110 The East Anglian Earthquake.
Rettenden, about 8 miles S.S.E. of Chelmsford.—Shock
distinctly felt; house-bells rung. Mr. H. A. Cockey, of
Rettenden Hall, reports that he heard a rattling noise and
felt the swaying of the house at about 9.20. He was in a
bedroom at the time, and states that the pictures on the W.
wall swung about three inches, and "looking out of the
window (S. aspect) he distinctly saw the frame dip against
the sky-line and rise again. The direction of the wave was
from N. to S."
Rochford.—Shock felt; clocks stopped; no damage. Mr.
Arthur Wallis reports that in Market Square two clocks were
stopped, both 8-day time-pieces swinging E. and W. In the
Board School an 8-day 12-inch dial, swinging N. and S.,
was stopped. The articles suspended from the ceiling in an
ironmonger's shop were knocked together and made to rattle.
A man in a shoemaker's shop rushed out of doors with his
shoe off, thinking the shop was about to fall in.
Romford.—Shock felt in a few houses and rumbling heard.
Objects on toilet table caused to rattle, and a policeman felt
the oscillation of the chair on which he was seated. The
following letter has been received from a lady living in the
High Street :—
" Yesterday morning, when in my room, which faces
south, I heard a cracking noise in the north-east corner of
the room, the house seemed to sway forwards towards the
south ; for a few seconds I felt a trembling, such as would be
caused by a traction-engine passing, during which a small
picture, hanging on the west wall in the south-west corner,
rattled against the wainscot. Expecting I should hear of an
explosion, I looked at my watch, which said twenty minutes
past nine, and was right by the church clock.
23rd April, 1884. M. Kate Robinson."
Roxwell, 4 miles W.N.W. of Chelmsford.—Slight shock; a
few bells rung.
Saffron Walden.—Mr. Joseph Clarke, F.S.A., of the Roos,
reports that the shock was only slightly felt here in some
parts of the town, mostly by people in bed or in the upper
parts of buildings. Mr. G. N. Maynard, Curator of the