CHAPTER XIV.

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES FROM LIGHTNING.

The accidents that occur annually from the effects of lightning are far greater in number and extent than is generally supposed. Although the art of protecting buildings by means of lightning conductors was discovered some hundred and twenty-seven years ago, and it is now one hundred and eleven years since, in 1768, Benjamin Franklin’s ‘lightning rods’ were first set up over the dome of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, yet the application of this great discovery is by no means general. At least one-half, and perhaps two-thirds, of all the public buildings, including the churches and chapels, of Great Britain and Ireland, are without any protection against lightning. As to private houses, it may safely be affirmed that not five out of every thousand are fitted with lightning conductors. It is well known that the amount of property annually destroyed by lightning in this country is very great, though it is, very naturally, impossible to form any accurate, or even approximate estimate of it. With regard, however, to the number of deaths from the same cause, certain statistics do exist, although many of them are notoriously imperfect. According to the ‘Fortieth Report of the Registrar-General,’ issued in July 1878, and former reports, the number of deaths from lightning in England and Wales was as follows in each of the nine years from 1869 to 1877:—

+--------+-------+---------+-------+ | Years | Males | Females | Total | +--------+-------+---------+-------+ | 1869 | 5 | 2 | 7 | | 1870 | 13 | 6 | 19 | | 1871 | 23 | 5 | 28 | | 1872 | 35 | 11 | 46 | | 1873 | 17 | 4 | 21 | | 1874 | 25 | — | 25 | | 1875 | 14 | 3 | 17 | | 1876 | 15 | 4 | 19 | | 1877 | — | — | 12 | +--------+-------+---------+-------+ | Total | 147 | 35 | 194 | +--------+-------+---------+-------+

The official returns of the number of deaths from lightning, as given by the English Registrar-General, are admittedly incomplete. In Prussia, where the registration of the causes of death is most rigidly enforced by law, and, in consequence, is far more accurate than in England, there were one thousand and four persons reported as killed by lightning in the nine years from 1869 to 1877. According to the official report issued by Dr. Ernst Engel, Director of the Statistical Bureau of Berlin, the number of lives lost each year was as follows:—

+--------+-------+---------+-------+ | Years | Males | Females | Total | +--------+-------+---------+-------+ | 1869 | 47 | 32 | 79 | | 1870 | 59 | 43 | 102 | | 1871 | 56 | 47 | 103 | | 1872 | 50 | 35 | 85 | | 1873 | 61 | 50 | 111 | | 1874 | 58 | 49 | 107 | | 1875 | 92 | 48 | 140 | | 1876 | 59 | 47 | 106 | | 1877 | 105 | 66 | 171 | +--------+-------+---------+-------+ | Total | 587 | 417 | 1,004 | +--------+-------+---------+-------+

The population of Prussia is somewhat larger than that of England and Wales--25¾ millions against 24½ millions--but on the other hand, thunderstorms are less frequent there than with us. Altogether it will be rather under than over the mark to say that as many persons are killed by lightning in England as in Prussia, the loss amounting, on the average, to over one hundred every year.

Of the deaths by lightning in France, Mons. Boudin some years ago collected statistics which showed that during the thirty years beginning in 1834 and ending in 1863, two thousand and thirty-eight people were struck dead by lightning in that country. During the last ten years of this period, the deaths amounted to eight hundred and eighty, and of these only two hundred and forty-three were females. In connection with this it is a noticeable fact that when a lightning stroke falls upon a crowd, it almost invariably causes more fatalities among the men than the women.

In the following tables are given statistics of deaths and accidents from lightning in the various countries referred to.

In the case of the United States, the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics writes that no record of deaths or fires caused by lightning is kept--a somewhat curious admission on the part of such a practical and methodical country. A similar reply has been received from the authorities in Spain.

CAS DE MORT, OCCASIONNÉS PAR LA FOUDRE, DANS LES 49 GOUVERNEMENTS DE LA RUSSIE EUROPÉENNE, SANS COMPTER LA FINLANDE ET LES GOUVERNEMENTS DU CI-DEVANT ROYAUME DE POLOGNE.

+--------------------------------+--------+--------+ | ANNÉES | HOMMES | FEMMES | +--------------------------------+--------+--------+ | 1870 | 261 | 139 | | 1871 | 260 | 167 | | 1872 | 404 | 216 | | 1873 | 300 | 179 | | 1874 | 227 | 117 | +--------------------------------+--------+--------+ | Total (en cinq années) | 1,452 | 818 | | De ce nombre dans les villes | 75 | 34 | | De ce nombre dans les villages | 1,377 | 784 | +--------------------------------+--------+--------+

INCENDIES, OCCASIONNÉS PAR LA FOUDRE, DANS LES 49 GOUVERNEMENTS DE LA RUSSIE EUROPÉENNE, SANS COMPTER LA FINLANDE ET LES GOUVERNEMENTS DU CI-DEVANT ROYAUME DE POLOGNE.

+--------+-----------------+-------------------+ | ANNÉES | DANS LES VILLES | DANS LES VILLAGES | +--------+-----------------+-------------------+ | 1870 | 11 | 571 | | 1871 | 23 | 767 | | 1872 | 28 | 1,217 | | 1873 | 19 | 908 | | 1874 | 12 | 636 | +--------+-----------------+-------------------+ | Total | 93 | 4,099 | +--------+-----------------+-------------------+

Dans le gouvernement de Cherson les villes Odessa et Nicolaev ne sont pas comprises, à cause du manque de renseignements.

The returns from Russia, which include the years 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874, are here printed as they were received from the President of the Commission for Statistics at St. Petersburg.

The returns from Sweden, extending as they do over a period of more than sixty years, are highly interesting. In this case the difference in the number of men and women killed is not so noticeable as in other countries:—

DEATHS BY LIGHTNING IN SWEDEN.

+------+------+------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Of which | | Year | Total|----------+----------+------+--------+--------+-------+ | | | Under 10 | Over 10 | | | In the | In the| | | | years old| years old| Males| Females| country| towns | +------+------+----------+----------+------+--------+--------+-------+ | 1877 | 8 | — | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1 | | 1876 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 14 | — | | 1875 | 16 | — | 16 | 10 | 6 | 16 | — | | 1874 | 9 | — | 9 | 6 | 3 | 9 | — | | 1873 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 1 | | 1872 | 26 | 2 | 24 | 10 | 16 | 25 | 1 | | 1871 | 6 | — | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | | 1870 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 9 | — | | 1869 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — | | 1868 | 14 | — | 14 | 11 | 3 | 14 | — | | 1867 | 5 | — | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | | 1866 | 26 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 18 | 25 | 1 | | 1865 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 13 | — | | 1864 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | | 1863 | 4 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | — | | 1862 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 1 | | 1861 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | | 1860 | 7 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 7 | — | | 1859 | 22 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 2 | | 1858 | 18 | — | 18 | 11 | 7 | 17 | 1 | | 1857 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | — | | 1856 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | — | | 1855 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 16 | 9 | 25 | — | | 1854 | 5 | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | — | | 1853 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | — | | 1852 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 1 | | 1851 | 9 | — | 9 | 7 | 2 | 9 | — | | 1850 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 | — | | 1849 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 1 | | 1848 | 5 | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — | | 1847 | 10 | — | 10 | 3 | 7 | 10 | — | | 1846 | 21 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 21 | — | | 1845 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 2 | | 1844 | 11 | — | 11 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 1 | | 1843 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | | 1842 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 7 | — | | 1841 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 7 | — | | 1840 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | | 1839 | 22 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 5 | 22 | — | | 1838 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 11 | — | | 1837 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | | 1836 | 4 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | | 1835 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | | 1834 | 36 | 4 | 32 | 21 | 15 | 36 | — | | 1833 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 7 | — | | 1832 | 5 | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — | | 1831 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — | | 1830 | 5 | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | | 1829 | 10 | — | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | | 1828 | 9 | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | — | | 1827 | 5 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | | 1826 | 11 | — | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | | 1825 | 6 | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | | 1824 | 6 | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | | 1823 | 5 | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | | 1822 | 8 | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | | 1821 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | | 1820 | 15 | — | — | 8 | 7 | — | — | | 1819 | 32 | — | — | 17 | 15 | — | — | | 1818 | 10 | — | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | | 1817 | 4 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | | 1816 | 7 | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | +------+------+----------+----------+------+--------+--------+-------+

DEATHS BY LIGHTNING IN BADEN.

