Thomas Farriner

Thomas Farriner
Thomas Farriner
Born	c. 1615
Died	20 December 1670 (aged 54–55)
Nationality	British
Occupation	Baker; churchwarden;
Known for	Great Fire of London

Thomas Farriner (c. 1615 – 20 December 1670) was a British baker and churchwarden^[1] in 17th century London. Allegedly, his bakery in Pudding Lane was the source point for the Great Fire of London on 2 September 1666.^[2]^[3]

Map showing the extent of the Great Fire

Career[]

Farriner joined the Baker's Company in 1637, and had his own shop by 1649.^[4] By the time of the Great Fire of London, Thomas Farriner was a well-known baker in the City of London, who provided bread for the Royal Navy during the Anglo-Dutch war.^[5]

Great Fire of London[]

In the early hours of 2 September 1666, Farriner was woken up by smoke coming under the door of his bedroom. Downstairs in his bakery in Pudding Lane, the fire had started and his house had caught fire. Farriner, with his daughter, managed to escape out of an upstairs window. His maid, however, wasn't so lucky. She refused to follow them out of the window because she was frightened of falling into the street. She eventually died in the fire and was the first victim of the Great Fire of London.

Wenceslas Hollar – London before and after the fire

Wenceslas Hollar – St Paul's burning (Lex ignea)

The Great Fire of London, with Ludgate and Old St. Paul's (c. 1670)

Pudding Lane with the memorial column marking the ignition point of the fire of London

After the fire, he rebuilt his business in Pudding Lane. He and his children signed the Bill falsely accusing Frenchman Robert Hubert of starting the fire.

Farriner died in 1670, aged 54–55, slightly over four years after the Great fire of London.