THE GREAT STORM OF MIDSUMMER DAY, 1897. 127
At Lexden, about a mile from the town, Mr. S. F. Hurnard records a very
severe thunderstorm, but no hail. Total rain, o 92 inches ; and from Ipswich
and Norwich we have similar reports.
DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING.
A good many records of damage by lightning are extant
and many more where electrical discharges occurred without
any remarkable injury resulting. The following may be set
down :—
Burnham.—Two houses were struck but not much damaged.
Chelmsford.—A man struck in the Baddow Road ; his hat was knocked off,
and the upper part of his face grazed.
Colchester.—Chimney struck at the Ordnance Stores.
,, Mile End Church, roof and clock damaged.
,, Mount Cottage, Butt Road, chimney struck.
Ingatestone.—Harding's Farm, chimney struck and fell through roof.
Layer-de-la-Haye.—Oak tree struck.
Manningtree—Brantham Mill struck, but not ignited.
Rockford.—Market place. Roof of Mr. Ashby's house struck.
Eastwood. Several trees struck.
Mr. Bentall's chimney struck and fell through roof.
Southend.—Mr. Gomez, photographer, of Southend, was brushing his
clothes near a mirror, when the glass was smashed to atoms by the lightning,
St. Osyth Priory.—Tower struck and clock stopped.
Wallasea.— Cottage near the schools much damaged.
Writtle.—Windmill struck.
CONFINES OF THE STORM.
At Ilford and Romford it was quite fine while the storm
was raging, but at Brentwood rain fell heavily. At Buckhurst
Hill and Woodford, darkness was experienced from 12.30 p.m.
to about 2.30. No heavy rain fell until about 4 p.m., and between
4 and 5 o'clock vivid flashes of lightning with thunder occurred.
No damage was done. A visit to Ambresbury Banks and Epping
Thicks (a mile or so S. of Epping) on the following Saturday,
proved that some hail had extended to that part of the forest, as
leaves and twigs thickly strewed the ground. The fringe of
the storm extended to South Weald, where it interrupted the
Jubilee festivities. At Wickford Lieut.-Col. Kemble (Runwell
Hall) records :—"A little rain and some hail fell about 3 p.m.,
but it amounted only to 0.03 in., so that the storm cannot be
said to have reached here, in fact, the damaged trees along the
road hence to Colchester show that the limit was about four
miles N., in which direction, and notably over Ingatestone, it
was very dark."