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A “Frightful Number!” – Mapping Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year

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The Data

1663
Date Parish Buried Plague Buried Parish Buried Plague Total Buried Total Location Notes
Amsterdam, Holland The plague arrives in Holland, but its origins are unknown. Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, and Crete are suspected points of origin.
Rotterdam, Holland  

1664
Date Parish Buried Plague Buried Parish Buried Plague Total Buried Total Location Notes
End of November-Beginning of December 2 Long Acre, Upper End of Drury-Lane 2 Frenchmen die.
Last Week of December 1 Long Acre, Upper End of Drury-Lane Another man dies in the same house.
December 20-27 St. Brides 0 Both St. Brides and St. James Clarkenwell are adjacent to St. Andrews Holborn. H.F. notes that the usual number for burials per week in St. Giles and St. Andrews was roughly 12 to 17 or 19 (3). He also notes the usual number of burials per week in St. Brides and St. James were roughly 4 to 6 or 8 (5) .
December 20-27 St. James Clarkenwell 8  
December 20-27 291 H.F. notes that the usual number of total burials per week was between 240 and 300 (6). It is not clear what parishes are included in these numbers.
December 27-January 3 St. Giles's 16  
December 27-January 3 St. Andrew's 17  
December 27-January 3 St. Brides 6  
December 27-January 3 St. James Clarkenwell 9  
December 27-January 3 349  
December Long-Acre, Drury-Lane H.F. places the origin of the plague here, on the West Side, and observes that the plague then traveled gradually and slowly toward the City.

1665
Date Parish Buried Plague Buried Parish Buried Plague Total Buried Total Location Notes
February 12 1 H.F. notes that a man died in a different house, but in the same parish and also of the plague.
January 3-10 St. Giles's 12  
January 3-10 St. Andrew's 25  
January 3-10 St. Brides 11  
January 3-10 St. James Clarkenwell 7  
January 3-10 394  
January 10-17 St. Giles's 18  
January 10-17 St. Andrew's 18  
January 10-17 St. Brides 12  
January 10-17 St. James Clarkenwell 9  
January 10-17 415  
January 17-24 St. Giles's 23  
January 17-24 St. Andrew's 16  
January 17-24 St. Brides 9  
January 17-24 St. James Clarkenwell 15  
January 17-24 474  
January 24-31 St. Giles's 24  
January 24-31 St. Andrew's 15  
January 24-31 St. Brides 8  
January 24-31 St. James Clarkenwell 12  
January 30-February 7 St. Giles's 21 In second bills of mortality for St. Brides and St. James, the date reads Jan. 31.
January 30-February 7 St. Andrew's 23  
January 30-February 7 St. Brides 13  
January 30-February 7 St. James Clarkenwell 5  
February 7-14 St. Giles's 1 24  
February 7-14 St. Brides 12  
February 7-14 St. James Clarkenwell 6  
April 2-9 St. Giles's 25  
April 10-17 St. Giles's 25  
April 18-25 St. Giles's 2 30 8 die from spotted fever, which H.F. notes was often considered the same as the plague.
April 26-May 2 0 388 4 die from spotted fever.
May 1-8 St. Mary-Wool-Church 1 9 Bearbinder-lane, near the Stocks-market This parish is within the walls of the City. The Frenchmen who died of the plague had previously lived in Long Acre near infected houses and did not know he, himself, was infected.
May 1-8 St. Andrew's-Holborn 9 6 total die from spotted fever.
May 1-8 St. Clement's-Danes 9  
May 1-8 The City (97 Parishes) 54  
May 1-8 347  
May 9-16 St. Giles's 1 32  
May 9-16 St. Andrew's 15  
May 9-16 The Town 3*  
May 9-16 The City (97 Parishes) 0*  
May 9-16 343  
May 17-22 St. Giles's 14 40  
May 17-22 14 (50) 385 The official record says that 14 died of plague and 14 of spotted fever. H.F. suspects that the total number of deaths from the plague is closer to 50.
May 23-30 St. Giles's 9 (20) 53 The official records says that 9 died of plague, which was revised to 29 when 20 cases of spotted fever were later determined to be plague.
