Page 45 - Social Science.docx

The Great fire of 1666
that damage to the extent of the Great Fire wouldn't be repeated. The fire engine that he designed consisted of a pump that provided a continuous yet powerful stream of water from out of a faucet opening- something never seen before. Fire brigades and the fire engines both broke barriers and radically transformed London, creating new businesses and jobs for people. More importantly, they kept the city safe and fires under control. The image below graphically displays the physical structure of the first fire engine created by Newsham. From observing the antique engine, historians were able to conclude a detailed design of its function. After Barbon and Newsham's inventions were developed and popularized, people began to set up their own businesses. Many of these worked in collaboration with new insurance companies, using Newsham's invention, by sending a group of people to houses that caught on fire to minimize the damage and cost for them. This grew more and more mainstream and from this came the first "fire brigades"- trained people who came to burning houses that were already covered by insurance to stop the spreading and minimize the damage. These brigades saved many lives and helped many people get money back in return for what they lost in fires.6
All the information and findings collected by many different sources and historians demonstrate how The Great Fire of London in 1666 pushed the English government to enforce new structural codes, rules, and regulations. These newly created building codes, combined with groundbreaking inventions, completely broke the old barriers and restrictions of urban reconstruction. London’s people used its reconstruction to create the magnificent city that stands today: a whirlwind of different cultures, diverse people, and innovative infrastructure.
6 Sian Davies, “Early Fire Brigades." London Fire Brigade. Accessed November 28, 2019 41