+-------+-------+----------+-------+ | Year | Males | Females | Total | +-------+-------+----------+-------+ | 1874 | 3 | — | 3 | | 1875 | 3 | 5 | 8 | | 1876 | 2 | 7 | 9 | +-------+-------+----------+-------+ | Total | 8 | 12 | 20 | +-------+-------+----------+-------+

FIRES THROUGH LIGHTNING IN BAVARIA.

_Right side of Rhine._

+---------+-------+ | Year | Total | +---------+-------+ | 1843–44 | 24 | | 1844–45 | 39 | | 1845–46 | 54 | | 1846–47 | 25 | | 1847–48 | 27 | | 1848–49 | 26 | | 1849–50 | 30 | | 1850–51 | 32 | | 1851–52 | 44 | | 1852–53 | 60 | | 1853–54 | 38 | | 1854–55 | 47 | | 1855–56 | 70 | | 1856–57 | 66 | | 1857–58 | 56 | | 1858–59 | 60 | | 1859–60 | 50 | | 1860–61 | 64 | | 1861–62 | 63 | | 1862–63 | 80 | | 1863–64 | 59 | | 1864–65 | 90 | | 1865–66 | 48 | | 1866–67 | 100 | | 1867–68 | 140 | | 1868–69 | 86 | | 1869–70 | 79 | | 1870–71 | 115 | | 1871–72 | 107 | | 1872–73 | 170 | +---------+-------+

_Left side of Rhine._

Year Total 1870 6 1873 36

AUSTRIA. LIST OF DAMAGES BY FIRE THROUGH LIGHTNING.

Key: AWE - Austria, Western Europe AEE - Austria, Eastern Europe Sa. - Salzburg St. - Styria K. - Kärnten Il. - Illyria Co. - Coastland Ty. - Tyrol Bo. - Bohemia Mä. - Mähren Si. - Silesia Ga. - Galicia Bu. - Buckovina D. - Dalmatia +-----+------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Of which those through lightning are:— | |Year |Total +---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+ | |Fires |AWE|AEE|Sa.|St.|K.|Il.|Co.|Ty.|Bo.|Mä.|Si.|Ga.|Bu.|D.|Total| +-----+------+---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+ |1870 | 4,171| 20| 16| 1| 14| 3| 4| 2| 2| 58| 15| —| 26| —| —| 161| |1871 | 4,293| 9| 26| 1| 9| 5| 2| 3| 1| 53| 8| 1| 34| 4| —| 156| |1872 | 5,265| 11| 26| 4| 32| 5| 12| 3| 2| 45| 14| 7| 56| 5| 1| 223| |1873 | 5,500| 11| 16| 3| 30| 4| 12| 1| 11| 88| 18| 7| 42| 3| 3| 249| |1874 | 5,244| 15| 24| —| 32| 5| 9| —| 8| 79| 15| 5| 53| 5| —| 250| |1875 | 4,529| 17| 34| —| 19| 4| 10| 2| 7| 68| 19| 8| 62| —| —| 250| |1876 | 5,001| 18| 13| 1| 22| 5| 5| 1| 1| 59| 15| —| 48| —| —| 188| |1877 | 6,125| 21| 23| 3| 23| 8| 8| —| 7| 63| 19| 6| 43| 1| —| 225| +-----+------+---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+ |Total|40,128|122|178| 13|181|39| 62| 12| 39|513|123| 34|364| 18| 4| 1702| +-----+------+---+---+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+

DEATHS BY LIGHTNING IN WURTEMBERG.

Year Total 1841–42 26 1851–60 117

DEATHS BY LIGHTNING IN SWITZERLAND.

+-------+-------+---------+-------+ | | Males | Females | Total | +-------+-------+---------+-------+ | 1876 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | 1877 | 21 | 9 | 30 | +-------+-------+---------+-------+ | Total | 23 | 10 | 33 | +-------+-------+---------+-------+

The data given here is necessarily incomplete, although much trouble has been taken in obtaining it. Many countries keep no separate records of deaths and accidents from lightning, and those kept by others are often meagre and untrustworthy. Still the statistics given are sufficient to prove that lightning constitutes no unimportant factor among the dangers that threaten the safety of human life. The apathy with which the danger is regarded by most people is simply astounding: very few make any effort to protect themselves or their houses against it, although during certain months of the year it is almost impossible to take up a newspaper that does not contain an account of some fatality or casualty from the effects of a thunderstorm. The long roll of accidents appended to this chapter shows only too clearly the enormous amount of damage that has arisen--and is continually arising--from this source. Public buildings fare little better than private houses. Even some of the first cathedrals of England have no lightning conductors whatever, while others, supplied with them, are insufficiently protected, as is apparent to any competent observer. A glaring instance of the absence of protection against lightning is to be found at Windsor Castle. It is a fact that several portions of this splendid palace, among them St. George’s chapel, and the adjoining Belfry Tower, are entirely unprovided with lightning conductors. On other parts of the castle a few conductors are placed, but clearly not enough. It is needless to say that, speaking only of St. George’s chapel and the Belfry Tower, these beautiful buildings, constantly touched by the storm-clouds that sweep up the valley of the Thames, are liable at any moment to destruction or great damage.

Thomas Fuller, in his ‘Church History of Britain,’ states that--

‘There was scarce a great abbey in England which (once, at the least) was not burnt down with lightning from Heaven. 1. The Monastery of Canterbury, burnt anno 1145, and afterwards again burnt anno 1174. 2. The abbey of Croyland, twice burnt. 3. The Abbey of Peterboro, twice set on fire. 4. The Abbey of Mary’s in York, burnt. 5. The Abbey of Norwich, burnt. 6. The Abbey of St. Edmondsbury, burnt and destroyed. 7. The Abbey of Worcester, burnt. 8. The Abbey of Gloucester. 9. The Abbey of Chichester, burnt. 10. The Abbey of Glastonbury, burnt. 11. The Abbey of St. Mary in Southwark, burnt. 12. The Church of the Abbey of Beverley, burnt. 13. The steeple of the Abbey of Evesham, burnt.’

Even in those cases where in modern times lightning conductors have been applied to buildings, they are very often improperly fixed in the first instance, or, having once been put up, are never examined or tested with the view of ascertaining their constant efficiency. Several accidents owing their origin to one or the other of these causes have occurred quite recently. In May 1879, the church at Laughton-en-le-Morthen was struck by lightning and damaged in the manner described in Chapter XIII. The spire was fitted with a corrugated copper tube conductor the joints of which were made by screws and coupling-pieces, but there was no metallic contact between the lengths; the conductor was insulated from the building; and the earth-contact was obtained by bending the end of the tubing, and inserting it about twelve inches deep in dry loose rubbish! Such a conductor is worse than useless. If it had been examined by a competent person, it must at once have been utterly condemned. In June 1879, a disastrous result followed the use of a similar conductor erected upon a private house near Sheffield. In this case the corrugated tube forming the conductor contained too little metal, and it was insulated from the building. The examples show the necessity of leaving the design and erection of lightning conductors to those persons who have made a thorough study of the subject, since the work is by no means so free from complexity as is commonly supposed.

