June
Formal weather records show that June was generally a very warm
month and sometimes exceptionally hot as in 1846. 1976 was a
‘drought year’, when June was extremely hot and dry. Consistently
high temperatures of between 30° and 34° were recorded in the
weather books for Weston Park between 24 June and 7 July in that
year. However there is also plenty of evidence from the past
of cold and rainy midsummer days, very cold nights and much rain, to
the extent that planting of autumn crops such as potatoes could be
delayed.
Records from the past also suggest that June could be a very
unsettled and volatile month in terms of its weather. Thunderstorms,
some very damaging such as the one in 1729, were common, although
the level of damage is perhaps less surprising in the days before
the installation of lightning conductors on tall buildings.
Hailstorms were also not uncommon, often causing damage to growing
crops as in 1715.
The extracts are arranged chronologically by the day to show the
progression of weather through the month.
Drought at Teddesley, 1st June 1844
A Roasting Hot June, 1-18 June 1846
Torrential Rain Blocks Field Drains at Spotacre, 5-6 June, 1931
Frost Kills Bracken
at Weston, 9 June 1911
Lightning Damages Penkridge Church, 10 June 1729
Wet Clogs
and Feet at Swythamley, 13 June 1919
Wet Weather Delays Potato Planting at Spotacre, 13-14 June 1924
Hot Weather and Bilberry Picking at Freehay, 15 June 1868
Massive
Hailstones Hit Ettingshall, 20 June 1715
Thunderstorm Fails to Alleviate Drought at Chillington, 20 June 1893
A
Stormy Midsummer Day at Longnor, 24-25 June 1909
Heavy
Midsummer Rain in Huntington, 24-25 June 1909
Mighty Thunderstorm Kills Father and Son at Alrewas, 26 June 1613
Great Heat at
Weston Park, 27-30 June 1914
An Unseasonal June in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 1879
Drought
Slows Turnip Growth at Trentham, 1833
Drought, Heat, Hail, and Rain in South Staffordshire, 1737 and 1738
From the Diaries of Lord Hatherton, Teddesley
Park, near Penkridge
It has not rained now with the exception of one slight shower, for
two months. During part of this time, there has been a lot of hot
sun, and an unwavering east or north east wind. No grass except on
the meadows and then but very little.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D260/M/F/5/26/29
By courtesy of Mr ARW Littleton
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Diary of Jacob Marsh, Farmer, of Bank
Hall, Burslem
The following extracts show this to have been an exceptionally hot
June, although the temperatures claimed on 3 June may be
exaggerated. The hot weather continued until 25 June when the
weather broke.
1 June- June comes in with a hot dry day. Newcastle fair.
3 June- Hotter still & very dry. Windows & doors all open. Heat in
the sun 120 degrees. 76 degrees in the shade.
4 June- Another smoaking day
5 June- Smoaking day again
6 June- Hot and dry as ever
7 June- Hot as ever- no going to Church this morning- a good shower
at night.
15 June- Uncommon hot ground
17 June Hotter and dryer than ever, no going out of doors- with me
my legs will not walk
18 June- Still hotter uncommon, almost roasting alive
Reference: Stoke on Trent City Archives SD 1465
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Daily Journals of the Spotacre Nursery
June 5 Friday - A very cold East wind blowing all day turned rainy
about 4 o’clock almost a gale, looks very much like unsettled
weather…. Ground is wet again tonight (& bitterly cold) It has
turned out a miserable cold wet night, almost like snow fell.
Saturday June 6 - A terribly wet night & continued raining until 11
o’clock but not quite so heavy. Ellis & I have just been to first
Black Lake field to look at Pattison trying to open drain in Rye
field …as it is pounding from the small Pit by Hedge side & drowning
a lot of stuff just ploughed in…. It turned out a wet afternoon,
hail and thunder about 4– 30pm poured in torrents
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 6168/1/2
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Weather Books of the Weston Park Estate
Date
|
Max Temp
|
Min Temp
|
Wind
|
Barometer
|
Rainfall
|
Remarks
|
9 June
|
70
|
34
|
N
|
29.77
|
0
|
Much bracken in park killed by frost.
|
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D1287
By courtesy of the Weston Park Foundation
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Parish Register St Leonard’s Church,
Bilston
Yesterday morning We had very great Thunder-clapps & very much
Lightning & Rain which God be Thanked did no Damage hereabout, But
tis said that it Shatter’d the Spire of St Martin’s Church Steeple,
Birmingham pretty much & that it Struck One of the Pinacles off
Penkridge Church, breaking it into innumerable Shivers.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D667/3/2
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Bilston, St Leonard
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Log Book of Swythamley Church of England
School
At this time children simply would not have had any other footwear
to change into on arrival at school.
