When London Burned to Sticks: The Economic Impact of the Great Fire of 1666
4 June 2025 14:15 until 15:30
University of Sussex Campus - Jubilee Building, Room G32 & online
Speaker: Paul Sharp – University of Southern Denmark
Part of the series: Economics Departmental Seminar
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Co-authored with Ager, Philipp & Pedersen, Maja U. & Tsoukli, Xanthi
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Abstract:
This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the Great Fire’s effects on London’s economic geography. Our analysis reveals both continuity and change. There was a swift postfire recovery accompanied by some shift in economic activity towards the City of Westminster by 1690, with markets spreading outside the City, but financial services largely remaining inside. Analysis of London Hearth Tax records further illustrates a significant change in the wealth distribution, with wealthier households returning to fire-impacted areas, reshaping the city’s housing and social structure.
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