September
September was traditionally the month for the completion of the
harvest. It was important, therefore, for farmers to have fine and
dry weather.
Formal weather records show that September could be a very fine
and dry month. Very dry Septembers, with less than an inch of rain,
were recorded in the county in 1888, 1895, 1910 and 1912 for
example.
The years 1843, 1908 and 1914 were very warm Septembers, with 30
September 1908 being recorded as the warmest night of the year at
Weston Park at 61° Fahrenheit. In 1914 temperatures hit 84°
Fahrenheit in the first week of the month.
However September was not always a good weather month. One of the
earliest surviving archive sources for weather in the county, the
Croxden Chronicle, records that in 1330 the weather was so wet that
the harvest could not begin until after the feast of Michaelmas, 29
September. There are also a number of later examples of violent and
damaging storms as in 1696, 1848 and 1849. In Rugeley in 1708 the
damage caused by the heavy rain in September was extensive and
costly.
Contrasting Weather for Second Hay Making in Longnor, 2-3 September
1909
Terrific
Thunder at Freehay, 3 September 1867
Bad
Weather for Harvest at Weston, 4-6 September 1912
Violent Thunderstorm in North Staffordshire, 7 September 1849
High Winds Cause Fire in Wolverhampton, 10 September 1696
Harvest Home at
Sandon, 10 September 1845
A Wet
Day for Lichfield Races, 11 September 1827
A Great Rain
in Rugeley, 15 September 1708
A Hot Week at
Sandon, 18-24 September 1843
Fearful Storm at King’s Bromley and Hamstall Ridware, 23 September
1848
A Glorious Michaelmas Day at Spotacre, 29 September 1923
Heavy Floods and Late Harvest at Croxden, 29 September, 1330
A Wet Day at
Trentham, 30 September 1823
Two
Good Harvests, September 1737 and September 1738
From a Local Farmer’s Diary
This extract contains plenty of examples of the use of phonetic
spelling by the diarist.
2 September- A Beautiful Fine Hay day. Our Neighbours did not get
much hay. Will & I & G.H. Millward Topt Stack & part thatched same.
I fetched Sheep from Mr Halls thay had been their a Fortnight.
3 September- a damp misty morning rained very nearly all day. Will
Went to Mr Guest & To Wheeldon’s Daniels field & waited while my
Shoes Where Soled & Healed & Brought them with him. Mr J.R. hall
Finished Mowing his Meadowes down.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6794
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Log Book of Freehay National School
We have had a very poor school today on account of the very heavy
thunder and rain which commenced about 6 o’clock AM and continued
till about 9.30 and raged all that time most terrifically.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D3656/1
© 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
|
4 September
|
65
|
52
|
W
|
29.63
|
0
|
Strong wind & constant
|
5
September
|
61
|
46
|
NW
|
29.63
|
0.09
|
storms of rain- very
|
6 September
|
59
|
43
|
N.W
|
29.61
|
0.02
|
bad for carrying harvest.
|
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 Staffordshire Advertiser
North Staffordshire was visited by a thunder-storm of great violence
and long duration last night. It commenced with flashes of lightning
about nine o’clock. Rain then began to fall in torrents, and the
rolling sound of the thunder was for more than an hour almost as
incessant as the play of the lightning, which no longer appeared to
come in distinct flashes but was a sudden illumination of the sky
and earth from some unseen cause. It would be difficult to say
whether the periods of light or darkness were of the longer duration
and the light was so pure and vivid that that objects were
frequently seen in all the brilliancy of sunshine, the grass and the
buildings showing their natural colours. It was not till after
midnight that the storm abated; and the rain was again heavy, though
unattended by thunder, about three in the morning. The turnpike
roads and the streets of towns got a complete cleansing with the
rain. It might have been expected that the streams would have been
flooded by the torrents of rain which fell for so many hours but the
thirsty ground seems to have drunk it all in; nor have we heard of
any accidents from the electric fluid. Another storm of shorter
duration and less violence occurred about three on Tuesday morning.
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 8
September 1849
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter
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From
the Parish Register of St Leonard’s, Bilston
On which day about 4 of the clock afternoon there happen’d a Sad &
lamentable Fire in Barn –street in Wolverhampton by which the
Generall part of Barn-street & almost all Boblake was layd in Ashes,
the Winde being at that time very high. It was said to be Occasioned
by some Harvest Hay in the Barn of [word missing] Stych which took
Fire it being ill gotten in.
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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|
Harvesting at Cheddleton
e 19th cent
Watercolour drawing by L J Wood
Reference: William Salt Library SV III.88a
By courtesy of the Trustees of the William Salt Library
© William Salt Library, Stafford
|
From the Diary of Jeremiah Ginders of Sandon
10 September- lowering and close. Finished cutting all my Corn this
Evening
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 6850/4
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Diary of Anne Bagot of Lichfield
Mary went to the [grand]stand with Mrs Gresley and her party. The
day was very rainy- Almost a brook through the stand which was
however very full, loads of people.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D4752/4
By courtesy of Nancy, Lady Bagot
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From
the Parish Officers’ Accounts for Rugeley.
As well as the accounts for parish officers such
as the overseers of the poor and the constable, this volume also
includes some memoranda of significant events in the parish, such as
the damage caused by heavy rain in September 1708. The figures
record the substantial cost of the damage to buildings, flood-gates,
streets and stock in trade. The cost of the damage totalled £163,
approximately £12,500 today.
