38 
H. G. FORDHAM-THE METEORITE 
Whaddox.—T he shock was felt very distinctly.— ‘Herts Sf Cambs 
Reporter'Nov. 25. 
Melbourx. —As I was walking from Melbourn to Royston, when 
on the top of the Melbourn Hill I was suddenly caused to stand 
still by hearing a great booming noise; it sounded in the direction 
of Royston Heath (hut far beyond it). I heard five distinct 
explosions as it were, the first two went off quickly, the other 
three following in succession, with about a second intervening 
between; after the last burst it seemed to come rolling along until 
it reached to where I was standing, shaking the ground under my 
feet. I noted the time, which was 8'20 a.m. I thought to myself 
if it was not so foggy I must see the things shake around me. 
It seemed to be a long way off and yet close to at the same time. 
The duration of [the sound] from the first boom to the end of the 
last was from 8 to 10 seconds.— A. J. Jarman , Melbourn. Royston. 
[Royston Heath is due S.W. from the locality referred to.] 
The sound was heard by others here.— William Munday , 
JBaldock.* 
Bassixgbotjrx.—T he shock was very distinctly felt here.— 
Herts <$f Cambs Reporter ,’ Hov. 25. 
Tiles, slates, and windows are said to have been shaken here.— 
W. M. 
Guilder Mordex and Steeple Mordex.— The sound was de¬ 
scribed as a deep detonation, like a loud explosion at a distance. 
It caused considerable alarm.— W. M. 
Iceletox.-— (See Essex, p. 36.) 
Roystox. —Shortly after 8 o’clock many inhabitants in Royston, 
and in places for many miles round, were surprised by a phenomenal 
occurrence, which can only be accounted for as a slight shock of 
earthquake. The various reports received all agree very closely as 
to the time, and generally as to the character of the shock; the 
time being, as nearly as can be fixed, 8’20 a.m. Being on a 
Sunday morning—and an unusually dark morning—a large pro¬ 
portion of the inhabitants had probably not left their beds, and the 
shock was of so short duration that the occurrence was not there¬ 
fore so carefully observed as it might otherwise have been. All 
accounts agree that there was a distinct rattling of windows and 
doors, and even a loosening of slates, and in one or two cases there 
was a fall of articles from shelves which could not be very well 
accounted for in any other way. Several persons also noticed that 
it was accompanied by something akin to the report of a distant 
explosion. In a few cases mention is made by persons of some¬ 
thing resembling faint shocks at an earlier and a later hour than 
the one generally experienced.— ‘Herts 8f Cambs Reporter ,’ 
Nov. 25. 
The time I have entered in my diary when [the shock] occurred 
is 8*15 a.m.— John P. Nunn , Royston. 
Ashwell Station - . —The sound was noticed by a platelayer on . 
the railway.— H. G. F. 
* Cited below as W. M. 
