How did Londoners use death statistics during the Great Plague of 1665?

Londoners used the weekly Bills of Mortality to track death rates by parish, informing decisions about personal risk, travel, and when to leave or return to the city.

What role did Samuel Pepys play in using plague data?

Samuel Pepys extensively used the Bills of Mortality, recording the death totals in his diary and adjusting his daily behavior based on the rising or falling figures.

Did the plague data reflect equal impact across London society?

No, the data revealed stark inequalities, with plague deaths among the poor more likely to be underreported or concealed, limiting their ability to act on the information.

Home / Health / Plague Data: Londoners' Secret Survival Guide

Plague Data: Londoners' Secret Survival Guide

22 Feb

•

Summary

Weekly death counts informed Londoners' daily decisions during the Great Plague.
Samuel Pepys used public death figures to navigate the city and avoid risk.
The Bills of Mortality revealed stark inequalities in plague impact and response.

Plague Data: Londoners' Secret Survival Guide

In 1665, as the Great Plague ravaged London, residents did not rely solely on prayer or flight. New research by Professor Karen McBride suggests that the weekly Bills of Mortality functioned as an early public health information system, guiding Londoners' actions and survival strategies.

The published death figures were accessible, allowing citizens to track week-on-week changes in mortality rates by parish. Naval administrator Samuel Pepys meticulously recorded these totals in his diary, using the data to adjust his daily life. He rerouted his travel to avoid heavily affected areas, reconsidered social visits, and ultimately moved his wife out of the city as the numbers climbed.