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| Extracted from the note books of Joseph Enos Smith |
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J Enos Smith - Great Snow - 1916
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1916 – Rushden “The Great Snow Storm” March 27th & 28th. On Monday night March 27th and on Tuesday March 28th 1916 there was a terrible gale & snow. From the top (south) end of Rushden to the bend in the road (just above the old brick works) I counted no less that 9 great Telegraph poles lying across the Turnpike road, the tops of them reaching the grass on opposite side, whilst the wires lay straight down the road almost like strings on a violin with the “Bridges” (that is the poles) two poles round the bend of the road I could see were leaning very much, also one against Council field where cattle used to be shod in olden times. 1916 – A very deep “Snow” Tuesday March 28th. On this dated day March 28 th 1916, Tuesday, was a very rough windy snowy day. Between 3 and 4 in afternoon it was quite a gale, in the morning the spouting of houses fell down thro’ the heavy snow on roofs. Telegraph poles & wires down, the wind ceased about 7 o’clock and it was (I think) a very calm night. This morning, Wednesday March 29th is a lovely bright warm sunny morning but it is a sight to see all the snow – a magnificent picture glistening in the sun. Men busy in streets. J.E.Smith Today Saturday April 1st 1916 I have biked down to Irthlingborough Bridge where there is a tremendous flood rushing thro’ the arches and the meadows look like the sea almost, the Telegraph poles here are lying in deep water from the Irthlingborough end of the Bridge to Chown’s Mill. There are about 12 large poles (telegraph) under water from the Irthlingborough end of Bridge to Higham Ferrers. I counted 31 poles, about 25 lying down that is broken off or the ground giving way, the other 5 or 6 are leaning very much. It seems strange such a beautiful bright warm spring day, the great flood damage & snowing, lying a yard deep at side of road in many places, in Church Street to … 1916 – Rushden Hall “The Old Avenue” Sunday April 2. I went to see destruction of the Old Trees in Avenue yesterday (Sunday) with Mr John Claridge, several trees in Park uprooted & great hawe [hawthorn?] in Avenue. A long branch fell from the same tree (against Claridge’s factory) as a branch fell several months ago & smashed in the roof of shed. All this was done on Monday night & Tuesday daytime March 27th and 28th. One tree near the road to Farm is 30 yards long, we measured it as it lay on the ground. 1916 - Rushden Churchyard “Old Lilac Trees” April 3rd – Monday morning, a magnificent fine bright spring morning, warm and clear. The “Old Lilac Trees” which blew down in the great gale & snow storm last Monday evening or night, March 27th and Tuesday daytime March 28th at the East Border of the Churchyard, 5 in number, are being cut up & taken away this morning April 3rd by Robinson, corner of Church Street. I suggested to the Rector that young ones should be set in the same places as they marked the Boundary of the Old Part of the Churchyard before Canon Barker & Church Council bought the piece from ---- out of the small Grass Field on the East side. I have seen these old trees in flower for 40 years as I came in May 1875 last week. So they just mark 40 years of my office as organist, the Lilac tree West side of South Porch blew down I think end of 1915 or beginning of 1916. Joseph Enos Smith. 1916 – “After the Great Blizzard” Scene on the Bedford Road on Friday April 7th 1916, a beautiful bright clear day, rather chilly, about 100 men of the Royal Engineers were repairing the telegraph poles & wires, it was about 1.30 and the men lay resting in groups; they had just finished dinner. Carts & wagons used for their work were standing about. I went as far as Souldrop and returning I met a wagon drawn by 6 mules & 3 soldiers on 3 of them, near Knotting Fox. Some of the men were digging holes, others fixing the poles upright, others fixing the wires, some sorting out the tangled wires, others sorting out the pots belonging to the poles, 5 men were up one pole including an officer, about 20 men were pulling another upright with 3 ropes triangle fashion. An officer in a motor rode up; taking out a book and making notes in it on the wall of Willmott’s “Manor Farm”. Snow still laying about in ditches & under hedges. There’s never been such a scene up the old Turnpike since the Road was made wider I should think. |
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Extracted by K Collins - from a locally held photocopy of the books of J Enos Smith which are now on deposit at the Record Office - NRO Ref: 285P/297
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