Leeds news on today's date (August 4) in 1810

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 04 Aug, 2012 9:04 am

The following is from John Mayhall’s ‘Annals of Yorkshire’ vol 1 (published 1861):-August 4 1810. “In a dreadful storm, on Aug. 4th, several houses in Holbeck and in Hunslet-lane, Leeds, were much injured by lightning, which scorched and wounded some of the inhabitants.”Regarding Hunslet Lane. In the note to an image in Leodis that should be brought up through this link http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?ID=8685&DISPLAY=FULL it states “A guide published in 1808 described Hunslet as 'a little more than a mile from Leeds'. Between the two places was a country lane - Hunslet Lane to Leeds people, and Leeds Lane to Hunslet people - and bordering it were fine residences”.

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Sun 05 Aug, 2012 12:36 am

Hi Leodian. Your thread yesterday mentioned a bad storm in Leeds and today also. I have never been a fan of thunder and lightening. Twelve years ago a house just over the road from me was struck by lightening at exactly 6.30am and NEVER before in my life have I heard anything so deafening. Car/house alarms were going crazy and course, a few of us had electrical probs afterwards. The lightening had struck through the roof, (so there was a lovely big hole there) and the guy was burnt down one side of his body. The firemen said it was a good job the children's beds weren't those modern metal ones as if they had been and they'd have been touching them they also would have been burnt.Needless to say, I have a divan!

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sun 05 Aug, 2012 1:31 am

Hi Caron.Around 19:10 yesterday (Aug 4th) I heard rumbles of thunder on and off for about 10 minutes (though I saw no lightning if there was any) and wondered if history was going to repeat itself from the 1810 event, but the storm was probably away to the east where there were some very dark clouds.

HelenG · Post by **HelenG** » Sun 05 Aug, 2012 12:31 pm

The threat of a thunder storm sent my Grandma into a real panic, everything metal was put out of sight, including knives and forks so if you were eating your tea they were snatched and put away, the mirror was covered and the back door opened incase a thunder bolt came down the chimmney it had a means of exit. No wonder I was terrified of thunder as a kid!

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Sun 05 Aug, 2012 2:00 pm

I once read a book on Forensic Pathology.In one case they were looking into the death of a Farmer who had two odd burn/scorch marks on his buttock.It transpired that he'd taken shelter under a tree from a thunder storm. Crouching placed his buttocks just above his boots with 'horse-shoe' steel / hobnail heels.The lightning entered top of head and exit via buttocks to steel to ground.You couldn't make it up.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 06 Aug, 2012 12:07 am

Leodian wrote: Hi Caron.Around 19:10 yesterday (Aug 4th) I heard rumbles of thunder on and off for about 10 minutes (though I saw no lightning if there was any) and wondered if history was going to repeat itself from the 1810 event, but the storm was probably away to the east where there were some very dark clouds. There was a torrential downpour that lasted for many minutes while I was in the centre of Leeds today (August 5 2012) from about 13:00. I was only aware of thunder later on but it is reported that there were thunder/lightning storms regionally and a severe hailstorm in at least parts of Bradford judged by images on local televison news.