13 June - Very wet morning, seven children arrived at school wet
through, and were sent home again; sixteen others also came- all had
wet feet, stockings and clogs and shoes were dried and these were
kept. Assistant was also wet through and returned home.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3658/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Journal of Spotacre Nursery near Stone
13 June
A great change in weather very cold north wind first thing,
strongish wind drying & strong & lighter today no rain today. Sent
4,000 plants away passenger Train…. it’s very wet indeed, it’s been
too wet to plough
14 June 1924
Very sharp frost first thing Wind due east a great change in weather
turned out quite hot & very little cloud…. Planted … ridges of King
George Potatoes, it is very late but could not get on ground
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: 6168/1/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Log Book for Freehay National School
15 June- Attendance 89 on account of the intense heat and very dry
weather, the bilberries have began to show themselves sooner than
usual and the consequence is that the School has been emptied of its
numbers since the previous Monday.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3656/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Parish Register St Leonard’s Church,
Bilston
Being Monday between the Houres of 3 & 5 in the Afternoon very great
Quantities of Hail & rain (accompanied with Lightning & great
Thunder-Claps) fell in and about Ettingshall in Sedgley parish and
within the Liberty or Constablewick of Bilston. The Hail-Stones were
of Unusuall Biggness it was said that som of them were Seven Inches
about. As to my own particular I measured Several. Some of which
were 2 or 3 Inches about & one I measured was Five Inches in
Compass. The Hail-Stones were of the Consistence of Ice, & in the
places above – mentioned tis not doubted but that to Corn & other
Tillage it did Damage to the value of Five hundred poundes & such
prodigious Quantity of Water was in the Streets that the Oldest man
Living never saw the Like. Damage also was done in some Neighbouring
places but the Storme did not Extend very far.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D667/3/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Bilston, St Leonard
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From a letter written by Henry Duncalf land agent
to Mr Giffard of Chillington
We had a severe thunder storm on Wednesday- It was somewhat local
and at Penkridge and Stafford there was no rain……. We have had it
fearfully hot here & things are getting burnt up as the storm did
not help very much. The Agricultural look is undoubtedly a serious
one
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D5827/2/6/123
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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Extract from a Local Farmer’s Diary
This extract uses some dialect words.
24 Thursday- A Very Stormy day thunder and Lightning heavy Showers.
Will Guttering in Middle Ground and Shifting Stone in old Lane. Mr
JR Hall and I went to Newtown to a Meeting of managers, the Rev J
Arthur Price was made correspondent for Newtown School.
25 Friday- A Thourouh wet miserable day. Will cleaning Harnes. I
made a Nog for cart Nath. Will went to Mr J Gees for Flour & cutting
Sticks for Fire Lighting. Post called With paper. We put a cow in
Shippon Not Very well got a cold Weather so very searching.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6794
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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24 June - Owing to inclement weather, those
children who live at long distances from School and have not good
footgear, were unable to be present, consequently only 94
present
25 June - Weather even worse than yesterday- only 87 present.
Obliged to send children home at Dinnertime for remainder of day.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office CEL/23/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Parish Register for Alrewas
Many of the words in the following graphic account have been spelt
phonetically, so if the meaning of the word in unclear, try saying
it aloud.
Robart Nevoll the father and Robart Nevoll his Sonne being in
Salterholme feild the xxvith daye of June, 1613 tending of the Towne
Beasts in the hardmas [herdsmen’s] Walke their after Stony Furlonge
side, aboute iiii of the Cloke in the after noone of the same daye
their was A mightie great Tempest of Rayne Lyghtning and Thunder,
and the father and Sonne standing under an Oke Tree to save them
selves from the Rayne Weare both of them stricken to death, the
Barke of the Oke tree Rent a great Length, the Leaves of the tree
smitten and Blowen away the most parte of them, One other younge
youth of ?Ten years old Thomas Frauncis being their to feare or
helpe the hardmen [herdsmen] being within the Compasse of Tenne
yeardes of the same place was saved and nothing hurte as the others
the heares of ther head singed with the Lightning and in some parte
of the Body [and] face Blackned.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D783/1/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of All Saints Alrewas©
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Weather Books of the Weston Park Estate
The summer of 1914 prior to the outbreak of the First World War was
notable for its heat.
Date
|
Max Temp
|
Min Temp
|
Wind
|
Barometer
|
Rainfall
|
Remarks
|
27 June
|
77
|
43
|
SW
|
30.02
|
0
|
|
28 June
|
83
|
47
|
SW
|
30.06
|
0
|
Great heat
|
29 June
|
80
|
54
|
W
|
30.04
|
0
|
Great heat
|
30 June
|
87
|
58
|
S
|
29.88
|
0
|
Great heat
|
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D1287
By courtesy of the Weston Park Foundation
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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Extract from published observations on the summer
of 1879 in the vicinity of the Staffordshire Moorland and Churnet
Valley
The following extract is from a detailed meteorological observation
of the climatology of the Churnet Valley in the year 1879 with
particular reference to the summer months which were remarkably
unseasonal in this particular year.
June was really a spring month. The hawthorn, so well known as the
‘May’, was not in flower in the lower moorlands till the end of the
month, and in the neighbourhood of the Weaver hills it was much
later.
Temperature (shade) Maximum 5th or 17th June 65.5; minimum, 5th
June, 38.0; monthly range 27.3.
Rain from 1st June 9am to 1st July 9am, 6.423 inch or 648¼ tons to
the acre.
Reference: William Salt Library On the summer of 1879 in the
vicinity of the Staffs Moorlands and Churnet Basin by Clement L
Wragge
© William Salt Library
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From the Trentham Farm Bailiff’s Report
The turnips sown last month have grown slowly partly owing to the
want of rain & partly being injured by the fly. Since the rain came
they are doing better, the potato crop is looking well and very
promising.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D593/L/6/2/15
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Diary of Dr Richard Wilkes of Willenhall
June 1737
About the middle of the Month & on the 17th we had some Storms with
Hail, but no Rain to soften the Earth, which was now exceeding dry
& the three or 4 last Days of it the Weather was extremely hot, the
Air clear and the Glass high. The Wind was in all Points this Month
but when the showers fell it was in the South and N West.
June 1738
Till Midsummer Day we had very rainy, stormy Weather, hardly 2 Days
having been fair together, but since then it has been dry for 4
Days.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 5350
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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