May 23-30 17  
June 1-8 H.F. provides no numbers, but reports that the plague was beginning to spread more quickly. Causes of death are typically listed as "Feaver, Spotted-Feaver, and Teeth."
June 9-16 St. Giles's 68 (100) 120 H.F. suspects the actual number of dead from the plague is closer to 100.
June 9-16 The City (97 Parishes) 1 4 Wood-street H.F. notes that these are the first deaths in the City. The plague has not reached Southwerk yet however.
June 9-16 The City (97 Parishes) 1 4 Fenchurch-street The bills of mortality are about 700 a week in the parishes around H.F.'s home just prior to his leaving.
June 9-16 The City (97 Parishes) 2 4 Crooked-lane  
June 9-16 Southwark 0  
Mid-July (900) 1268  
Mid-July The City (97 Parishes) 28  
Mid-July Southwark, incl. Lambeth 19  
July 4-11 St. Giles in the Fields 421 H.F. notes that the plague spreads through the parishes of Clerkenwell, Cripplegate, Shoreditch, and Bishopgate on its way to Aldgate, Whitechapel, and Stepney. The plagues begins to abate in the west end as it enters the east end.
July 4-11 St. Martins in the Fields 421  
July 4-11 Aldgate 4 H.F. refers to these parishes as the Tower-Hamlets, which had time to prepare for the plague by shutting up houses. The result were fewer deaths than surrounding parishes that same time period, such as St. Len. Shoreditch, St. But. Bishopsg. and St. Giles Crippl., which had far more deaths.
July 4-11 Whitechapel 3  
July 4-11 Stepney 1  
July 11-18 1761  
July 11-18 Southwark 16  
2nd week of August Cripplegate (850) 868  
2nd week of August Clerkenwell 145 155  
July 11-18 Algate 14 71  
July 11-18 Stepney 33 71  
July 11-18 White Chappel 21 71  
July 11-18 St. Kath Towers 2 71  
July 11-18 Trin. Minories 1 71  
July 11-18 St. Len. Shoreditch 64 342  
July 11-18 St. But. Bishopsg. 65 342  
July 11-18 St. Giles Crippl. 213 342  
July 19-26 Algate 34 145  
July 19-26 Stepney 58 145  
July 19-26 White Chappel 48 145  
July 19-26 St. Kath Towers 4 145  
July 19-26 Trin. Minories 1 145  
July 19-26 St. Len. Shoreditch 84 610  
July 19-26 St. But. Bishopsg. 105 610  
July 19-26 St. Giles Crippl. 421 610  
July 27-August 3 Algate 65 228  
July 27-August 3 Stepney 76 228  
July 27-August 3 White Chappel 79 228  
July 27-August 3 St. Kath Towers 4 228  
July 27-August 3 Trin. Minories 4 228  
July 27-August 3 St. Len. Shoreditch 110 780  
July 27-August 3 St. But. Bishopsg. 116 780  
July 27-August 3 St. Giles Crippl. 554 780  
July 4-11 Islington 2  
July 11-18 Islington 14 17  
July 25 550 H.F. cites this weekly number for roughly the end of July.
4000 It is not clear what the time frame is for this number. Perhaps the height of the plague, whenever that is.
Aug. 8 - 15 London and Suburbs 3880 5319 49709 59870 H.F. rounds up the total number of dead from the plague to 50,000 to account for the days missing from the official record. H.F. believes the total number of dead from the plague is not the official 68,590, but closer to 100,000 (96-97).
Aug. 15 - 22 London and Suburbs 4237 5568 49709 59870 H.F. disputes the Bills of Mortality for the period in Algate, Cripplegate, White-Chappel, and Stepney. They report between 500 and 800 dead a week, but H.F. believes it is closer to 2,000 (96-97).
Aug. 22 - 29 London and Suburbs 6102 7496 49709 59870  
Aug. 29 - Sept. 5 London and Suburbs 6988 8252 49709 59870  
Sept. 5 - 12 London and Suburbs 6544 7690 49709 59870  
Sept. 12 - 19 London and Suburbs 7169 8297 49709 59870  
Sept. 19 - 26 London and Suburbs 5533 6460 49709 59870  
Sept. 26 - Oct. 3 London and Suburbs 4929 5720 49709 59870  
Oct. 3 - 10 London and Suburbs 4227 5068 49709 59870  
H.F. speculates that between 1500 and 1700 people died a day from the plague during its height.
