Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Great Plague of Cock & Key Alley

Great Plague part of Channel 4 set Plague, Fire, War and Treason: A Century of Troubles

Documentary examining the Great Plague of 1665, one of the darkest moments in Britain's history, when over one-fifth of London's population of 500,000 perished in a matter of months. Much is known of the disaster from the perspective of the largely well-to-do contemporary chroniclers, but this film tells the story from the perspective of the poor through the account of a local councillor who lived a stone's throw from Fleet Street. Shown as part of the Plague, Fire, War and Treason: A Century of Toubles season. In the programme, Dr Champion charts what happened in the months of the Great Plague of 1665, linking film sequences that dramatise life in one London street, Cock & Key Alley, within the City walls. During that time, the authorities virtually abandoned London. The Privy Council fled to the provinces and issued orders from a safe distance. Around 100,000 people died of the 'plague' across the City and suburbs. The parishes, which were responsible for the day-to-day running of London, were left to keep order and provide what care and protection they could. Neighbours in the alley took on new roles as the parish paid them to enforce plague orders. The widow Rebecca Andrews fell sick and was shut into her house along with the orphan she cared for. The blacksmith fitted the locks and another neighbour stood on guard outside. When the gravedigger was infected, his family were shut in with him, but later his son was released to carry on the family trade of burying the dead. The Channel 4 programme is based on Dr Champion's book, London's Dreaded Visitation: The Social Geography of the Great Plague 1665

http://www.filefactory.com/file/4naam9lcgaqx/n/GreatPlagueSeasonTroubles_part1_rar
http://www.filefactory.com/file/3eu9f8t1azox/n/GreatPlagueSeasonTroubles_part2_rar

http://www.netload.in/datei8pF6N2PuK0/GreatPlagueSeasonTroubles.part1.rar.htm
http://www.netload.in/dateifMJn4wkzbL/GreatPlagueSeasonTroubles.part2.rar.htm

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