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The Plan

Full Title:	A New & Correct Plan Of All The Houses Destroyed And Damaged By The Fire Which Began In Exchange-Alley, Cornhill, On Friday, March 25th, 1748.
Publisher:	The London Magazine, or, Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer. London. Published for R. Baldwin, jun. at the Rose in Pater-Noster-Row.
Date:	MDCCXLVIII. 1748
Size:	25.5cm x20.7cm (10" x 8")
Source:	Engraved For The London Magazine
Scale:	1" : 18 Yards (Approx.)
Extent:	Royal Exchange, Cornhill - St Michael's Church, St Michael's Alley - Abchurch Lane - Pope's Head Alley
Description:	Single page from The London Magazine, The Monthly Chronologer section. Printed one side only. Fair/Good condition. Minor discolouration and foxing. Note in the top margin reads: To Face p: 139 Lond: Mag: for March 1748. Note in the bottom margin reads: A larger Plan of this dreadful Fire with the names of ye Sufferers engraved on the Place of their respective Habitations may be had of M. Payne at the White Hart in Pater Noster Row.

This plan shows the extent of the fire between Cornhill and Lombard Street on Friday March 25th, 1748. The London Magazine records the events of the fire in its Monthly Chronologer section (Pgs. 139-140) for Friday 25 March 1748 as follows: About One this Morning, a Fire broke out at Mr. Eldridge's a Perriwig-Maker in Exchange-Alley, Cornhill, which prov'd one of the most terrible, before it was extinguished, that has happen'd since the Fire of London in 1666. The Flames in a few Minutes spread themselves 3 different Ways, and before Noon consumed, according to the best Computation that could be made, very nearly 100 Houses, about 20 of which fronted Cornhill, and the rest were in Birchin-Lane, Exchange-Alley, George-Yard, and all the Avenues thereabouts, notwithstanding all possible Means were used to stop them, there being upwards of 50 Engines, which were well manned by the Populace, and in general pretty well supplied with Water; but the Wind being S. S. W. all the Bankers Houses in Lombard-Street, and their Effects, were preserved. No publick Office has been burnt, except the London Assurance, who had Time to save all their Effects, and have suffered only in the Loss of their House. By the great Care of the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, and several other Magistrates, who were present, by the Diligence and Dexterity of the Firemen and Officers, and by the Assistance of the Guards from St. James's and the Tower, the greatest Part of the Goods and valuable Effects of the Sufferers were saved. Garraway's, the Jerusalem and Jonathan's Coffee-Houses, the Swan Tavern, Mr. Young's a Woolen-Draper, with the rest of the Houses in Change-Alley, were destroyed, except Baker's and Sam's Coffee-Houses, which were greatly damaged. The Flames extended themselves into Cornhill, and burnt down the Houses of Mr. Astley, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Strahan, Mr. Walthoe, and Mr. Brotherton, Booksellers; Mr. Dep. Cleve, a Pewterer; Mr. Warner, a Stationer; Tom's and the Rainbow Coffee-Houses, the Fleece and Three-Tuns Taverns, a Milliner's next the Three-Tuns, and a Cabinet-Maker's the Corner of Birchin-Lane; Mr. Legg's, a Woollen-Draper, the other Corner, a Shoe-Maker's, with another Woollen-Draper's adjoining; the London Assurance Office, the Widow Harrison's, Mr. Vaughan's a Haberdasher, Mrs. Sarrazin's, the Corner of Michael's-Alley; in the said Alley, Mr. Knight's Shoe-Ware House, the Cock and Lion, a Publick-House, the House of Mr. Guyther a Peruke-Maker, Mr. Oldis a Sadler; the Jamaica Coffee-House was but little damaged, as was likewise St. Michael's Church: The Houses in Castle-Court and White-Lion-Court, Birchin-Lane, were all consum'd; the back Part of the George and Vulture Tavern, Elford's Coffee-House, and the House of Mr. Willmore, a Hosier, in George-Yard, were consumed, and great Damages done to other houses in the said Yard; the Pensylvania, Carolina and Georgia Coffee-House, the Marine Coffee-House, the Sword-Blade, and Cole's Coffee-Houses, the House of Mr. Shaw a Shoe-Maker, Mr. Wilson a Stationer, and all others in Birchin-Lane, excepting 8 towards Lombard-Street, were likewise consumed. Mr. Eldridge, his Wife and two Daughters, and a Journeyman perished in the Flames; the 2 Apprentices and the Servant-Maid only escaping. Mr. Cooke, a Merchant, that lodg'd in the House, jump'd out of a 2 Pair of Stairs Window, broke his Back, and died soon after. Several Persons were detected in feloniously carrying off Goods in the general Confusion, and committed to the Compter. The Goods of the Sufferers were most of them secured in the Royal-Exchange. A Soldier on Guard at the Fire stabb'd a Man who refus'd to assist in carrying Water to the Engines, in so dangerous a Manner that his life was despair'd of: The Soldier was committed to the Compter. It was observ'd, that the Fire communicated itself chiefly by the Tops of the Houses, over the Party Walls; which, it is presum'd, will hint the Necessity of building those Walls higher for the future, so as to leave no Communication betwixt the Rafters of different Houses. The Consternation of the Inhabitants in this dreadful Calamity was inexpressible, and the Loss must have been exceeding great, notwithstanding the Effects that were saved; for it happen'd on one of the richest Spots of Ground in the City, and the very Center of Business. There was great Danger of its spreading farther, the Wind being high, of which People were under terrible Apprehensions, but by the good Providence of God it was prevented; and tho', after the first Stop that was put to the raging Flames, the Fire broke out afresh more than once, such constant Care was taken, that it never again resum'd its destructive Power. The Gentleman's Magazine, Historical Chronicle section (Vol. XVIII, Pg. 138), records the following, dated Friday 25 March 1748: About 1 in the morning, a fire broke out at Mr Eldridge's (who with his wife, two daughters, and a journeyman were burnt, and his lodger Mr Cook, kill'd by jumping out of window) a peruke-maker in Exchange Alley, Cornhill; which burnt with great fury for 10 hours, and consumed almost all the houses in the said alley, and Birchin lane, with the stately row of buildings in Cornhill, from Change Alley to St Michael's Alley, among which were several noted coffee-houses and taverns, five booksellers and many other valuable shops in Cornhill. -- Some accounts make the number of houses destroy'd 160, but by the plan just published it appears to be no more than 80, and 14 or 15 damaged. (See p. 104.) The April 1748 edition of The Gentleman's Magazine includes a similar Copper-plate Plan Of The Late Fire In Cornhill (Pg. 148) published by M. Payne, available for purchase at a price of 6d. The Magazine also includes a reference key to the Tenants Burn Out By The Late Fire (Pg. 149).

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