Beginning of Sept. Algate 1000 H.F. speculates that the parish buried over a 1000 a week for two weeks.
Beginning of Sept. White Chapel 600 H.F. speculates that the number was twice the 600 that was officially recorded.
February - May The Town H.F. cites the previously noted 17 deaths at the end of May to underscore how slow the progression was. It is not until they reach 3000 deaths a week that Southwerk, Wapping, Ratclif and Redriff became concerned.
August 8 - 15 St. Giles's in the Fields 242* 4030* H.F. compares St. Giles and Cripplegate against the other three parishes to suggest a tilt toward the latter during this period, while the overall numbers are going up as the plague spreads.
August 8 - 15 Cripplegate 886* 4030*  
August 8 - 15 Stepney 197* 4030* These numbers are largely from the part of Stepney that is adjacent to Shoreditch (Spittle-fields) and not that part which is next to Lime-House, Ratcliff-high-way, and St. Katherine's, where the numbers were far lower.
August 8 - 15 St. Mag. Bermondsey 24* 4030*  
August 8 - 15 Rotherhith 3* 4030*  
August 15 - 22 St. Giles's in the Fields 175* 5319* H.F. observes that people in Stepney Parish, which includes Lime-House, Redcliff, Wapping, and Ratcliff, felt relatively safe from the worst of the plague, so they didn't take necessary precautions, like leaving.
August 15 - 22 Cripplegate 847* 5319*  
August 15 - 22 Stepney 273* 5319*  
August 15 - 22 St. Mag. Bermondsey 36* 5319*  
August 15 - 22 Rotherhith 2* 5319*  
Sept. and Oct. Norwood, Camberwell, Dullege, Lusum H.F. notes that many infected people wandered into Surrey, which is more woody and open. As a result, no one there would aid the poor and distressed out of fear of infection.
Enfield 32  
Hornsey 58  
Newington 17  
Tottenham 42  
Edmonton 19  
Barnet and Hadly 43  
St. Albans 121  
Watford 45  
Uxbridge 117  
Hertford 90  
Ware 160  
Hodsdon 30  
Waltham-Abby 23  
Epping 26  
Deptford 623  
Greenwich 231  
Eltham and Lusum 85  
Croydon 61  
Brent-Wood 70  
Rumford 109  
Barking abt. 200  
Branford 432  
Kingston 122  
Stanes 82  
Chertsey 18  
Windsor 103  
August 22 - 29 7496* 38195* H.F. believes the weekly numbers are closer to 10,000.
August 29 - September 7 8252* 38195*  
September 7 - 12 7690* 38195*  
September 12 - 19 8297* 38195*  
September 19 - 26 6460* 38195*  
St. Giles's, Westminister H.F. locates the origin of the plague here.
Middle of July St. Giles in the Fields, St. Andrew's Holborn, St. Clement-Danes, St. Martins in the Fields, Westminster H.F. notes that this was when the plague was at its height in this part of London.
End of July Cripplegate, St. Sepulchers, St. Ja. Clarkenwell, St. Brides, Aldersgate H.F. notes that, as the plague began to abate in the western part of the city, it moved east into these parishes.
End of July The City (97 Parishes), Southwark (All Parishes), Stepney, White-Chapel, Aldgate, Wapping, Ratcliff H.F. notes that, at the same time, these parishes were barely affected by the plague.
July 25 - August 1 St. Giles Cripplegate 554 1889  
July 25 - August 1 St. Sepulchers 250 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Clarkenwell 103 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Bishopsgate 116 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Shoreditch 110 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Stepney 127 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Aldgate 92 1889  
July 25 - August 1 White-Chappel 104 1889  
July 25 - August 1 The City (97 Parishes) 228 1889  
July 25 - August 1 Southwark (All Parishes) 205 1889  
Beginning of September The City (97 Parishes), Southwark (All Parishes) Eastern Suburbs H.F. notes that, as the plague abated in the West and North-West parishes, it began to rage in this part of London.
