The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-30 00:00:00

ABSENT,

Atchison

Bright
NOT VOTING.
Westeott.

SEVERE THUNDER STORM IN
GLOUCESTER.
On Thursday this city and neighbourhood were
visited by an appalling thunder storm. Partial showers
had fallen 'early in the day, but about noon a mass of
clouds, heavy and black, was observed approaching the
city, from S.W., and the portentous vapour apparently
gathered density as it sailed along. Vivid flashes of
lightning sprung from it in rapid stlztcession, and one of
the peals of thunder was terrific. A herald flash rent
the cloud, and'the txta.l which followed it instantaneously
was so profound—near—horrible—that the stoutest
spirit cowered during its prolonged roar. The very
houses vihrpted with theshoek- of the warring elements,
while a violent and heavy storm of hale that also raged,
increased the cunfused sounds pervading the atmosphere.
We regret being obliged to add that the storm did not pass
over us harmlessly. The first toll-house on the Stroud road
was struck by the lightning, and con,iderably damaged.
One moment it was safely sheltering a number of per-
sons who had sought refuge there from the violence of
the storm, and the next the front of the house was burst,
the upper and lower windows being almost converted
into one, all the windows were blown out and shivered
to atoms ; the crockery on the shelves was broken, the
window shutters twisted off the hinges and thrown into
the field °tithe opposite side, while the inmates were
dashed about the floor. Confused, sense and sight
reeling amidst the arrowy, resistless fire of heaven,
none of them are capable of giving an intelligible
account of the catastrophe. As far as we can learn,
it would appear that immediately after the thunder
crashed, the gable of the house was dashed in, the mate-
rials falling in all directions. Three children belonging
to Mr. Power, and a servant, who were standing near
the stairs, escaped unhurt. The toll-keeper, Paish,
and his wife were, also untouched, while their baby,
only fourteen days old, which was in an old woman's lap,
was thrown out of it, and fell on the floor, but was not
hurt. One woman, however, had her clothes set on fire ;
before the flames could be extinguished she was burnt
very badly ; another woman was burnt about the legs,
and a third was also hurt. A boy was also burnt, and
is now deaf from the shock, and another boy has lost
his hearing. But the severest injury was sustained by a
man named George Johnson. At the time the house
was struck he was leaning against the door ; his profile
was actually burnt on the wood by the lightning. The
outline of the head and face is quite perfect, the space
within it being charred. Johnson sustained a cut under
his eye, his smock -frock was burnt off his back, and he
was completely paralysed by the shock. The sufferers
were immediately conveyed to the Glocester General In-
firmary, where their injuries were attended to, and they are,
all gradually recovering. The lightning apparently was
attracted by an elm tree 50 feet high, Which overhangs
the house, and it stripped off the bark as it descended,
and it is supposed that the stream of the fluid divided,
honoeusej,owrhtiiolne thbeci being attracted
shivered the root, of an adjoining
we
nnis
of Wotton, was also struck down by the. o
electric
tree, and was then lost in the earth. DIL; John otherby the lamp at the toll-
house,
Barnwood Turnpike. Ile NN as walking along
;le road, and it was attracted by a shovel and pick
near
axe, which he was carrying on his shoulder ; the
handle of the latter was shattered, Mr. Knowles was
prostrated in the road, his clothes shivered into
ribbons, and besides being severely burnt in the back,
his legs were paralysed; he is, however, recovering. At
Minsterworth, near this city, a man and woman sought
shelter beneath a cart loaded with hay, belonging to
Mr. Barratt, farmer, when the horses, startled by the
thunder ran away, and the wheels of the waggon wea:.
over the poor creatures, breaking one of the arms of the
man and dislocating the hip of the woman in a frightful
manner. The sufferers were removed to the Gloucester
Infirmary, where they are now lying in a precarious
state. A horse was struck dead in an orchard belonging
to Mr. George Price, of Thornbury. From every direc-
tion we hear of slighter accidents from the effects of the
lightning.—Gloucester Chronicle,

PRINTERS' ALMS-HOUSE FuND---. The annual meeting
of the friends and subscribers `was held in the theatre of the
Mechanics' Institution
Dlaarstkuinght ; Luke JamesHansard'
the subscribers on the extraordinary Esq.,
in the chair. Mr. J. 0
rtdhi the
rysecrseut a rc
success
they had met
with during the short time the institution had been in ex-
congratulated
istence ; at the present time they had invested with the
Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt
1,0001-1 and they were in a position to invest a larger
Sum. The amount of their present capital, including the
receipts for the past year, and an adaition of 201. handed
•
to the Secretary
-at the meeting—(Loud and continued
cheers)—was 1,7971. 15s id., whilst their expenses amounted
our l• to 231., leaving a balance of 1,7741. 15s. Id. The report
recommended that the committee be empowered to lay out
6001. in the purchase of an eligible plot of ground within five
miles of the metropolis, on which it was proposed to com-
mence the institution by the erection of six houses, to be in-
creased as their funds permitted. They also recommended
the first stone should be laid by Luke James Hansard, Esq.
—(Loud °
institution
ch e er )
was
hTahneg
ereportt
hwaast
ofatdhoop tpe
Printers
t e Tr h,
rnoarniadeenotf
Retreat, the officers of the institution were re-elected, and
thanks were given the chairman.
GLASS CUTTERS' ANNIVERSARY.—Yesterday, this
ingenious body of workmen formed in procession, and paraded
the streets of the metropolis, attended by two military bands
of music, and afterwards sat down to an excellent dinner, at
the Eyre Arms Tavern. Some years ago their procession.
consisted of from 500 to 600, but yesterday exhibited a woful
falling off in their numbers.
DECREASE OF CRIME IN HAMPSHIAE.—There have
not been so few prisoners for trial in the county gaol in this
city for the last fifteen years as at the present moment.
Three only are waiting to be tried at the sessions holden
Monday, 6th July; thirty-five males and six females at the
assizes commencing Monday, the 13th of July; but four of
those prisoners are committed for crimes of serious mag-
nitude. On the civil side so few cases are entered up to this
date that many of the long-robe gentlemen must submit to,
go briefiess. Debtors sides: There are onlylour on thr
master's and, five on the country or poor sides.
CURIOUS MoTro.--The pavement of the Church of
Santa Maria del Fiore, at Florence, says a correspondent of
771 e • Builder, is curious, and represents the signs of the
Zodiac, with the sun in the centre, surrounded by the fol-
lowing strange line, which can be read either way
"En giro torte sol ciclos et rotor igne."
SINGULAR SUICIDE.—On Friday evening; an elderly
female, named Webber, seventy-five years of age, committal
suicide in a most determined manner, by cutting her threat
with a razor, under a chimp of treed in Bonner's-5.014
within a hundred yards of the chief entrance gate iy, tjak
. Victoria Park.