Weather in the archives

May

May always seems to have been a very unpredictable month. Archive sources show that the weather could run the whole gamut: late snows in the north of the county, bad and destructive thunderstorms, heavy rain, unseasonal heat, drought and, as every gardener knows only too well, frosts.

The range of temperatures could be wide. In 1922, for example, the lowest maximum temperature recorded at Weston Park was 50° and the highest 88° Fahrenheit. Examples of very warm Mays were recorded in the county in 1893, 1922 when temperatures hit the 80s Fahrenheit in the last week of the month and in 1940. On the other hand, in 1929, minimum temperatures in May fell to 30° Fahrenheit.  Over half the minimum temperatures in the month were recorded as being below 40° Fahrenheit.  

Drought and its impact on crops and vegetation were recorded in 1833 and 1850. Other example years of drought in May were 1905 when only 0.64 inches of rain fell and 1911 when 0.65 inches fell. Conversely, in 1932 5.16 inches of rain was recorded in the county, the wettest May since 1886 when 6.21 inches fell in the west of the county. In 1908 heavy storms across mid Staffordshire on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May resulted in major floods. 1.49 inches of rain was recorded at Weston Park on 2 May.

The extracts are arranged chronologically by the day to show the progression of weather through the month.

 

> Snowy Days in May in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 1 & 14 May 1909

> Severe Storm and Floods in Mid-Staffordshire, 3-4 May 1908

> Floods at Tamworth, 4 May 1908

> An Unsettled Week in Sandon, 5-11 May 1845

> Fair Weather for Potato Planting in Freehay, 7 May 1866

> A Wet Whit Sunday at Spotacre, 24 May 1931

> Rain Keeps Children in Bed in Wednesbury, 25 May 1882 & 23-27 May 1898 

> Whitsun Storm Damage at Trysull, 25 May 1640 

> Grass Suffers From Drought at Trentham, 1833

> Drought in Staffordshire, 1850

> Signs of An Early Harvest Trentham, 1840

> Two Minute Thunder Claps at Willenhall, May 1738

 

 

Snowy Days in May in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 1 & 14 May 1909

Local Farmer’s DiaryFrom a Local Farmer’s Diary
 
1 May- A Very Cold Frosty Morning With Snow, Hail and Rain, We had a cow calved a Heifer calf dead. Will waling [walling] Gaps in old Lane.
 
14 May- A Stormy and Bitter Cold day. Hail Snow and Rain. Will and myself Finished Sowing Swede Seed and Setting potatoes and pricked a row of Peas and did some Wire Fencing between Woolliscrofts and Me.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6794
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Severe Storm and Floods in Mid-Staffordshire, 3-4 May 1908

From The Staffordshire Advertiser

There was a major flood in the county at the beginning of May 1908 resulting from a combination of previous thawing snow and rains and a severe thunderstorm. Rivers which burst their banks included the Penk, the Sow, the Trent, the Dove and the Tame, causing flooding in the adjacent towns, villages and farmlands. There was one fatality at Burton. The fact that the flooding occurred on Sunday meant that many churchgoers were inconvenienced and much was made of this in the newspaper reporting.
 
 
In the early hours of Sunday morning a severe storm passed over Mid- Staffordshire and the neighbourhood of Birmingham and was accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning and a torrential downpour of rain. The storm lasted from 12-30 until 3-30am and it is estimated that over an inch of rain fell in twelve hours the downpour continuing for some time after. The effect of the exceptionally heavy downpour was aggravated by the fact that previous rain and snowstorms had swollen the streams and flooded the meadows in all the low-lying portions of the district. Roads which had been under water all week became impassable, streets and houses were flooded in many places……Extraordinary floods were caused in the Brewood district, many hundreds of acres being submerged. At Penkridge the streets and houses were flooded and great inconvenience was experienced. In many cases sheep and lambs have been drowned and horses and colts have had narrow escapes. The farmers having land adjoining the Penk were kept very busy in their attempts to save their lambs from drowning. For some miles around Stafford the floods are the most serious known for many years and the heavy rain on Sunday caused further trouble….. at Armitage on Sunday morning the roads were flooded in places through the overflowing of the River Trent to a depth of several feet and worshippers at the Primitive Methodist Temple, Handsacre, were carried thither in conveyances……. Longdon parish church where special services had been arranged, was unapproachable, the few that were present having to be conveyed in traps and vehicles. The River Trent at Burton became so swollen on Saturday and again on Sunday that the whole of the meadows were flooded………….. On Monday evening a large number of people assembled at Trent Bridge to witness the flood and, in spite of the fast running waters, several boats were put out from the local boathouses… One of the Trent boats on coming downstream found the flood so heavy that the members of the crew were unable to prevent themselves from being carried under the bridge……… The boat coming into contact with a swift current was swamped and all the occupants thrown out. All were expert swimmers but in attempting to reach dry land Plant [the coxswain aged 16] was carried away and drowned.
 
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 9 May 1908
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter

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Floods at Tamworth, 4 May 1908

From the Log Book of Tamworth Infants School

The severe floods of the weekend before also affected the area around Tamworth where the Tame burst its banks, although the flooding was said not to have been as bad as that which occurred in 1901.
 
May 4th- Very poor attendance again- 214 children present- on account of floods in Bolebridge St, Lichfield St and Moor Lane. The Vicar and Miss Clarke visited during morning school.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office CEL43/3
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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An Unsettled Week in Sandon, 5-11 May 1845

Diary of Jeremiah Ginders of SandonFrom the Diary of Jeremiah Ginders of Sandon

Jeremiah Ginders was the agent to Lord Chetwynd at Ingestre. The following extract records the changes of weather each day as well as his estate and personal business. As the image of the document shows, Ginders displayed a bent for graphic design.
 
