History fans are hoping we can learn something about how to face the coronavirus outbreak, from the time when the bubonic plague hit Hinckley.

The disease came to the town in 1666, at the same time as a major outbreak was decimating the population of London.

An owner of John Nichols’ History of Hinckley was interested to read an account of the 1666 infection and to note the parallels with the current fight against coronavirus.

In the book, Nichols relates an account by a Mr Robinson: “The sickness is said to have been brought to this town in the following manner.

“An inhabitant of Hinckley had a near relation in London, whose daughter died of the plague.

“After her death, they sent a fine coat-body as a present to their friends in Hinckley, who had a daughter about the same age.

“When they had received it, being fearful of the infection, and yet pleased with the present, they concluded to give it a thorough airing, which was attended to during all the winter season, and sometimes without-doors.

“After this precaution, thinking it quite safe and free from infection, they ventured to put it upon their daughter, who soon sickened and died.

“After this, it spread in the town; but, by the extreme care and caution of the inhabitants, it was not so fatal as might have been expected.”

The account tells of how there was a hospital for the sick at the bottom of the ‘Astwoods’.

Much like the self-isolation of today, most people “kept as much to themselves as possible” with residents finally emerging from their homes to find the pavements overgrown with grass.

Some people went to be with friends in the villages free of infection, with one ancestor of Mr Robinson going to be with relatives at Stoney Stanton.

It became the custom at 10am each day to give as many tolls on the great bell as there were persons who had died of the plague.

There was a previous outbreak in 1626, which ravaged many parts of Leicestershire, including Hinckley.

Hugh Beavin, of Hinckley and District Museum, said that these past epidemics show us the need to always have preventative systems in place and to be vigilant.

He said: “Despite all the modern measures that we have now, there’s always the possibility there could be a major outbreak for which we don’t have an immediate solution.

“Vaccines can be produced, but that’s something they never had in the past.

“Since we’re now a global village, it’s very important that the World Health Organisation is always aware of an outbreak, and that there’s international cooperation on a massive scale.”

John Nichols produced the first history of Hinckley in 1782.

He was originally from Islington in London but became interested in the history of Leicestershire after he married Martha Green, a widow from the town.

Between 1795 and 1815, he produced the impressive eight-volume History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester.

It was the largest of the great county histories to be produced at this time and had some 4,500 pages, more than 2,500 illustrations and more than five million words.