Figs. 40 and 41 show the tower and spire of St. George’s Church, Leicester, after being severely damaged by lightning on August 1st, 1846. The storm, during the course of which it was struck, was very violent, of prolonged duration, and accompanied by torrents of rain and hail. Mr. Charles Tomlinson, F.R.S., in his work on ‘The Thunderstorm,’ thus describes the catastrophe:—

‘It was at five minutes past eight, after one or two peals of unusual distinctness, that the church of St. George was struck with a report resembling the discharge of cannon, and with a concussion of the air which shook the neighbouring houses, and extinguished a lamp burning at the entrance of the News-room, many hundred feet distant. The Sexton had gone into the church, as usual, to toll the eight o’clock bell; but was so terrified by the “fire-balls” that he saw in the sky, and by the fact that once or twice the clapper struck the side of the bell without his agency, that he made his work as short as possible, and had just gone out and locked the churchyard gate when the stroke fell. Two of the spectators of this awful event were Captain Jackson and the Rev. R. Burnaby, the rector of the parish, who both described the flash as a vivid stream of light, followed by a red and globular mass of fire, and darting obliquely from the north-west, with immense velocity, against the upper part of the spire. For the distance of forty feet on the eastern side, and nearly seventy on the west, the massive stone-work of the spire was instantly rent asunder and laid in ruins. Large blocks of stone were hurled in all directions, broken into small fragments, and in some cases, as there is every reason to believe, reduced to powder. One fragment of considerable size was hurled against the window of a house three hundred feet distant, shattering to pieces the woodwork, as well as fourteen out of the sixteen panes of glass, and strewing the room within with fine dust and fragments of glass. It has been computed that a hundred tons of stone were on this occasion blown to a distance of thirty feet in three seconds. In addition to the shivering of the spire, the pinnacles at the angles of the tower were all more or less damaged, the flying buttresses cracked through and violently shaken, many of the open battlements at the base of the spire knocked away, the roof of the church completely riddled, the roofs of the side-entrances destroyed, and the stone staircases of the gallery shattered. The top of the spire, when left without support beneath, fell perpendicularly downwards, inside the steeple, causing much devastation in its descent. Falling through the uppermost storey, and carrying along with it the bell and its solid supports, the ruined spire entered the room containing the clock, dashed the works to pieces, and penetrating the strong and well-supported floor, descended with additional momentum through the third and fourth floors (the latter being that just deserted by the prudent sexton), and reached the paved vestibule with so furious a shock as to drive in a portion of the strong foundation-arch, by which the weight of the whole tower was supported. On looking upward from the scene of ruin in this vestibule, the tower appeared like a well, so small were the vestiges of its various storeys.’

After minute examination, it was evident that the course of the lightning had been nearly as follows:—‘The flash first struck the gilded vane, marks of lightning being perceptible between its bevelled edges. After traversing the vane and spindle, and the terminating iron supports, the only path left for the fluid was through a series of iron cramps, separated by masses of sandstone; and here it was that the explosion commenced--the stone being torn and hurled aside as it came in the path of the lightning to the lowest lead lights of the spire. Most of these iron cramps were found to be powerfully magnetic; and one of them, eight weeks afterwards, sustained a very considerable brush of steel filings at its edges. The lattices of the lights on three sides of the spire were little injured; but on the fourth side the stone-work was shattered, and the lattice singularly twisted and partially fused. Here, it appears, another violent explosion took place, and the lightning diverging struck the north-west pinnacle, attracted apparently by the copper bolt by which the stones were held together. It also struck the large cast-iron pipe on the other side of the spire, reaching from the tower-battlements to the roof of the church; and during its passage down the pipe, and at an inequality in the surface of the metal, it displayed the most extraordinary expansive force, bursting open and scattering to a distance portions of metal of great solidity and weight. From the leadwork of the roof the lightning was conducted to the leaden gutters, and so finally to the earth.

‘The course of the remaining current in the interior of the tower was first to be traced on the lattices of the belfry, then in the clock-room, where the works of the clock were strongly magnetised, thence in at least three different directions to the outside of the tower. The external faces of the clock were not much altered, the hands were, however, slightly discoloured, and the blackened surfaces of the dials covered with streaks, as if smeared with a painter’s brush. On quitting the dial faces on the northern and southern sides of the tower, the lightning evidently fell upon the leads of the side lobbies, and was finally carried off by the two iron pipes connecting their roofs with the earth. Both these pipes were chipped and injured, and one of them was perforated, as if by a musket-shot, a few inches from the ground. The edges of this fracture were found to possess magnetic power. Thus, besides the division of the current at the upper part of the spire, there was a second division in at least three directions from the clock-room and dial faces. The roof of the church throughout its whole extent showed signs of an extraordinary diffusion of the electric current; and in almost every place where one piece of metal overlapped another, a powerful explosion had evidently taken place.’

As far as is known the church was unprovided with any lightning conductor. The same storm produced most disastrous effects in other parts of the Kingdom. Seven thousand panes of glass were broken by the hail in the Houses of Parliament; three hundred at the Police Office, Scotland Yard; other buildings in the metropolis suffered to a similar extent, the glass in the picture gallery at Buckingham Palace being totally destroyed and the apartment flooded with water.

Fig. 42 shows the spire of the church at West End, Southampton, which was struck by lightning on June 10, 1875. A large quantity of the stone-work was broken by the passage of the electric discharge, and some of the pieces were thrown to a great distance.

On September 27, 1875, the tower of the chapel of Merton College, Oxford, was struck by lightning. The damage done was confined to the mutilation of one of the corner pinnacles and the displacement of fragments of some of the stone-work which were thrown on to the leads and the pathway beneath. Some workmen were on the leads at the time, but fortunately were not hurt. The tower had lately been restored, and the scaffolding had only been removed a few days previous to the accident. A gentleman who had taken shelter from the storm in one of the workmen’s sheds beneath the tower was startled by seeing fragments of stone falling from above; looking up, he discovered that the tower had been struck, and immediately informed the college authorities. On ascending the tower it was found that one of the eight crocketted pinnacles had been struck. This pinnacle occupied the south-western corner, and had been completely and cleanly severed from summit to base. Fortunately, the stone-work displaced--which weighed about three hundredweight--was thrown on to the roof of the tower, a distance of twenty-five feet. The vane, slightly fused by the electric discharge, was found embedded in an upright position in the leads. The mouldings on the edges of the pinnacle were divided to the extent of four feet, and many of the stones were turned entirely round.

The tower, which was erected in 1424, and is one of the landmarks of Oxford, had not up to the time of the accident been provided with lightning conductors, but they have since been affixed to the building.

Fig. 44 shows the steeple of St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London, which was severely damaged by lightning on June 18, 1764. The spire of this steeple is built in four storeys, surmounted by an obelisk. These four storeys are braced together by means of horizontal iron bars; another iron bar, about twenty feet long and two inches square, passes through the upper part of the obelisk and supports the weathercock and other ornamental work on the top; there is also a great deal of iron-work used generally in the construction of this part of the building, thus forming a complete series of discontinuous metallic masses. When the lightning struck the building it was received by the long iron bar which supported the vane; at the lower end of the bar the electric discharge, meeting with no metallic conductor, burst with great violence, shattering the stone on which the bar rested; the lightning then pursued its course to earth, leaping from one piece of metal to another and breaking the stone-work in its way. The last trace of it was found at the west window of the belfry, from whence it seems to have found a road to the earth. The damage sustained by the structure was so great that eighty-five feet of the spire had to be entirely rebuilt.

The edifice was afterwards attentively examined (as explained in a previous chapter) by Dr. Watson, a well-known electrician in those days, who reported to the Royal Society that the accident ‘completely indicated the great danger of insulated masses of metal to buildings from lightning; and, on the contrary, evinced the utility and importance of masses of metal continued and properly conducted, in defending them from its direful effects. The iron and lead employed in this steeple, in order to strengthen and preserve it, did almost occasion its destruction; though, after it was struck by the lightning, had it not been for these materials keeping the remaining parts together, a great part of the steeple must have fallen.

Fig. 45 shows the condition of St. Michael’s Church, at Black Rock, near Cork, after being struck by lightning on January 29, 1836. The damage done was entirely on the windward side of the steeple, caused, as is suggested in Mr. Tomlinson’s work, by this side receiving the greatest quantity of rain, and so being rendered the ‘line of least resistance,’ but not a sufficiently good conductor to carry off the discharge to earth.

On Trinity Sunday, June 8th, 1879, a violent thunder-storm broke over the town of Wrexham about half-past three in the afternoon, during which the spire of St. Mark’s Church was struck by lightning. A Sunday-school class was being held in the room at the base of the spire, and the teacher and five of his scholars were burnt, three of them severely, and one had his leg broken. Some of the stone-work of the spire was also displaced and thrown down. The spire was fitted with a copper conductor, but it was of too small a calibre, and it is very doubtful whether the earth connection was all it should have been.

Many other cases might be enlarged upon, but enough have been given to prove the imperative need for a more general use of lightning conductors on all public and private buildings. Another equally important necessity is that lightning conductors should be erected on sound principles, and also be periodically examined and tested by some competent person.