On Wednesday the 15th September 1708 was a great Rain that
occasioned a Deal of Damage in Rugley Parish
£ s
d
Viz. Brindley Pool Dam Broke
2
Furnace Pool Dam and Flood-gates
20
Tippers Pool Dam & Flood-gates
20
Forge Pool Dam & Flood-gates
20
Anthony Devitt’s Walk-Mill Dam
2
Thomas Mott Dam
2
John Kearne’sDam & Flood-gates &
great damage 20
in the mill
Forc’d down hedges etc and fill’d the
watercourses 20
with gravel all along
Forc’d down John Saxon’s Chimney &
some of
3
his quick hedge & a stone wall & tooke
away Leather,
Lasts, Shooes etc
Undermind William Adie’s Shopp & tooke
away 2
several thinges of his trade
Mr Edward Collins, damage in his
Fatts etc
5
Forc’d downe the stone Bridge that Mr
Chetwynd 30
caused to be built at his own cost
about £30 in 1646
Forc’d downe a deal of Mr Atkin’s
garden Wall
2
(each way)
Run downe the Towne with such Force that it gall’d
5
the Street & made severall holes at least ½ yard
deep
in danger of undermining severall houses
Damage to most shopps & Cellers & houses all along
10
the street
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D3243/4/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Rugeley, St Augustine
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From
the Diary of Jeremiah Ginders of Sandon
Jeremiah Ginders was the agent to Earl Talbot of
Ingestre. The following extract records the changes of weather each
day, as well as his personal and some estate business. Mr Harland
was the vicar of Colwich.
As the image of the document shows, Ginders displayed a bent for
embellishment.
18 September- S[outh] foggy & cloudy afterwards- very fine day.
Ellen & Mrs Eardley came here.
19 September E[ast] very fine & dry
20 September S[outh] cloudy but fine- hot day
21 September- W[est] foggy- fine & dry. Thatched the farm Rick & put
the Rickyard straight. Mr Harland called here this Evening & his
wife came here in the afternoon (Hawkins came with her)
22 September- N[orth] W[est] morning a frost rather. Noon E[ast] S[outh]
E[ast] very hot & dry S[outh] hot & dry evening hot. Finished
ploughing up the oat stubble in the Bride today. Mrs G[inders] sold
W Shelton fruit 18s 6s
viz [namely] apples 1½ @ 4/6 - 6.9}
Nutts 14 lbs @ 4d - 4.9} 18s 6
Damsons 1¾
- 7.0}
23 September- N[orth] W[est] foggy morning hot & dry all the day
24 September- fine & a little more air but fine at noon. N[orth] N[orth]
W[est] veering to N[orth] at night
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 6850/2
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From The Staffordshire Advertiser
A terrific storm of thunder, lightning, wind and rain passed over
King’s Bromley on the afternoon of Saturday last, leaving along the
course it took many awful remains of its desolating ravages, though
happily no personal injury was sustained. Little before three
o’clock thunder was heard in the distance and presently the
gathering clouds indicated a coming storm. In a short time the
thunder and lightning became terrific, the rain fell in torrents,
and the wind blew a perfect hurricane. For twenty minutes the
lightning was fearfully vivid, and flash succeeded flash without
intermission, whilst the pealing thunder resembled the continuous
rolling of heavy artillery. Some of the inhabitants were dreadfully
alarmed and thought the day of judgement was come. In its fury, it
tore up some of the finest trees, shivering others to atoms; and
stripping some of their branches, it left naked trunks as standing
monuments of its destructive power. In a field occupied by Miss
Rochford, four patriarchal oaks were completely torn up by the
roots. In an orchard in the occupation of Mr Bannister, every fruit
tree with one solitary exception was blown down, as was a large and
ancient elm, near the mill, and several trees of different kinds in
the plantations belonging to Bromley Hall. The storm, after raging
twenty minutes over Bromley, crossed the Trent, and swept along the
valley in the direction of Hamstall Ridware where it effected
considerable damage. Two fine ornamental poplars near the Mill dam,
were broken off just above the ground. A heavy weight of lead was
displaced from the roof of the village church, breaking down the
parapet wall. Indeed, altogether a storm so fearful for the time it
lasted, is not remembered by the oldest inhabitants, either of
Bromley or Hamstall Ridware.
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 30
September 1848
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter
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From
the Daily Journals of the Spotacre Nursery, near Stone
Dull first thing a little dewy rain wind south west It is quite warm
though. It turned out most beautiful in the afternoon hot and wind
south west. It is a glorious change, glass high.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6168/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Chronicle of Croxden Abbey, 1330
In 1330, the chronicler of Croxden Abbey recorded an eclipse of the
sun on 9 July. This was seen as an omen of bad weather and certainly
a poor autumn and late harvest followed.
For previously, for two months and more, and afterwards for three
months, such great floods of rainwater spread and such unseasonable
weather occurred that the harvest could not ripen at all, asa result
of which they did not begin to reap in many places in the country
until about the feast of the blessed Michael [29 September].
Reference: William Salt Library The Abbey of St Mary, Croxden,
Charles Lynam, including extracts from The Croxden Chronicle.
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From the Memoranda Book of William Lewis, Local
Agent to the Duke of Sutherland
Lewis kept a daily account of his business transacted on behalf of
the estate between 1816 and 1837. From 1821 it is virtually a
diary giving information for each day and usually some account of
the weather. ‘Mr Loch’ was James Loch, the Duke’s Chief Agent.
Thomas Fenton was the Duke’s local solicitor.
A very wet morning, remained in the office wrote Mr Loch, after
dinner rode to Thomas Fenton but he was gone out, afterwards to
Blurton, home and remained in the office, continued fair some hours,
much rain has fallen, also hail.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D593/L/2/2b
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
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From the Diary of Dr Richard Wilkes of Willenhall
September 1737
The Weather this Month was rather dry than otherwise; so that the
Farmer had a very good seedness.
September 1738
The Weather was good & favourable for gathering the latter Part of
the Harvest in the low, cold Parts of the Countrey [County] & the
Moorlands.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 5350
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