EAINFALL IX HERTFOEDSHIEE IN 1893. 43 



TJie Storm of the 1th of October at Bushey. — Between 6 and 

 7 p.m. on Saturday the 7tli of October, a terrific thunderstorm, 

 accompanied by a violent gale, or whirlwind as it would appear 

 to have been, swept across the centre of the parish of Bushey. 

 It seems to have commenced near Pinner, and it exhausted 

 its energies a little to the east of St. Albans, its direction being 

 almost in a straight line from S.S.W. to N.N.E. The night 

 was intensely dark, the lightning most vivid, like balls of fire, and 

 the peals of thunder were very loud. E-ain fell in torrents, and 

 "water rushed tb rough the village of Bushey in streams in its 

 course towards the Colne. 



The following account is slightly condensed from a report which 

 appeared in the ' Watford Observer' of the 14th of October. 



The storm came from the direction of Pinner, swept across 

 Hartsbourne Manor Park and over Merry Hill Lane, crossed the 

 top of Clay Hill by the spring-hole inscribed " Pro bono publico," 

 and, continuing straight across Mr. Fowler's meadows, leaving 

 Cold Harbour Farm on the left and Hart's Farm on the right, 

 passed on to Tyler's Farm and straight towards Letchmore Heath, 

 between Delrow on the left and Hillfield on the right. In Harts- 

 bourne Park much damage was done to the trees and fences, one 

 large tree in the park being torn right up and carried a consider- 

 able distance ; and at Merry Hill much damage was done to fences, 

 chimney-stacks, windows, roofing, etc. The terrific force of the 

 gale here was evident from a quantity of galvanized iron roof- 

 sheeting being stripped off sheds at Merry Hill Lane and some of it 

 carried a long way and deposited in Mr. Fowler's meadow. On 

 Clay Hill the dwelling-house of Mr. "W. Ashby, jun., was partly 

 unroofed, windows were blown in, and tiles and glass fell in all 

 directions. The large gates to the hay-yard of Mr. W. Ashby, sen., 

 were burst open and split, the roof of his stables was completely 

 stripped, and the tiles, bricks, and even large pieces of timber from 

 the stables were hurled into the adjoining meadows. Portions of 

 the fence and porch, and some of the slates of the next house, 

 Lismore Cottage, were blown away, some of the woodwork being 

 carried half-a-mile. Several other houses near were also damaged. 

 A holly tree was suddenly snapped off from the bottom of the 

 trunk and hurled against a man and a boy, canying them several 

 yards down the road against a bank on the south side. They were 

 much hurt. A heavy hay-cart was swept from the middle of Mr. 

 Ashby's yard against the wall. On Mr. Fowler's farm large trees 

 •were uprooted, and the tops of others weighing nearly a ton were 

 twisted off and canned away. On Tyler's Farm several large trees 

 •were blown down, one, with its immense roots, being lifted com- 

 pletely out of the ground; buildings also (houses, cow-sheds, etc.) 

 ■were damaged. Similar damage was done to trees, buildings, etc., 

 at Letchmore Heath. 



Since the above was in type I have received from Mr. K. J. 

 Tarrant, of Craven Cottage, Bushey Heath, the following further 

 account, also slightly abbreviated. 