_PUBLIC BUILDINGS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING._

+---------+---------------------+------------------+-----------------+ | DATE | BUILDING | DAMAGE | AUTHORITY | +---------+---------------------+------------------+-----------------+ | 1589. | Nicholas Tower, | The tower burnt | From original | | July 16| Hamburg | down | notices in | | | | | Reimarus, Bl. | | | | | 315 | | | | | | | 1670. | Nicholas Church, | Damaged | Phil. Trans. | | June 29| Straland | | v. 2084 | | | | | | | 1673. | Pharr Church, | Damaged | Breslauer | | June 29| Epperies, Hungary | | Samml. 1717, | | | | | p. 64 | | | | | | | 1693 | Oundle Church | Set on fire | Phil. Trans. | | | | | xvii. 710 | | | | | | | 1700. | Principal church, | Set on fire and | Mém. de | | Oct. 9 | Troies | shattered | l’Acad. de Sc. | | | | | Paris, 1760, | | | | | p. 65 | | | | | | | 1708. | All Hallows’ | Damaged | Phil. Trans. | | July | Church, Colchester | | 432 | | | | | | | 1711. | Principal town | Damaged | Scheuchzer, | | May 20 | tower in Bern; | | Meteorol. | | | houses adjoining | | Helv. p. 35 | | | | | | | 1711. | The belfry of the | Set on fire | Scheuchzer, | | May 23 | church at Solingen | | Meteorol. | | | | | Helv. p. 28 | | | | | | | 1714. | Elizabeth Tower, | Damaged | Breslauer | | June 21| Breslau | | Samml. 1717, | | | | | p. 68 | | | | | | | 1717. | Church at | Seven persons | Breslauer | | July 2 | Seidenberg, near | killed | Samml. 1718, | | | Zittau | | p. 1534 | | | | | | | 1718. | Twenty-four | Set on fire and | Hist. de | | April | churches between | shattered | l’Acad. de Sc. | | 14, 15 | Landerneau and | | Paris, 1719, | | | St. P. de Léon, | | p. 21 | | | Brittany | | | | | | | | | 1718. | Church tower at | Set on fire | Breslauer | | Dec. 14| Eutin | | Samml. 1718, | | | | | p. 1968 | | | | | | | 1725. | Church tower, | Lightning | Breslauer | | Dec. 18| Winterthur | followed an | Samml. 1725, | | | | accidental | p. 166 | | | | conductor, and | | | | | resulted in | | | | | melting it | | | | | | | | 1728. | Church tower, | Shattered | Reimarus, Bl. | | Aug. 25| Mellingen, in Baden| | 145 | | | | | | | 1731. | Three villages | Destroyed | Gent.’s Mag. | | July | near Geneva | | p. 309 | | | | | | | 1732. | The Escurial at | Set on fire | Gent.’s Mag. | | Oct. | Madrid | | p. 1034 | | | | | | | 1743. | Liberton Church, | Steeple | Gent.’s Mag. | | Aug. | Scotland | destroyed | xiv. 450 | | | | | | | 1745. | Tower of | Shattered. | Reimarus, Bl. | | July 21| monastery, Bologna | Lightning | 93 | | | | followed an | | | | | accidental | | | | | conductor, and | | | | | melted it | | | | | | | | 1746. | Tower of the | The ball on the | Reimarus, 198 | | May 21 | School Church, | tower bent, | | | | Halle | and other | | | | | mechanical | | | | | effects | | | | | | | | 1747. | Tower of the | Physio. and | Mém. de | | Aug. 20| College Church, | mechanical | l’Acad. de Sc. | | | Pluviers | effects | Paris, 1748, | | | | | p. 572 | | | | | | | 1748. | Top of a church | Shattered and | Hamburg | | May 31 | tower, Witzendorf | tore off the | Magazine, ix. | | | | roof; melted | 301 | | | | and shattered | | | | | accidental | | | | | conductor | | | | | | | | 1750. | Church tower, | Set on fire | Phil. Trans. | | Feb. 5 | Danbury, Essex | | xlvi. 611 | | | | | | | 1750. | Tower of Dutch | Lightning | Franklin, | | Spring | Church, New York | followed an | Experiments | | | | accidental | and | | | | conductor, | Observations | | | | which was | xv. 180 | | | | shattered, and | | | | | caused other | | | | | mechanical | | | | | effects | | | | | | | | 1751. | Tower of church, | Lightning | Phil. Trans. | | June 6 | South Moulton, | followed an | xlvii. 330 | | | Devonshire | accidental | | | | | conductor, | | | | | which was | | | | | shattered, and | | | | | caused other | | | | | mechanical | | | | | effects | | | | | | | | 1752. | Church tower, | Tower damaged; | Schwed. Abh. | | June 19| Alfwa, Sweden | several persons | xv. 80 | | | | injured | | | | | | | | 1753. | Darlington Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Mar. | | | xxiii. 145 | | | | | | | 1753. | Church of Les | Reduced to ashes | Gent.’s Mag. | | Oct. | Filles de St. | | xxiii. 487 | | | Sacrament, Naples | | | | | | | | | 1754. | Belfry of Newbury | Point of spire | Phil. Trans. | | June 16| Church | shattered, | xlix. 307 | | | | accidental | | | | | conductor | | | | | melted, and | | | | | other damage | | | | | | | | 1755 | Danish Church, | Clock damaged | Phil. Trans. | | | Wellclose Square | | xlix. 298 | | | | | | | 1755. | St. Aubin Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Dec. | Lorraine | | xxv. 42 | | | | | | | 1757. | Lostwithiel | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Jan. | Church, Cornwall | | xxviii. 427 | | | | | | | 1757. | Christ Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Nov. | Dublin | | xxvii. 527 | | | | | | | 1759. | Great Billing | Steeple | Ann. Reg. ii. | | April | Church, | destroyed | 84 | | | Northamptonshire | | | | | | | | | 1759. | Portsmouth Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | May | New Hampshire | | xxix. 355 | | | | | | | 1759. | Jacob Church, | Several persons | Reimarus, Bl. | | June 10| Aumale | injured | 158 | | | | | | | 1760. | Church, Altona | Lightning | Reimarus, 59 | | July 16| | struck the | | | | | copper covering | | | | | on the top of | | | | | spire, followed | | | | | accidental | | | | | conductors, and | | | | | melted them | | | | | | | | 1761. | Shifnal Church, | Greatly damaged | Ann. Reg. iv. | | June | Norfolk | | 136 | | | | | | | 1761. | Ludgvan Church, | Greatly damaged | Ann. Reg. iv. | | July | near Penzance | | 142 | | | | | | | 1763. | Harrow Church | Set on fire | Gent.’s Mag. | | Mar. | | | xxiii. 142 | | | | | | | 1763. | Salisbury Cathedral | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Mar. | | | xxiii. 143 | | | | | | | 1763. | Southam Church, | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Mar. | Warwickshire | | xxxiii. 142 | | | | | | | 1764. | St. Bride’s | Spire struck | Phil. Trans. | | June 18| Church, London | and much damaged| liv. 227 | | | | | | | 1765. | Bicester Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Aug. | | | xxxv. 391 | | | | | | | 1766. | Skipton-in-Craven | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. ix. | | July | Church | | 118 | | | | | | | 1766. | St. Mary’s Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. ix. | | Aug. | Bury St. Edmunds | | 122 | | | | | | | 1767. | Provence, France | Three churches | Ann. Reg. x. 81 | | April | | set on fire | | | | | | | | 1767. | Mentz Cathedral | Set on fire | Ann. Reg. x. 92 | | May | | | | | | | | | | 1767. | Nicholas Tower, | Lightning | Reimarus, Bl. | | Aug. 6 | Hamburg | followed | 291 | | | | accidental | | | | | conductors, and | | | | | partly melted | | | | | them | | | | | | | | 1767. | Genoa | Several | Ann. Reg. x. | | Sept. | | churches damaged| 126 | | | | | | | 1768. | Church tower in | Damaged. | Haarlem Verh. | | Aug. 21| Alem | Several persons | xiv. 34 | | | | injured | | | | | | | | 1770. | St. Keverns | Damaged. | Hemmer, Act. | | Feb. 18| Church, Cornwall | Several persons | Acd. Palat. | | | | injured | iv. 37 | | | | | | | 1771. | Nicholas Church, | Lightning | Ackermann’s | | Feb. 2 | Kiel | followed | notice, Kiel, | | | | accidental | 1772 | | | | conductor, and | | | | | left traces | | | | | | | | 1772. | St. Paul’s | Lightning | Arago, iv. 88 | | Mar. | Cathedral, London | followed | | | | | accidental | | | | | conductor, and | | | | | left traces | | | | | | | | 1773. | Lighthouse at | Destroyed | Gent.’s Mag. | | April | Villafranca, Nice | | xliii. 246 | | | | | | | 1773. | Rhichenback, Saxony | Town reduced to | Ann. Reg. xvi. | | June | | ashes | 115 | | | | | | | 1773 | St. Peter’s | Shattered the | Phil. Trans. | | | Church, London | tower roof | lxv. 336 | | | | | | | 1774. | Buckland Church, | Damaged | Ann. Reg. | | Aug. | near Dover | | xvii. 140 | | | | | | | 1775. | St. Colomb Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. | | Feb. | Cornwall | | xviii. 91 | | | | | | | 1775. | A church in Munich | Tower injured | Epp. 90 | | June 27| | | | | | | | | | 1776. | Cuckfield Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. xix. | | Aug. | Suffolk | | 170 | | | | | | | 1778. | Church in Altona | Metal melted | Reimarus, Bl. | | April | | | 64 | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | 1780. | Church of the Holy | Injured | Reimarus, N.B. | | Sept. | Spirit, Hamburg | | 47 | | | | | | | 1780. | Hammersmith Church | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. | | Oct. | | | xxiii. 