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Description

Scarce View of the Tooley Street Fire.

This wood engraving, published in 1861 in London, depicts the Great Fire of Southwark that broke out on June 22nd of that year. The fire destroyed property valued at 3 million pounds and consumed a wide range of goods, including sugar, rice, sago, cotton, tallow, tea, hemp, and jute. The fire also claimed the life of Mr. Braidwood, the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. The engraving offers a view of the fire from London Bridge and includes reference points such as Cotton's Wharf, the site of the fire's origin, and St. Olave's Church, where it ultimately ended. It was published by S. Marks and Sons and sold by various booksellers and stationers.

For a comprehensive discussion of depictions of the Tooley Street Fire see this article by British Art Studies.