The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-16 00:00:00

DREADFUL STORM IN NORTH
NOTTS.—FATAL ACCIDENTS.
EAST RETFORD, THURSDAY, AUG. 14, 4.21 P.M.—
During the last thirty years it bas not unfrequently
been our lot to place on record such storms and tem-
pests as have occasionally occurred in this neghbour-
hood and that of North Notts, of which this town
forms the capital, but it has seldom been our duty to
record one more severe than that which took place
last night. The year, hitherto, has been somewhat
remarkably proverbial for non electricity, and it ap-
pears to have been reserved for the special out-
pouring we have just experienced. For several
days previously the atmosphere had been
close and warm, but not bright; indeed the absence
of sunshine had been remarked by the agriculturists
as retarding harvest operations, and keeping back-
ward the maturing the splendid crops now ready for
the sickle. To any particular observant of the
! clouds, however, it was very evident that they
were very highly charged with electric matter,
which would soon vent itself in either one district
or another. Early in the afternoon the wind was
stationed in the south, but at twenty minutes past
four it changed into the north within two or three
minutes' duration. In the west the appearances were
seriously ominous, and it was evident that the im-
mediate weight and direction of the coming commo-
tion of the elements was verging from Retford into
the north west, in the direction of Bawtry, Gringley-
on-the-Hill, and towards Gainsborough. About
five o'clock the western sky was that of a
stone-coloured red—exceedingly menacing, and in-
dicative of danger. During this period the roll of
thunder was heard in the distance, and the forked
lightning continued to play in almost every direc-
tion. No sooner had the roll of the thunder
faded from the ear in the west, when Grove Hills
echoed another from the east, and, in fact, for up-
wards of two hours the thunder seemed to emerge
from every point of the compass, and the lightning
from every quarter of the heavens. The oscillations
of the barometer were singular but not extraordinary,
the needle trembling in a downward direction be-
tween 2974 inches, and 29.69 inches. Still there
was scarcely any material decline. The outdoor
thermometer in the shade was at 74 deg., and without
scarcely a breeze of air stirring. At length the twain-
clouds began to converge, and between six and seven
P.M., the storm at Retford appeared to be at its
height. Peals of thunder continued to succeed each
other in rapid succession, whilst the lightning glare
was awful in the extreme. At a little before seven a
ball of fire fell in the Market-place, which imme-
diately exploded with a crash truly appalling. At
this time the rain descended in torrents, and the
water soughs being too small to take away the de-
luge of waters, the streets and Market-place were
flooded in every direction, and several of the ground
floors in the lower parts of the town were com-
pletely under water. Towards eight o'clock the ele-
ments were hushed, and the storm itself abated, but
the lightning continued vivid until about two
o'clock this morning. From inquiries made to-day
it appears that the storm has been general throughout
North Notts. Although much more rain has fallen
in some localities than others, whilst the lightning
has been equally more fatal in some directions than
in others. A poor man of the name of George Gab-
betas, of Scaftworth, aged about 60 years, whilst en-
gaged in pulling apples before the rain commenced,
was struck dead by the electric fluid. An inquest
will be held upon his remains to-morrow morning.
A mare belonging to Mr. Wm. Mee, of Retford,
which, along with a foal, was grazing in a field be-
tween that place and Bollam, was struck dead,
whilst the foal was left nearly blind : since it was
discovered it has partially recovered from the shock.
Two cows belonging to Mr. John Motley, of South
Leverton, were found dead in the field, and as far as
we have been able to gather, these are the only casu-
alties which have taken place in the district. During
the night the air was remarkably cold, and the interior
of the houses insufferably hot. This morning the
air was again close and warm, and from the state of
the clouds it was evident that the atmosphere had not
altogether been relieved from the combustion with
which it had been so seriously overcharged. During
the whole morning thunder was heard in various
directions, but it was not until between one and two,
P.M., that it passed over Retford. Whilst we are
still writing the atmosphere continues in a somewhat
troubled state, and we should not be much surprised
at another recurrence of the storm during the evening.
Depth of rain fallen during Oa storm, 1 94 inches.--
Doncaster Gazette.