230 | | | | | | | 1783. | Ashbourne Church, | Steeple | Gent.’s Mag. | | July | Derbyshire | demolished | liii. 707 | | | | | | | 1783 | St. Mary’s, | Steeple | | | | Leicester | demolished | | | | | | | | 1786. | Church in | Shattered. | Act. Acad. | | June 26| Wachenheim | People injured | Theod. Palat. | | | | | vi. 332 | | | | | | | 1787. | St. Mary’s Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | Grenoble | | lvii. 820 | | | | | | | 1787. | Vendamir Church, | Several persons | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | Vercovia | killed | lvii. 820 | | | | | | | 1787. | St. Gregorius | Set on fire | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | Church, Prague | | lvii. 820 | | | | | | | 1787. | Cranbrook Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | | | lvii. 824 | | | | | | | 1789. | Pforzheim Church | Entirely | Gent.’s Mag. | | May | | consumed, | lix. 754 | | | | with thirty | | | | | adjoining | | | | | buildings | | | | | | | | 1789. | Barnewell Church, | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | near Oundle | | lix. 665 | | | | | | | 1790. | Beckenham Church | Set on fire | Ann. Reg. | | Dec. | | | xxxii. 229 | | | | | | | 1790. | Horsham Church | Set on fire | Ann. Reg. | | Dec. | | | xxxii. 229 | | | | | | | 1791. | Ashton-under-Lyne | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. | | Jan. | Church | | xxxiii. 3 | | | | | | | 1791. | Rainham Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Oct. | | | lxi. 1050 | | | | | | | 1795. | Castor Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | | | lxv. 517 | | | | | | | 1795. | Church in Bergen, | Set on fire | Gilb. Ann. | | Dec. 25| Norway | | xxix. 176 | | | | | | | 1797. | Grantham Church | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | July | | | lxviii. 104 | | | | | | | 1797. | Caldecot Church, | Spire much | Gent.’s Mag. | | Aug. | Rutland | damaged | lxvii. 817 | | | | | | | 1801. | Corby Church | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | July | | | lxxi. 659 | | | | | | | 1804. | St. Gertrude | Burnt by | Gent.’s Mag. | | Mar. | Church at Nevelles | lightning | lxxiv. 368 | | | | | | | 1804. | St. Maria at | Burnt by | | | Mar. | Oudenard in | lightning | | | | Flanders | | | | | | | | | 1804. | Edenham Church, | Damaged | Ann. Reg. | | June | Lincoln | | xlvi. 394 | | | | | | | 1804. | Hanslope Church, | Spire destroyed | Ann. Reg. | | June | Bucks | | xlvi. 395 | | | | | | | 1806. | Sunbury Church, | Damaged | Ann. Reg. | | July | Middlesex | | xlviii. 426 | | | | | | | 1807 | Montvilliers | Damaged | Howard’s | | | Church, France | | Climate of | | | | | London, ii. 29 | | | | | | | 1810. | Attercliffe Chapel | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | July | | | | | | | | | | 1811. | Ashford Church | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | | | lxxxi. 584 | | | | | | | 1811. | Ledbury Parish | Damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Dec. | Church | | lxxxi. 650 | | | | | | | 1812 | St. Pelverin | Set on fire and | Howard’s | | | Church, Department | burnt to the | Climate of | | | of the Loire | ground | London, ii. 165| | | | | | | 1813 | Bridgwater Church | Spire destroyed | Howard’s | | | | | Climate of | | | | | London, ii. 222| | | | | | | 1813 | Weston Zoyland | Tower much | Howard’s | | | Church | damaged | Climate of | | | | | London, ii. 222| | | | | | | 1814. | Thackstead Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | Nov. | Essex | | lxxxiv. 491 | | | | | | | 1815 | The steeples of | Struck and set | Howard’s | | | many churches in | on fire nearly | Climate of | | | Belgium, in places | at the same hour| London, ii. 259| | | far distant from | | | | | one another | | | | | | | | | 1816. | Worschetz, county | Church and the | Ann. Reg. | | July | of Temeswar | town greatly | lviii. 102 | | | | damaged | | | | | | | | 1816. | Moselle Church | Damaged | Ann. Reg. | | Oct. | | | lviii. 161 | | | | | | | 1817. | St. Paulinas | Set on fire | Ann. Reg. lix. | | Mar. | Church, Germany | | 15 | | | | | | | 1819. | St. Martin’s | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. lxi. | | Jan. | Church, Guernsey | | 5 | | | | | | | 1819. | Sedgeford Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. lxi. | | July | Lynn | | 50 | | | | | | | 1821. | Tower of | Church burned | Gilb. Ann. | | May 7 | Katherine’s | | lxviii. 224 | | | Church, | | | | | Gross-Selten | | | | | | | | | 1821. | Wooden Tower of | Tower burned | Gilb. Ann. | | May 7 | Katherine Church, | | lxviii. 224 | | | Tischendorf | | | | | | | | | 1821. | Church at Carlsruhe | Damaged | Gilb. Ann. | | May 8 | | | lxviii. 224 | | | | | | | 1821. | Redcliffe Church, | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | April | Bristol | | xci. 367 | | | | | | | 1822. | Church at | Damaged | Wurtemberger | | Jan. 15| Gerstetten | | Jahreshafte, | | | | | xi. 463 | | | | | | | 1822. | North Luffenham | Much damaged | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | Church, Rutland | | xcii. 636 | | | | | | | 1822. | Church at Chatham | Spire ripped | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. | | open | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 165 | | | | | | | 1822. | Rouen Cathedral | Set on fire | Tomlinson’s | | Sept. | | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 165 | | | | | | | 1822. | St. Peter’s | Reduced to ruins | Gent.’s Mag. | | Oct. | Church, Venice | | xcii. 553 | | | | | | | 1823 | Kemble Church, | Spire destroyed | Howard’s | | | Wilts | | Climate of | | | | | London, iii. | | | | | 135 | | | | | | | 1823. | Shaugh Church, | Tower struck | Tomlinson’s | | Feb. | near Plymouth | and much | Thunderstorm, | | | | shattered. An | p. 165 | | | | iron conductor | | | | | had been | | | | | erected about | | | | | two years | | | | | before, but | | | | | this had rusted | | | | | and gone to | | | | | decay | | | | | | | | 1824. | Church at | Damaged | Würtemberger | | July 10| Simmerfeld | | Jahreshafte, | | | | | xi. 463 | | | | | | | 1824. | Charles Church, | Steeple struck, | Tomlinson’s | | Nov. | Plymouth | and the small | Thunderstorm, | | | | brass rod | p. 165 | | | | erected as | | | | | a lightning | | | | | conductor | | | | | knocked to | | | | | pieces | | | | | | | | 1825— | Torrington Church, | Tower and | Tomlinson’s | | about | North Devon | steeple ruined. | Thunderstorm, | | | | They had to be | p. 165 | | | | rebuilt | | | | | | | | 1826. | Alphington Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. | | June | near Exeter | | 1826, p. 97 | | | | | | | 1827 | Pailant Church, | Considerably | Howard’s | | | Chichester | damaged | Climate of | | | | | London, iii. | | | | | 259 | | | | | | | 1827. | Church Tower, | Set on fire, | Würtemberger | | Jan. 11| Bussen | although | Jahreshafte, | | | | covered with | xi. 463 | | | | snow | | | | | | | | 1828. | Edlesborough Church | Set on fire | Gent.’s Mag. | | April | | | xcviii. 358 | | | | | | | 1828. | Kingsbridge | Steeple rent, | Tomlinson’s | | June | Church, Devon | and other damage| Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 165 | | | | | | | 1828. | Kilcoleman Church, | Spire destroyed | Ann. Reg. p. | | Oct. | co. Mayo | | 131 | | | | | | | 1830. | Independent | Damaged | Ann. Reg. p. | | July | Chapel, Edgworth | | 101 | | | Moor, near Bolton | | | | | | | | | 1830. | Marlborough | Tower and | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. | Church, near | church severely | Thunderstorm, | | | Kingsbridge, Devon | damaged | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1831. | Kilmichael Church, | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. p. 39 | | Feb. | Glassire | | | | | | | | | 1833. | Strasburg Cathedral | Much damaged | Builder, ii. 39 | | Aug. | | | | | | | | | | 1835. | Church Tower, | Much shattered | Würtemb. | | May 16 | Endersbach | | Jahreshafte, | | | | | xi. 465 | | | | | | | 1835. | Durham Cathedral | Western tower | Ann. Reg. p. 94 | | June | | damaged | | | | | | | | 1836. | Black Rock, near | Spire demolished | Tomlinson’s | | Jan. | Cork | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1836. | Christ Church, | The spire | Tomlinson’s | | Nov. | Doncaster | shattered and | Thunderstorm, | | | | the church | p. 166 | | | | greatly | | | | | injured. The | | | | | roof was | | | | | smashed in, and | | | | | the churchyard | | | | | presented | | | | | a scene of | | | | | ruin and | | | | | devastation. | | | | | The spire was | | | | | surmounted by a | | | | | ball of glass | | | | | to keep off the | | | | | lightning! | | | | | | | | 1837. | Hoo Church, Kent | Set on fire | Gent.’s Mag. | | June | | | N.S. viii. p. | | | | | 80 | | | | | | | 1839. | Church tower in | Damaged | Arago, Notiz, | | Jan 8 | Hasselt | | 125 | | | | | | | 1841. | Spitalfields, | Spire rent, and | Tomlinson’s | | Jan. | London | other damages | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1841 | Streatham | Spire nearly | Tomlinson’s | | | | destroyed, and | Thunderstorm, | | | | church set on | p. 166 | | | | fire | | | | | | | | 1841. | Walton Church, | Spire destroyed | Tomlinson’s | | May 10 | Stafford | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1841. | St. Michael’s, | Beautiful spire | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. 