202
THE GREAT FLOOD IN ESSEX.
"wet" days, or days on which 0.01 in. of rain, or above, was
registered. Now it will be seen that the average rainfall of these 35
stations is 4.46 in. for the month, which I call the average for the
county. From tables in my possession I am able to state what were
the averages for July for the county for the years 1882 to 1886. They
are as follows :—
So that the average for the county for July, 1888, is more than
double the average for the five years 1882 to 1886. Truly July,
1888, was a very wet month. Of these thirty-five places or stations,
seven, viz., North Ockendon, Little Ilford, Ilford, Woodford, ("The
Harts,") Epping, Brentwood, ("Dudbrook House,") and Rivenhall,
show total falls of over 5 inches. All of these, with the exception of
Rivenhall, are within the district which I have pointed out was most
affected by the flood, and Rivenhall is just on the border of that
district.
It will be seen, therefore, that at the end of July, the land must
have been very much saturated with moisture, the rivers full, and every-
thing ready for a bad flood, should the "last straw" come. This
"last straw" did come, as we all know, in the shape of the rain which
fell during the greater part of August 1st.
Let me now, therefore, call attention to Table B, which gives
the rainfall from July 26th to August 1st, the seven days which
preceded the flood, as recorded at thirty-four out of the thirty-five
Essex "stations" (I have no return from Earl's Colne), and of these,
sixteen "stations,"—viz., Southend, North Ockendon, Little Ilford,
Ilford, Epping, Brentwood (Sawyer's Hall), Brentwood ("Dudbrook
House") Billericay, Ingatestone, Broomfield, Roxwell, Writtle,
Chelmsford, Great Baddow, Rivenhall, and Little Braxted, recorded
a rainfall of over 4 in. North Ockendon, the two Brentwood
stations, Billericay, Ingatestone, and Great Baddow, showing over
5 in. Woodford ("The Harts,") and Woodford (Haggar Lane) are
the only two places in the flood-district, which I have mentioned,
where the total fall for this week is not over 4 in.