He often describes his meals in great detail and if he were alive today would quite likely be a food writer instead of a diarist. He is a food-obsessed Nero fiddling whist Rome burns even in times of crisis, such as during the Fire of London, he is able to tune out what is happening outside completely, and his chief concern and gripe is that there are no condiments at dinner, and that his meal is a little boring because there are no dressings prepared with it. Pepys was passionate about food and this is a motif that is present throughout his diary. (This is also where the children's rhyme 'Ring a Ring of Roses' originates). The wreath also signified mourning for those who had been lost. When a household had lost members due to the plague, a ring, or wreath, of roses was hung on the front door to let those outside know that the home was in quarantine and that there was still a danger of catching the disease from coming inside the home. Often the boarded door also symbolized a home where the plague had killed the family inside. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.ĭuring the time of the Great Plague, a door that was boarded up was a symbol of a home where the inhabitants were suffering from the plague and where there could be the danger of contagion. Use the additional music files on the website to practise the song and appraise the music.These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.Sing the whole of ‘London’s burning!’, once through the tune together, then dividing into two groups to sing the tune twice as a round (as above) then repeating ‘Pour on water.’ at the end, getting quieter and quieter.Think about health and safety at home and at school and how to avoid accidents.Tap a repeating drum-rhythm and hum sad notes with the sad ‘Funeral music’ from last time (based on music by Purcell).Join in in with another sound-picture about fire-fighting The Great Fire (using varied clapping and voice sounds) as it reaches its peak, then begins to die down.Listen to more extracts from Samuel Pepys’ diary.With the class split into two groups, sing the 'London's burning!' song as a round in two parts (in canon), cued by blowing instruments (Group 1) and bell sounds (Group 2, starting a few moments afterwards).

Sing the famous tune ‘London’s burning!’ with adapted words about ‘buckets’ and ‘fire-hooks’, focusing on gradually rising then falling.

Join in with a sound-picture about the start of The Great Fire of London using body-percussion and mouth sounds.

Listen to snippets from Samuel Pepys’ diary.

Hear about the start of The Great Fire of London in Thomas Farrynor’s bakery.

Repeat the baking actions from ‘Loaves of bread and puddings and pies’ (sifting, stirring and clapping with a neighbour).Check their chronometers are set to 1666 at the City of London to travel back in time once again.

Pepys the great fire