24| Liverpool | shattered, and | Thunderstorm, | | | | clock injured | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1841. | St. Martin’s, | Spire | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. 24| Liverpool | shattered, and | Thunderstorm, | | | | other damage | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1841 | Wolverhampton | Set on fire | Annals of | | | Parish Church | | Electricity, | | | | | vi. 504 | | | | | | | 1841 | Spitalfields Church | Steeple damaged | Annals of | | | | | Electricity, | | | | | vi. 504 | | | | | | | 1842. | Brixton Church, | Dome and | Tomlinson’s | | April | London | building much | Thunderstorm, | | 24 | | rent | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1842. | St. Martin’s, | Spire | Tomlinson’s | | July 28| London | shattered; cost | Thunderstorm, | | | | of repair, | p. 166 | | | | 1,500_l._ | | | | | | | | 1843. | Exton Church, | Spire | Tomlinson’s | | April | Rutland | destroyed; | Thunderstorm, | | 25 | | church set on | p. 166 | | | | fire and nearly | | | | | destroyed | | | | | | | | 1843. | St. Mark’s, Hull | Slightly damaged | Tomlinson’s | | May 25 | | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1843. | North Huish, near | Steeple | Tomlinson’s | | Oct. | Modbury, Devon | shattered | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1844. | Oving Church, near | Spire damaged | Tomlinson’s | | Mar. | Chichester | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1844 | St. Clement’s, | Clock injured | Tomlinson’s | | | London | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1844. | Magdalen Tower, | One of the | Tomlinson’s | | July | Oxford | pinnacles | Thunderstorm, | | | | damaged; | p. 166 | | | | staircase | | | | | injured | | | | | | | | 1844. | Stannington | Seriously | Tomlinson’s | | July 20| Church, near | damaged | Thunderstorm, | | | Sheffield | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1846. | Church near | Damaged | Compt. Rend. | | June 14| Chambrey | | xxiii. 153 | | | | | | | 1846. | St. George’s | Spire destroyed | Builder, iv. | | Aug. | Church, Leicester | | 395 | | | | | | | 1846. | Dedham Church, | Much damaged | Builder, iv. | | Aug. | Essex | | 395 | | | | | | | 1846. | Village of | Completely | Journal des | | Oct. | Schledorf, near | destroyed | Debats, Oct. | | | Munich | | 20, 1846 | | | | | | | 1847. | Her Majesty’s | One tower much | Builder, vii. | | June | palace, Osborne | damaged | 291 | | | | | | | 1847. | Church in Thann | Much damaged | Compt. Rend. | | June | | | xxix. 485 | | | | | | | 1847. | Walton Church, | Lightning | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. | Lincolnshire | entered at the | Thunderstorm, | | | | belfry; one man | p. 158 | | | | killed, several | | | | | injured | | | | | | | | 1849. | St. Saviour’s, | Damaged | Ann. Reg. xci. | | July | Southwark | | 80 | | | | | | | 1850. | Norton-by-Gaulby | Spire much | Builder, viii. | | May | Church | damaged | 248 | | | | | | | 1850. | Little Stretton | Much damaged | Builder, viii. | | May | Church | | | | | | | | | 1850. | Roman Catholic | Bell-turret | Builder, viii. | | Aug. | Church, York | shattered | 405 | | | | | | | 1850. | Keysoe Church | Considerably | Builder, viii. | | Oct. | | damaged | 509 | | | | | | | 1850. | Cobridge Church, | Considerably | Builder, viii. | | Nov. | Potteries | damaged | 533 | | | | | | | 1851. | St. Sepulchre’s | Much damaged | Builder, ix. | | May | Church, Northampton| | 329 | | | | | | | 1851. | Edinburgh Assembly | Much damaged | Builder, ix. | | May | Hall | | 305 | | | | | | | 1851. | Boulogne Cathedral | Dome damaged | Builder, ix. | | June | | | 415 | | | | | | | 1852. | Ross Church, | Severely damaged | Tomlinson’s | | July 6 | Hereford | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 166 | | | | | | | 1852. | Woolpit Church, | Tower and spire | Builder, x. 492 | | July | Suffolk | destroyed | | | | | | | | 1852. | Leighton Buzzard | Much damaged | Builder, x. 492 | | July | Church | | | | | | | | | 1852 | Exton Parish Church | Church nearly | Builder, xii. | | | | destroyed | 575 | | | | | | | 1853. | Derby Church | Much damaged | Builder, xi. 28 | | Jan. | | | | | | | | | | 1853. | Parish Church, | Entirely | Builder, xi. 43 | | Jan. | Eskdalemuir, | destroyed | | | | Dumfries | | | | | | | | | 1853. | Lincoln Cathedral | Struck | Tomlinson’s | | Feb. | | north-west | Thunderstorm, | | | | pinnacle of | p. 166 | | | | the broad | | | | | tower; set on | | | | | fire; narrowly | | | | | escaped | | | | | destruction | | | | | | | | 1853. | Skipton Church | Much damaged | Builder, xi. | | July | | | 423 | | | | | | | 1853. | Hereford Old | Slightly damaged | Builder, xi. | | July | Parish Church | | 487 | | | | | | | 1853. | Chaddesley Corbett | Considerably | Builder, xi. | | Nov. | Church | damaged | 704 | | | | | | | 1854. | Hanwell Church | Spire much | Builder, xii. | | May | | damaged | 283 | | | | | | | 1854. | Helpringham Church | Spire much | Builder, xii. | | May | | damaged | 269 | | | | | | | 1854. | Ealing Church | Had a common | Tomlinson’s | | June | | conductor, | Thunderstorm, | | | | which was | p. 167 | | | | fused; the | | | | | church slightly | | | | | damaged | | | | | | | | 1854. | Ashbury Church | Had a common | Tomlinson’s | | July | | conductor, | Thunderstorm, | | | | which was | p. 167 | | | | fused; church | | | | | damaged, but | | | | | not considerably| | | | | | | | 1854. | Tower of Magdalen | Much damaged | Tomlinson’s | | July 19| College, Oxford | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1854. | National School | Three children | Ann. Reg. | | Aug. | Chapel, St. Mary, | killed, several | xcvi. 140 | | | Ipswich | injured | | | | | | | | 1855. | Trinity Church, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xiii. | | May | Southwark | | 239 | | | | | | | 1855. | St. Mark’s, | Considerably | Builder, xiii. | | May | Myddelton Square | damaged | 239 | | | | | | | 1855. | Holy Trinity | Slightly damaged | Builder, xiii. | | July | Church, Brompton | | 348 | | | | | | | 1855. | St. Ebbe’s Parish | Slightly damaged | Builder, xiii. | | July | Church | | 348 | | | | | | | 1856. | Chimney at | Much damaged; | Tomlinson’s | | Feb. | Liverpool, 310 ft. | struck at 20 | Thunderstorm, | | | high | yds. below the | p. 167 | | | | top | | | | | | | | 1856. | Hemingbrough Ch. | Much damaged | Builder, xiv. | | June | | | 348 | | | | | | | 1856. | Clapton Church | Much damaged | Builder, xiv. | | July | | | 391 | | | | | | | 1856 | Addlethorpe Church, | Much damaged | Builder, xiv. | | | | | 391 | | July | Lincolnshire | | | | | | | | | 1856. | Church of St. | Much damaged | Tomlinson’s | | July 14| Ebbe, Oxford | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1856. | Holy Trinity | Much damaged | Builder, xiv. | | Aug. | Church, Manchester | | 451 | | | | | | | 1857. | Parish Church, | Steeple set on | Tomlinson’s | | May | Wisborough, Sussex | fire | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857 | Walgrave Church | Damaged | Tomlinson’s | | | | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857. | Wargrave Church, | Pinnacle | Tomlinson’s | | May | Twyford | destroyed | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857. | Tower of Windsor | Four tons | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. | Castle | of parapet | Thunderstorm, | | | | demolished | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857 | Independent | Set on fire | Tomlinson’s | | | Chapel, Portsmouth | | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857. | St. Michael’s | Pinnacle | Tomlinson’s | | Aug. | Church, Stamford | demolished | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857 | Trinity Church, | Struck during | Tomlinson’s | | | Southwark | service | Thunderstorm, | | | | | p. 167 | | | | | | | 1857. | A gasometer at | Struck, and gas | Builder, xv. | | Aug. | the Chartered Gas | ignited | 488 | | | Co.’s works, St. | | | | | Luke’s | | | | | | | | | 1858. | The monument to | Slightly injured | | | July | Dugald Stuart at | | | | | Edinburgh | | | | | | | | | 1858. | Peak Hall, near | Church struck; | Tomlinson’s | | July | Stoke-on-Trent | roof damaged, | Thunderstorm, | | | | walls seriously | p. 167 | | | | fractured, and | | | | | organ injured | | | | | | | | 1862. | Mashbury Church, | Set on fire | Builder, xx. | | May | Essex | | 391 | | | | | | | 1862. | Bampton Parish | Much damaged | Builder, xx. | | May | Church | | 391 | | | | | | | 1862. | Rainham Parish | Damaged | Builder, xx. | | May | Church, Kent | | 391 | | | | | | | 1862. | Tackley (near | Much damaged | Building News, | | July | Woodstock) Parish | | 1862, p. 77 | | | Church | | | | | | | | | 1863. | Dunoon Church, | Nearly destroyed | Builder, xxi. | | Feb. | Scotland | | 140 | | | | | | | 1863. | St. Paul’s Church, | Considerably | Building News, | | June | Manchester | damaged | 1863, p. 457 | | | | | | | 1864. | St. Mary, York | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxii. | | Sept. | | | 691 | | | | | | | 1865 | St. Lawrence, | Much damaged | Builder, | | Jan. | Nuremberg, Bavaria | | xxiii. 