Open links in new tab
  1. Great Smog of London - Wikipedia

    • The Great Smog of London, or Great Smog of 1952, was a severe air pollution event that affected London, England, in December 1952. A period of unusually cold weather, combined with an anticyclone and windless conditions, collected airborne pollutants—mostly arising from the use of coal—to form a thick layer of smog over the city. It lasted from Friday 5 Decem… See more

    Background

    A period of unusually cold weather preceding and during the Great Smog led Londoners to burn much more coal … See more

    Effects

    There was no panic, as London was infamous for its fog. However, this one was denser and longer-lasting than any previous "pea-souper". Visibility was reduced to a few metres, with one visitor stating that it was "like yo… See more

    Date5–9 December 1952
    Deaths4,000 killed (1952 government estimate) · 10,000–12,000 killed (modern estimate)
    In media

    The Great Smog is the central focus of season 1, episode 4 of Netflix's The Crown. The portrayal of the event was regarded as reasonably accurate by critics, although the political importance and the chaos in the hospitals we… See more

    Further reading

    • Bates, DV (December 2002). "Recollections of the London Fog". Environmental Health Perspectives. 110 (12): A735. doi:10.1289/ehp.110-a735. eISSN 1552-9924. ISSN 0091-6765. PMC 1241117. PMID 12501844See more