London Beer Flood 1814

Today is the 200th anniversary of the little known London Beer Flood that happened close by what is now the Dominion Theatre, on the 17th of October 1814 (though some reports record this tragedy to have been on the 16th, the evidence to support the 17th looks to be more voracious). 

In those days, London drinkers were supplied by dozens of competing breweries, and competition saw some of them build enormous vats in which to ferment and condition their ales. The enormous porter vat of the Maux & Company had a capacity of over a million pints! At about 6pm, on this day, 200 years ago, one of the steel restraining bands that enveloped the vat broke and released the contents of the vat. Together with this million plus pints of porter, other vessels in the brewery released more beer into the flood too. The resulting deluge damaged the brewery and a nearby pub, the Tavistock Arms, and flooded the basements of nearby homes.   

Sadly, depending on which reports you read, between 7 and 9 people died as a direct result of the flood, most drowning in their own basements, and many more were seriously injured, including some of those who came to help rescue survivors. 

Some may joke "what a way to go!" But I say R.I.P. to those who died...