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London Beer Flood

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Cause
  
Structural failure

Location
  
St Giles in the Fields

Date
  
17 October 1814

London Beer Flood httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonscc

Similar
  
Great Molasses Flood, Goiânia accident, 1961 Kurenivka mudslide, Great Plague of London, Great Fire of London

The London Beer Flood happened on 17 October 1814 in the parish of St. Giles, London, England. At the Meux and Company Brewery in Tottenham Court Road, a huge vat containing over 135,000 imperial gallons (610,000 L) of beer ruptured, causing other vats in the same building to succumb in a domino effect. As a result, more than 323,000 imperial gallons (1,470,000 L) of beer burst out and gushed into the streets. The wave of beer destroyed two homes and crumbled the wall of the Tavistock Arms pub, killing teenage employee Eleanor Cooper under the rubble. Within minutes neighbouring George Street and New Street were swamped, killing a mother and daughter who were taking tea, and beer surged through a room of people gathered for a wake.

Contents

London Beer Flood The London Beer Flood History in the Headlines

17th october 1814 the london beer flood kills 8 people


History

London Beer Flood The London Beer Flood of 1814

The brewery was among the poor houses and tenements of the St Giles Rookery, where whole families lived in basement rooms that quickly filled with beer. At least eight people were known to have drowned in the flood or died from injuries.

London Beer Flood The London Beer Flood History in the Headlines

The brewery was eventually taken to court over the accident, but the disaster was ruled to be an Act of God by the judge and jury, leaving no one responsible. There were speculations of corruption regarding the court ruling but no official statement was made. The company found it difficult to cope with the financial implications of the disaster, with a significant loss of sales made worse because they had already paid duty on the beer. They made a successful application to Parliament reclaiming the duty which allowed them to continue trading.

The brewery was demolished in 1922, and the Dominion Theatre later occupied part of the site. In 2012, a local pub, the Holborn Whippet, started to mark this event with a vat of porter brewed especially for the day.

London Beer Flood What really happened in the London Beer Flood 200 years ago The

References

London Beer Flood Wikipedia


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