22 EEV. C. W. HAEVEY GALE OF OCTOBEE, 1881, 



known yew at the corner of the churchyard lost an arm. Near 

 the "Crooked Billet" a large elm was blown down, whilst near 

 Broadway the road was blocked, a man and a horse narrowly 

 escaping. One elm tore up as much as 20 tons of earth in its fall. 



Hemel Hempstead. — Between this place and Watford, a distance 

 of some eight or nine miles, 36 uprooted trees were counted. In 

 Gadesbridge Park a tree fell upon a cottage, breaking the roof and 

 wedging it into the bedroom. At Nash Mills five large elms and 

 a black poplar were blown down. Oaks suffered much, many 

 having large branches twisted off, although but few were actually 

 uprooted. Along the canal many aiders and willows fell on the 

 telegraph wires and broke them. The storm was observed to be 

 at its height about 2 p.m. In the parish of Great Gaddesden 

 at least 28 trees were torn up, and many of them thi'own across 

 the roads. The lime avenue at Golden Parsonage lost six of its 

 trees ; they are described as completely torn out of the ground, 

 with a mass of earth 8 or 10 feet across adhering to their roots. 

 In Ashridge Park over 60 trees were blown down, whilst many 

 others were robbed of their branches ; the killed and wounded 

 being reckoned at close upon 200. One man was seriously hurt by 

 the fall of a tree upon him at Flamstead. 



District VIII. Southgate. — The gale was observed to blow 

 strongest about 9 a.m., mid-day, and at sunset ; about 3 p.m. there 

 was a hailstorm. No particular damage is reported, though the elms, 

 which in that neighbourhood are particularly fine, suffered much. 



Cheshtjxt. — The fine old chestnut in front of the White Horse, 

 Flamstead End, was blown down, and damaged the roof of the 

 house ; also a fine tree in Mr. Batter's grounds, as well as several 

 in Theobalds Park, the College grounds, and at Great House. 



Broxbotjrj^^e. — A large elm which stood in the centre of Brox- 

 bourne fell on a corndealer's cart, narrowly escaping killing both 

 man and horse. At Broxbournebury as many as 50 trees are said 

 to be down, among them some remarkably fine specimens of forest 

 trees. An ornamental terrace-wall in the garden, of five arches, 

 each arch about 9 ft. span, was blown bodily out, totally spoiling 

 a very large and splendid specimen of Wistaria Sinensis, one of the 

 finest in the country. 



HoDDESDON. — Trees were blown down in considerable numbers, 

 including some fine poplars. Mr. S. Warner lost a very valuable 

 fii'-tree. 



Hertfoed. — The trees in All Saints' Churchyard and Morgan's 

 Walk suffered severely. Telegraphic communication was inter- 

 rupted. The clock at the Shire Hall had a piece of glass blown 

 out of each dial. Several narrow escapes are reported ; in one 

 instance four boys were passing under an elm, on their way to the 

 Green Coat School, when a large branch suddenly fell, fortunately 

 without doing them any injury. 



Ware. — Great havoc was worked by the gale among the malt- 

 ing cowls, as many as 16 being blown down, while others were 

 damaged. The weathercock on St. Mary's was carried away, 



