28 
PROF. MELDOLA-THE EARTHQUAKE 
The records from Hertfordshire, which may be of interest to 
members of this Society, are as follows — 
Ashwell , near Baldock.—Shock felt at “The Bury” by Mr. E. 
King Fordham. 
Barley, near Boyston.—Shock felt slightly but distinctly at about 
9 20 ; chiefly on the south side of the village on the high ground. 
Bishop's Stortford. —Oscillation distinctly felt in many buildings, 
house-bells rung and furniture disturbed ; time about 9-21 (?). 
[ 'Buntingford .—In an upstairs room of a house in the town a 
sound noticed as of some one walking across the room, and causing 
the glasses, etc., on the washstand to iar. Beported by the Bev. 
C. W. Harvey.f] 
Cheshunt. —Shock felt and a bell rung at “ Arlesdene,” the 
residence of Mr. H. C. Wales. [Mr. Wales says: “My personal 
experience of the shock left a very palpable record on my memory. 
Being ill at the time, and lying on my back in bed, at about 9*20 
a.m., I felt a distinct movement as if the bed were being lifted; 
attended instantly with the ringing of the bell connected with my 
room, which being answered by a servant, I asked if there had 
been any movement of large furniture, or if anything had happened 
in the house to account for what had occurred. Beceiving a nega¬ 
tive answer, I expressed a fear that we should hear that some 
terrible explosion had taken place at the Waltham Powder Mills, 
two miles and a half distant.”] 
Hertford. —Shock felt slightly in some buildings. [Dr. C. E. 
Shelly reports: “The earthquake was distinctly felt in the upper 
rooms of a house in Fore Street, as two separate shocks succeeded 
by a much fainter third shock : the vibratory character of the 
motion was remarkable, producing a slight nauseating effect like 
that of sea-sickness, and recognised at the time, about 9*20 a.m., 
as being probably due to an earthquake. The shock was not 
noticed on the ground-floor. It was also felt in two houses at 
Hertford Heath, and in Haileybury College—in the upper rooms 
only. In one case the bed was felt to sway, loose crockery rattled, 
and a wardrobe door was swung open.” Mr. V. Austin adds: 
“The shock was felt at the ‘Hertfordshire Mercury’ office, parti¬ 
cularly on the fourth floor, where the employes, who attributed 
the oscillation of the building to an explosion at the Gunpowder 
Works at Waltham Abbey or elsewhere, were much alarmed. The 
shock was also felt at Messrs. Beale and Sons’ in Fore Street, and 
in two or three private houses, and very distinctly at Mr. Gilbert¬ 
son’s house near the top of Mangrove Lane, where a bed and its 
furniture were very perceptibly shaken.”] 
King's Langley. —Shock distinctly felt at “ Langleybury,” the 
residence of the late Mr. W. Jones Loyd ; in a bedroom, china and 
movable articles rattled, the bed-curtains shook, and the oscillation 
* The records within brackets are additions to the original report, and, except 
those from Buntingford and Throcking, are the result of enquiries I have made 
since this lecture was delivered.— Ed. 
t In ‘ Trans. Herts Nat. Hist. Soc.,-’ Yol. Ill, p. 246. 
