and respond to the key question of what they would do living nearby. These activities foster empathy for historical figures and analysis of cause and effect.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly because children can recreate scenarios physically. Building street models to test 'wind' effects or role-playing escape choices turns distant events into immediate experiences, helping young learners grasp complex chains of causation through play and collaboration.

Key Questions

1. Where and how did the Great Fire of London start?
2. Why did the fire spread so quickly through the streets of London?
3. What would you have done if you lived near Pudding Lane in 1666?

Learning Objectives

• Identify the specific location and initial cause of the Great Fire of London in Thomas Farriner's bakery.
• Explain at least three contributing factors that caused the Great Fire of London to spread rapidly.
• Compare and contrast the living conditions in 1666 London that facilitated fire spread with modern urban environments.
• Propose a course of action a child living near Pudding Lane in 1666 might have taken during the fire.

Before You Start

Settlements and Homes

Why: Students need a basic understanding of different types of homes and how people lived in the past to compare with 1666 London.

Basic Cause and Effect

Why: Understanding that one action can lead to a consequence is fundamental to grasping how the fire started and spread.

Key Vocabulary

Bakery	A place where bread and cakes are made and sold. Thomas Farriner's bakery was where the Great Fire of London began.
Pudding Lane	A real street in London where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. It is named after the practice of disposing of pudding from the nearby fish market.
Overheated oven	An oven that became too hot, which was the direct cause of the spark that started the fire in the bakery.
Hay and flour	Materials stored in the bakery that were highly flammable and quickly caught fire from the initial spark.
Wooden houses	Buildings made mostly of wood, common in 1666 London. Their close proximity and flammable materials helped the fire spread quickly.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The fire started deliberately as an act of war.

What to Teach Instead

Historical records confirm an accidental oven spark in the bakery. Role-playing rumour spread versus evidence gathering helps children distinguish facts, building critical source evaluation skills through discussion.

Common Misconception

Houses in 1666 were mostly stone, so fire spread slowly.

What to Teach Instead

Most buildings used timber frames, plaster, and thatch, all highly flammable. Model-building activities let students see and test how materials burn quickly when close together, correcting ideas via direct observation.

Common Misconception

Strong winds played no role in the spread.

What to Teach Instead

Easterly gales fanned embers across streets. Safe wind simulations with fans during group models demonstrate direction and speed, allowing children to revise predictions based on evidence.

Active Learning Ideas

Model Building: Pudding Lane Streets

Provide card, straws, and red tissue for small groups to construct model wooden houses and thatched roofs in tight rows. Introduce a 'spark' with tissue paper and simulate wind using a hairdryer on low. Groups record how flames 'jump' between structures and discuss prevention ideas.

45 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Night of the Fire

Assign whole class roles such as baker, family members, or watchmen. Narrate the fire starting at 1am; children decide in character what to grab first and escape routes. Debrief with shares on challenges faced.

30 min·Whole Class

Sequencing: Spark to Spread

Pairs receive jumbled picture cards showing oven spark, house ignition, wind push, and street blaze. They sequence events on a timeline strip, then explain choices to another pair.

20 min·Pairs

Map Activity: Tracing the Path

Small groups mark the fire's initial spread on a labelled London map using yarn from Pudding Lane outward. Add arrows for wind direction and note wooden building zones. Compare to a modern fire map.

25 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Firefighters today use specialized equipment like water hoses, ladders, and protective gear to combat fires, a stark contrast to the limited resources available in 1666.
• Urban planners and building inspectors now enforce strict fire safety codes, requiring non-flammable materials and wider streets to prevent rapid fire spread in cities like modern London.
• Historians use primary sources, such as diaries and official records from 1666, to piece together events like the Great Fire, much like detectives investigating a modern incident.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a small card. Ask them to draw a picture of the bakery on Pudding Lane and write one sentence explaining how the fire started. Then, ask them to list one thing that made the fire spread fast.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a child living on Pudding Lane in 1666. The fire has just started. What would you do first? What would you take with you?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to justify their choices based on the conditions of the time.

Quick Check

Show students images of closely packed wooden houses and narrow streets from historical illustrations of 1666 London. Ask: 'How do these pictures help explain why the fire spread so quickly?' Call on students to share their observations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the Great Fire of London start in Pudding Lane?

The fire began around 1am on 2 September 1666 in Thomas Farriner's bakery when a spark from the oven ignited hay. Farriner's maid tried to extinguish it, but embers spread to wooden beams. This event teaches children about everyday risks in 1666 homes, using timelines to sequence reliably from eyewitness accounts.

Why did the Pudding Lane fire spread so quickly through London?

Wooden houses packed closely with thatched roofs caught easily, narrow streets blocked water buckets, dry conditions fueled flames, and winds pushed fire west. Children explore these via models, understanding chained causes. Comparing to today's brick buildings and sprinklers highlights progress in safety.

How can active learning help Year 2 students understand the Great Fire origins?

Hands-on tasks like building flammable model streets or role-playing baker family decisions make 1666 vivid. Children test wind effects with fans and sequence events physically, turning abstract history into sensory experiences. Group debriefs connect personal choices to real outcomes, boosting retention and empathy far beyond worksheets.

What Year 2 activities teach fire spread factors from Pudding Lane?

Use small group models with card houses and hairdryers for wind demos, pairs sequencing ignition steps, and whole-class role-plays of escapes. These align with KS1 standards, differentiate by role complexity, and include drawing reflections. Extend with visits to fire station for modern contrasts.