 
5 May- W[est] frost morn showers & cold rather milder in the evening- sharp frost in night.
6 May- E[ast] morning fine til 9 then thick & cloudy. William Pickin’s wife came to ask for Sutton’s house, he is brother to Sutton’s wife & Mrs P not much inferior to Mrs S for talk- hear from me in course of this week.
7 May W[est] a little shower in morning at 9 N[orth] W[est] gentle showers in afternoon W[est] till night gentle showers. Hannah Ginders & Julia came here.
8 May- N[orth] cold foggy day rather wet in morning but dry in Evening but thick & cloudy. Mrs G[inders] went to Stafford see fashions.
9 May- N[orth] thick and darkish morning went N[orth] E[ast] thunder and some rain rather warmer & middle of day fine. Bought 1 ton 6 hundredweight Straw Wpilings of W Greatbatch at 4/- per hundredweight, which amount [to] £5-4-0. James Myatt put the plan on the Ch[urch] Eaton deeds today ready for completion. Mrs and Miss Harland called here this afternoon.
10 May- W[est] cold day generally cloudy. Samuel Myatt came here & went home at night with James Myatt’s wife. Mr Flint came here.
11 May- W[est] cold day generally cloudy, middle of the day fine show for rain evening.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 6850/4
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Fair Weather for Potato Planting in Freehay, 7 May 1866

Log Book for Freehay National SchoolFrom the Log Book for Freehay National School
 
Attendance 79, a very poor school. This is easily accounted for when there are twenty away ill of measles & as many away in the potatoe field. The weather is very fair & the people are anxious on weedy land to get in their potatoes.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3656/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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A Wet Whit Sunday at Spotacre, 24 May 1931

From the Daily Journals of the Spotacre Nursery, near Stone
 
Sunday 24 May Whit Sunday- poured with rain all night & until 3-30pm today, lawn  (top end) is covered with water wind Southerly to SE & S Westerley at times lone drifting clouds. Bobs & self Arthur Leese H Moss and W Boulton loaded up for Bakewell we loaded 135,000 Ox &5000 Savoys. We commenced loading at 5-30pm.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6168/2
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Rain Keeps Children in Bed in Wednesbury, 25 May 1882 & 23-27 May 1898

Log book for Wednesbury Infants SchoolFrom the Log book for Wednesbury Infants School
 
25 May 1882- Attendance very poor indeed on account of much sickness and the severe stormy weather. No registers marked on Thursday afternoon, having had to send the children home, as they came, to change their clothes, having been caught in a thunderstorm.
 
23-27 May 1898- A heavy shower of rain which came just about school time on Monday morning caused a poor attendance of children. I sent to many of the homes and found that the parents hadn’t troubled to  get their children up owing to the rain.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D4838/8/13
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Whitsun Storm Damage at Trysull, 25 May 1640

Parish Register of Wombourne ChurchFrom the Parish Register of Wombourne Church
 
Upon Whitsun-munday …  there was the like terrible storme at Tresles [Trysull] so that an elem was splitt and stones struck out of the Church Wall and people in the Church thought the Church had been on fire. This hapned May 25th 1640.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3710/1/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Wombourne, St Benedict Biscop
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Grass Suffers From Drought at Trentham, 1833

From the Trentham Farm Bailiff’s Report
 
The commencement of this month was highly favourable for vegetation- latterly however it has been very droughty- it is now doing injury to the crops generally but more particularly to the grass lands.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D593/L/6/2/15
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Drought in Staffordshire, 1850

The Staffordshire Advertiser From The Staffordshire Advertiser
 
The Weather- The backwardness of the present season is now the topic of conversation, and the cause, to some extent, of apprehension. Wheat which was looking in such splendid condition three weeks ago, has now a sickly appearance and the grass lands are in a worse state than they were in the same period. In this county the want of rain is very much felt…….. The dry north-easterly winds which have prevailed have been accompanied by frosts at night, which have severely affected the blossoms of fruit trees and have checked and blighted the vegetation of gardens. Early potatoes in exposed situations have been cut down……. Yesterday the temperature was decidedly milder though the wind remained unchanged. A few days warm rain would do much to remedy all the evil at present produced and would effect a magical change in the appearance of our fields and gardens.
 
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 18 May 1850
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter

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Signs of An Early Harvest Trentham, 1840

Trentham Farm Bailiff’s ReportFrom the Trentham Farm Bailiff’s Report
 
The temperatures recorded by the Trentham Estate for the weather during this particular month show a range of morning temperatures between 43° and 65° and afternoon/ evening temperatures between 48° and 62° Fahrenheit.
 
The weather during the last month has been very favourable and vegetation of every description is promising for an early harvest- Sown with turnips 4½ acres at the Hill farm, 7½ acres at Waggersley, & 6½ acres at Hanchurch. The whole of the stock are looking well.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D593/L/6/2/22
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Two Minute Thunder Claps at Willenhall, May 1738

From the Diary of Dr Richard Wilkes of Willenhall
 
During this whole Month the Air was very uncertain, Sometimes hot & then very cold but for the most Part rainy there never having been more than 2 fair Days together. On the 6th we had in the Afternoon as great a Storm as has been known & some of the longest Claps of Thunder I ever heard, the Noise of many of them continuing longer than 2 Minutes. The Air was extremely black & it lightned all Night. This destroy’d most of the young Fruit, especially Apples & Pears; but there was great plenty of Grass & the Corn was but too rank.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 5350
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service 

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