53 | | | | | | | 1865. | St. Mary’s Church, | Much damaged | Builder, | | July | Stamford | | xxiii. 526 | | | | | | | 1865. | St. Botolph | Much damaged | Builder, | | July | Church, Boston | | xxiii. 526 | | | | | | | 1865. | Roman Catholic | Much damaged | Builder, | | July | Chapel, Colchester | | xxiii. 526 | | | | | | | 1867. | Sutton-in-Ashfield | Spire destroyed | Builder, xxv. | | Sept. | Church, | | 695 | | | Nottinghamshire | | | | | | | | | 1867. | St. Pé-Saint-Simon | Much damaged | Builder, xxv. | | Sept. | Church, France | | 684 | | | | | | | 1867. | Sanzet Church | Set on fire | Builder, xxv. | | Sept. | | | 684 | | | | | | | 1868. | St. Paul’s Church, | Much damaged | Builder, xxvi. | | May | Little Chester, | | 340 | | | Derby | | | | | | | | | 1868. | St. Stephen’s, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxvi. | | June | Southwark | | 433 | | | | | | | 1868. | Temporary | Set on fire | Builder, xxvi. | | June | Congregational | | 433 | | | Church, Buckhurst | | | | | Hill | | | | | | | | | 1868. | Victoria Tower, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxvi. | | June | Houses of | | 416 | | | Parliament | | | | | | | | | 1868. | Morville Church, | Much damaged | Builder, xxvi. | | June | Shropshire | | 416 | | | | | | | 1868. | School, Furze | Much damaged | Builder, xxvi. | | June | Hill, Brighton | | 416 | | | | | | | 1868. | Church, Shanghai | Destroyed | Builder, xxvi. | | June | | | 416 | | | | | | | 1870 | St. Saviour’s, | One pinnacle | Builder, | | | Southwark | destroyed and | xxviii. 604 | | | | church damaged | | | | | | | | 1870 | Rotherfield Church | Considerably | Builder, | | | | damaged | xxviii. 604 | | | | | | | 1871. | Hethersett Church | Much damaged | Builder, xxix. | | June | | | 450 | | | | | | | 1871. | St. John’s Church, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxix. | | June | Bury St. Edmunds | | 450 | | | | | | | 1871. | St. Margaret’s | Much damaged | Ann. Reg. p. 72 | | July | Church, King’s Lynn| | | | | | | | | 1871. | Cromer Church | Damaged | Ann. Reg. p. 72 | | July | | | | | | | | | | 1871. | Congregational | Considerably | Scientific | | Sept. | Church, Terre | damaged | American, xxv. | | | Haute, Ind., U.S. | | 161 | | | | | | | 1872. | St. Mary’s Church, | Set on fire and | Builder, xxx. | | Jan. | Crumpsall, | destroyed | 51 | | | Manchester | | | | | | | | | 1872. | Baptist Chapel, Wem | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | June | | | 511 | | | | | | | 1872. | St. Mary’s Church, | Set on fire and | Builder, xxx. | | June | Beeston, Norfolk | destroyed | 423 | | | | | | | 1872. | St. Martin’s | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | June | Church, Birmingham | | 423 | | | | | | | 1872. | Rainham Church, | Damaged | Builder, xxx. | | May | Kent | | 391 | | | | | | | 1872. | Mashbury Church, | Set on fire | Builder, xxx. | | May | Essex | | 391 | | | | | | | 1872. | Bampton Parish | Much damaged | Builder, xxx. | | May | Church | | 391 | | | | | | | 1872. | Chiddingley Church | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | June | | | 484 | | | | | | | 1872. | All Saints’ | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | June | School, Little | | 484 | | | Horton | | | | | | | | | 1872. | Kibblesworth | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | June | Wesleyan Chapel | | 484 | | | | | | | 1872. | Brixton Church | Considerably | Builder, xxx. | | July | | damaged | 603 | | | | | | | 1872. | Leigh Church | Severely injured | Builder, xxx. | | July | | | 591 | | | | | | | 1872. | St. Giles, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxx. | | Aug. | Cripplegate | | 629 | | | | | | | 1872. | Holy Trinity | Severely injured | Builder, xxx. | | Aug. | Church, Windsor | | 610 | | | | | | | 1872. | Dundonald Parish | Spire and roof | | | Sept. | Church | damaged | | | | | | | | 1873. | Parish Church, | Slightly damaged | Builder, xxxi. | | April | Cromer | | 331 | | | | | | | 1873. | Martham Church | Much damaged | Builder, xxxi. | | April | | | 331 | | | | | | | 1873. | Ripponden Church | Much damaged | Builder, xxxi. | | Nov. | | | 875 | | | | | | | 1873. | Industrial School, | Set on fire | Builder, xxxi. | | Nov. | Mosbank, Glasgow | | 875 | | | | | | | 1874. | Chesterfield Church | Slightly damaged | Builder, | | July | | | xxxii. 613 | | | | | | | 1874. | Christ Church, | Slightly damaged | Builder, | | July | Salford | | xxxii. 613 | | | | | | | 1874. | St. Luke’s, | Set on fire, | Builder, | | July | Homerton | much damaged | xxxii. 613 | | | | | | | 1874. | General Post | Slightly damaged | Builder, | | July | Office, St. | | xxxii. 613 | | | Martin’s le Grand | | | | | | | | | 1874. | Military Prison, | Slightly damaged | Builder, | | July | R.A. Barracks, | | xxxii. 613 | | | Woolwich | | | | | | | | | 1874. | Free Church of | Completely | Builder, | | July | Braco, Perthshire | destroyed | xxxii. 613 | | | | | | | 1874. | Ayot St. Peter | Completely | Ann. Reg. p. 70 | | July | Parish Church, | destroyed | | | | Herts | | | | | | | | | 1875. | Chester le Street, | Spire | Newcastle | | June | Durham | considerably | Chronicle, | | | | damaged | June 16th | | | | | | | 1875. | West End Church, | Spire destroyed | Builder, | | June | near Southampton | | xxxiii. 586 | | | | | | | 1875. | London and South | Destroyed | Builder, | | June | Western Railway | | xxxiii. 586 | | | Co.’s tall | | | | | chimney shaft at | | | | | Southampton | | | | | | | | | 1875. | Barthomley Church, | Damaged | Daily paper | | July | near Crewe | | | | | | | | | 1875. | St. Mary’s Church, | Much damaged | Builder, | | July | Birkenhead | | xxxiii. 632 | | | | | | | 1875. | St. Nicholas | Much damaged | Builder, | | Aug. | Church, | | xxxiii. 783 | | | Blundellsands | | | | | | | | | 1876. | Cottingham Church, | Set on fire | Daily paper | | Mar. | near Hull | | | | | | | | | 1876. | Snettisham Church | Considerably | Daily paper | | April | | damaged | | | | | | | | 1876. | Shotts Parish | Steeple | Daily paper | | April | Church | destroyed | | | | | | | | 1876. | Union Workhouse, | Roof set on fire | Daily | | July | Retford | | Chronicle, | | | | | July 25 | | | | | | | 1876. | Bishopstone Church | Considerably | Lloyd’s Weekly | | July | | damaged | News, July 23 | | | | | | | 1876. | Wilmcote Church | Considerably | Lloyd’s Weekly | | July | | damaged | News, July 23 | | | | | | | 1876. | St. Peter’s | Considerably | Sunday Times, | | July | Church, | damaged | July 23 | | | Stratford-on-Avon | | | | | | | | | 1876. | Market Hall, | Damaged | Daily | | July | Doncaster | | Telegraph, | | | | | July 24 | | | | | | | 1876. | Grey Friars Tower, | Considerably | Daily paper | | Sept. | King’s Lynn | damaged | | | | | | | | 1877. | Catholic Church, | Six persons | Globe, May 31, | | May | Wieschen, Poland | killed and | 1877 | | | | seventy | | | | | seriously | | | | | injured | | | | | | | | 1877. | All Saints Church, | Much damaged | Builder’s | | May | Stand Whiteland, | | Weekly | | | Lancashire | | Reporter, May | | | | | 25, 1877 | | | | | | | 1878. | Sir David Baird’s | Almost entirely | Daily | | May | monument, | destroyed | Telegraph, May | | | Perthshire | | 30 | | | | | | | 1878. | St. Luke’s Church, | Damaged | Daily paper | | June | Hackney | | | | | | | | | 1878. | Wesleyan Chapel, | Damaged | Daily paper | | July | Southampton | | | | | | | | | 1878. | Free Methodist | Damaged | Daily paper | | July | Church, Tamworth | | | | | | | | | 1878. | St. Jude’s Church, | Much damaged | Daily paper | | July | Bethnal Green | | | | | | | | | 1878. | Church of the Holy | Considerably | The Times, | | July | Nativity, Knowle | damaged | July 27 | | | | | | | 1879. | Henlow Church, | Considerably | The Times, | | April | Bedfordshire | damaged | April 18 | | | | | | | 1879. | Laughten-en-le- | Considerably | The Times, May | | May | Morthen Church | damaged | | | | | | | | 1879. | St. Marie’s | Set fire to the | Weekly | | June | Church, Rugby | woodwork | Dispatch, June | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | 1879. | Clevedon Market | Very much | Daily | | June | House, nr. Bristol | damaged | Chronicle, | | | | | June 10 | | | | | | | 1879. | Parish Church, | Burnt to the | Norwich paper | | Aug. | Wells, Norfolk | ground | | | | | | | | 1879. | Cromer Church | Pinnacle damaged | Daily paper | | Aug. | | | | | | | | | | 1879. | St. Bride’s | Slightly damaged | Daily paper | | Aug. | Church, Stepney | | | | | | | | | 1879. | Sanctuary of | Damaged. | Electrician, | | Sept. | Madonna de | Several persons | Sept. 6 | | | Valmala, Valmala | killed | | +---------+---------------------+------------------+-----------------+