September 12 - 19 St. Giles's Cripplegate 456 6060 H.F. offers the following Bills of Mortality as evidence of the plague's movement and how, as it abated in one part of London, it grew worse in another.
September 12 - 19 St. Giles in the Fields 140 6060  
September 12 - 19 Clarkenwell 77 6060  
September 12 - 19 St. Sepulchers 214 6060  
September 12 - 19 St. Leonard Shoreditch 183 6060  
September 12 - 19 Stepney 716 6060  
September 12 - 19 Aldgate 623 6060  
September 12 - 19 White-Chapel 532 6060  
September 12 - 19 The City (97 Parishes) 1493 6060  
September 12 - 19 Southwark (8 Parishes) 1636 6060  
September 19 - 26 St. Giles's Cripplegate 277 4900 H.F. disputes the official numbers, which but the total number of burials at about 8,000-9,000. He believes the number is closer to 10,000-12,000 (183).
September 19 - 26 St. Giles in the Fields 119 4900  
September 19 - 26 Clarkenwell 76 4900  
September 19 - 26 St. Sepulchers 193 4900  
September 19 - 26 St. Leonard Shoreditch 146 4900  
September 19 - 26 Stepney 616 4900  
September 19 - 26 Aldgate 496 4900  
September 19 - 26 White-Chapel 346 4900  
September 19 - 26 The City (97 Parishes) 1268 4900  
September 19 - 26 Southwark (8 Parishes) 1390 4900  
September 26 - October 3 St. Giles's Cripplegate 196 4328  
September 26 - October 3 St. Giles in the Fields 95 4328  
September 26 - October 3 Clarkenwell 48 4328  
September 26 - October 3 St. Sepulchers 137 4328  
September 26 - October 3 St. Leonard Shoreditch 128 4328  
September 26 - October 3 Stepney 674 4328  
September 26 - October 3 Aldgate 372 4328  
September 26 - October 3 White-Chapel 328 4328  
September 26 - October 3 The City (97 Parishes) 1149 4328  
September 26 - October 3 Southwark (8 Parishes) 1201 4328  
- July 1 The City (97 Parishes) 7* H.F. refers here to the entire period of the plague up to this date.
- July 1 Liberties 60*  
- July 1 Southwark (8 Parishes) 2*  
- July 1 Stepney, Aldgate, White-Chappel 1*  
2nd to Last Week of September 8297 H.F. notes that this was the highest Bill of Mortality during the plague, just prior to the following week when the numbers went down.
Last Week of September 6460 H.F. speculates that the number of total deaths declined by nearly 2000, marking the beginning of the end of the plague.
First Week of October 5720  
Dr. Heath predicts that no fewer than 60,000 were infected; 20, 477 died while 40,000 recovered. If things had continued as before, 50,000 of that number would have died while 50,000 more would have become infected. The source of these numbers is not clear.
Another Week of October 2665 It is not clear if this is the next week. An 1,849 decrease from 5,720 does not equal 2,665, but 3,421.
Next Week of October (1000-1800) H.F. notes that, while people were still dying of the plague, the numbers were getting lower and people were returning to London.
First Week of November H.F. believes that the increase is the result of people returning prematurely to London. The Physicians report that there were 3,000 new infections, but the source of this number is not clear.
November 905  
December H.F. notes that the winter weather helped the plague abate, yet the numbers still increased in some placed.
First Three Weeks of September H.F. notes that some believe 20,000 died a week during this period, while others dispute that number. H.F. states his preference for the official numbers of 7,000-8,000 a week.
To the End of the Year (2-300) H.F. notes that there were still deaths from the plague to the end of 1665.
First Week of October? H.F. notes the decrease for the first week, but does not state the month. I assume October since the number echoes those previously mentioned.
Last Three Weeks (30,000) H.F. quotes a friends calculation's. He also posits 100,000 who had become infected. The date is not clear, but I assume he means the three week prior to the first decrease in the Weekly Bills.