128 THE GREAT STORM OF MIDSUMMER DAY, 1897.
At Rayleigh, Hadleigh, Hockley, Benfleet, and Canvey
Island quite a whirlwind was experienced whilst the storm
lasted, but only trifling damage was done and very little rain fell.
At Burnham the storm was somewhat severe, at Southminster
it was very slight. Very little hail fell below Mundon (where it
killed some young ducks) and no damage was done to the crops.
Round Southend, with the exception of Rochford and Paggle-
sham, the damage was slight. The hailstorm was heavy in the
town, but on the Pier no hail fell to speak of.
On the West there was thunder, hail, and rain (total
0.61 in.) at Broxbourne. Northwards the effects of the storm
were felt very lightly in the Braintree and Dunmow districts,
but the lightning was exceptionally vivid and the thunder
heavy. Mr. H. S. Tabor, F.R. Met. Soc, writes from
"Fennes," Braintree :—"We were about 15 miles N. of the
zone of greatest intensity. Distant thunder at intervals from
about 11 a.m., 2—3 p.m., thunder remarkably continuous and
gradually louder. 3 p.m. thunder and lightning sharp, when
nearest about one mile distant. Rain, a smart shower, no hail,
.02 in. Damage, none."
And finally as we have said above, the hailstorm seems
to have practically died out a little before Colchester, although
heavy thunder and rain extended to Ipswich and Bury St.
Edmunds, Suffolk.4
Such is the record of the black Thursday in June, 1897.
The tale is somewhat tedious and painful, but the details we
have given will have considerable historical and possibly
scientific value and may enable our readers to realise with
some vividness the disastrous effects of this remarkable tempest.
The total value damage to crops and property is not yet, and
perhaps never will be, known, but competent judges, consulted
by the Inspector for the Board of Agriculture, estimated it at
about £200,000. We are glad to say that strenuous efforts are
being made to afford substantial relief to the sufferers, without
which many of them must be absolutely ruined. The Lord Mayor
has started a "Mansion House Fund," and a County Fund,
under the Chairmanship of the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Rayleigh,
has been opened, and together the funds at the time of writing
amount to about £37,000. The County Relief Committee is
4 It would be useful to have full and systematic records of the rainfall on June 24th, from
as many localities as possible. We shall be very glad to receive such for registration in
a future part of the E. N.