_POWDER MAGAZINES STRUCK BY LIGHTNING._

+-------+------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | DATE | BUILDING | DAMAGE | +-------+------------------------------+-----------------------------+ | 1732. | Gunpowder Magazine at | Exploded. City laid in | | Oct. | Compost Major, Portugal | ruins; above 1,000 people | | | | injured | | | | | | 1739. | Bremen | 1,000 houses destroyed | | Sept.| | | | | | | | 1763. | Fort Augusta, Jamaica, | Great number killed; much | | Nov. | powder magazine, containing | damage to property | | | 2,850 barrels of powder | | | | | | | 1769. | Brescia Magazine, containing | Exploded; 3,000 persons | | Aug. | 207,600 lbs. of powder | killed | | | | | | 1769 | Venice | 400 persons killed | | | | | | 1772. | Chester | Great damage to property; | | Nov. | | many lives lost | | | | | | 1773 | Cambray | 18 people killed; several | | | | houses greatly damaged | | | | | | 1773 | Abbeville | 150 persons killed; 100 | | | | houses destroyed | | | | | | 1780. | Malaga Gunpowder Magazine | | | Aug. | | | | | | | | 1782. | Sumatra Gunpowder Magazine | | | Mar. | | | | | | | | 1785. | Tangiers Gunpowder Magazine | | | May | | | | | | | | 1807. | Luxembourg Gunpowder Magazine| About 12 tons of powder | | June | | exploded | | | | | | 1808. | Venice Gunpowder Magazine | | | Sept.| | | | | | | | 1829. | Navarino Gunpowder Magazine | 17 killed; 78 wounded | | Nov. | | | | | | | | 1840. | Bombay Gunpowder Works Dum | | | June | Dum Gunpowder Magazine | | | | | | | 1843. | Sicily, Puzzaloni Gunpowder | | | April| Magazine | | | | | | | 1843. | Spain, Gaucin Gunpowder | A number of persons | | April| Magazine | killed; church and 200 | | | | houses destroyed | | | | | | 1853 | Hounslow Gunpowder Magazine | | | | | | | 1855. | Firework manufactory, | Exploded | | Oct. | Liverpool | | | | | | | 1856. | Rhodes Gunpowder Magazine | A considerable number of | | Nov. | | persons killed, and a | | | | large portion of the town | | | | laid in ruins | | | | | | 1857. | Bombay, Joudpore | About 1,000 persons | | Aug. | | killed; 500 houses | | | | destroyed | | | | | | 1878. | Bruntcliffe Colliery, near | Exploded | | Aug. | Leeds; powder magazine, | | | | containing about one ton of | | | | powder | | | | | | | 1878. | Pottsville, Pa., U.S.; a | Exploded; 3 persons | | Aug. | powder magazine containing | killed, several injured; | | | 25,000 lbs. of powder | many houses wrecked | +-------+------------------------------+-----------------------------+