July

July was the traditional month for haymaking and this means that many of the available archive sources, which comment on the weather, link it directly to this activity. Rain delayed haymaking and in some cases ruined hay crops. The financial cost to a farmer of losing his hay as a result of rain could be considerable. There are examples of very wet Julys in the county. In 1888, 1923 and 1930 over five inches of rain fell in the month. In 1930 it was noted that continual rain fell in parts of the county for 24 hours on 20 July.  
 
Formal weather records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show that July could also be a month with really hot spells, with temperatures recorded in the 80s Fahrenheit. Particularly warm Julys in Staffordshire included the years 1911, when the temperatures went up into the 90s Fahrenheit, 1925, 1929, 1933 and 1959. On the other hand there could be much cooler spells. In 1888 and 1930 for example, lows of 53° Fahrenheit were recorded in the month.
 
July was also as prone to thunderstorms as June.  1914 was a year in which ‘tremendous’ and damaging thunderstorms were recorded at Weston Park in the west of the county.
 
The extracts are arranged chronologically by the day to show the progression of weather through the month.

Drought Breaks at Teddesley, 1 July 1844

Intense Heat Hits Walsall, 3-24 July 1921

Thunderstorm Provokes Terror in Wombourne, 5 July 1640

Rain Stops Play at Burton, 8-16 July 1908

Fine Weather for Haymaking at Hanchurch, 12 – 14 July 1827

Flash Floods in and around Stafford, 14 July 1852

Poor Haymaking Weather at Longnor, 15 July 1909

Reservoir Level Down at Rudyard, 18 July 1915

Perfect Weather for Land Army Girls’ Treat at Milford, 20 July 1941

Rain Delays Haymaking at Weston Coyney, 20-26 July, 1840

A Hot Tennis Party at Bridgetown, 22 July 1916

Whirlwind at Barlaston, 23 July 1856

Fields Burnt up with Heat in South Staffordshire, 1737

Floods Destroy Hay Crops at Alrewas, 1878-1880

A Deep Depression in July in the Staffordshire Moorlands, July 1879

Drought Breaks at Teddesley, 1 July 1844

From the Diaries of Lord Hatherton of Teddesley Park, near Penkridge

On 1 June 1840, Lord Hatherton recorded in his diary that there had been no rain for two months.  He went on to record heavy rain on 25 June, the first since mid March.
 
 
1 July- Mr Bright, my Agent, writes me word that a shower had fallen on Teddesley on Saturday which had penetrated an inch. But it was not possible to produce much effect- so dry was the surface of the ground.
 
5 July- A letter from Bright tells me of a soaking rain- the first that has fallen for 15 weeks.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 260/M/F/5/26/30
By courtesy of Mr ARW Littleton
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Intense Heat Hits Walsall, 3-24 July 1921

From the Service Register of St Peter’s Church, Walsall
 
3 July 1921- 6th Sunday after Trinity
Extremely hot weather all through this week
 
10 July 1921 - 7th Sunday after Trinity
Intense heat continues. This day the hottest recorded in July for 50 years
 
17 July 1921- 8th Sunday after Trinity
The intense heat still continues
 
24 July 1921- 9th Sunday after Trinity
Another very hot Sunday
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 6876
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Walsall St Peter
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Thunderstorm Provokes Terror in Wombourne, 5 July 1640

From the Parish Register of Wombourne
 
Memorandum that on July the 5th 1640 being Sunday ther hapned to be a terrible storme of thundering and Lightning and by some bolt some stones were struck out of the steeple, the Belfrye windowe was much broaken and great shaking in the Church to the terror and great amazement of the people and by reason of the abundance of raine falling, all our Mill dames were broaken, and all the grasse of the Meadowes ready to mowe was all spoiled, and the high waye about our Towne much mared and gored to our great Losse and hindrance.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 3710/1/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Wombourne
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Rain Stops Play at Burton, 8-16 July 1908

From the Programme of Burton Cricket Club
 

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Fine Weather for Haymaking at Hanchurch, 12 – 14 July 1827

Haymaking at Greenway Bank, North Staffordshire Watercolour by LJ Wood Early 19th cent. Reference WSL SV IV-234 By courtesy of the Trustees of the William Salt Library© William Salt Library, Stafford

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Flash Floods in and around Stafford, 14 July 1852

From the Memorandum Book of the Reverend Edward Harland, Vicar of Colwich
 
For the last week the heat of the weather has been remarkable, the thermometer having frequently stood at 90 in the shade, and several persons having been killed in London, Paris and elsewhere by a coup de soleil. On the evening of this day a tremendous storm of thunder and lightening accompanied by immense torrents of rain occurred in this neighbourhood. Its chief fury was spent near Stafford where a cow and a horse were killed & in a few minutes the main street & the houses in it (and amongst the rest the Rectory) were a foot deep in water, and so continued for above an hour before the flood could escape. At Haughton the garden Wall at the Rectory was washed down & the house & garden flooded. At Acton Hill in the Parish of Berkswich 15 sheep, & at Stone 4 sheep were killed by the lightning. A great oak tree near Sandon Church & a Great oak near the Nunnery at Colwich were struck down & much other injury done in other places.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D874/2/27
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Poor Haymaking Weather at Longnor, 15 July 1909

A threating [threatening] day Rained a Little at Intervals until Night then commenced in earnest…. Very poor Hay Weather
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6794
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Reservoir Level Down at Rudyard, 18 July 1915

From the Weekly Reports of the State of the Reservoir

Rudyard Lake was built in 1797 as a reservoir to support the growing canal network in North Staffordshire. As well as the state of the reservoir itself, this record gives daily information about the weather.
 
 
North Staffordshire Railway Company
Weekly Report of the State of the Reservoir
 
Under level 6am- 2 feet
Under level 6pm – 2 feet
Paddles open day – 0
No of paddles open- 0
Commenced water running- nil
Paddles open night -0
No of paddles open -1
Stopped water running- nil
Rain gauge –  18 inches
Thermometer highest 52
Thermometer lowest 50
Weather – fair
Other remarks- increase 7 inches
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 6783/1/6
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Perfect Weather for Land Army Girls’ Treat at Milford, 20 July 1941

From a circular letter to Women’s Land Army Girls from Cicily Frith, the County President of the Women’s Land Army
 
On July 20th Mrs Haszard had prepared a wonderful spread of sandwiches, cakes, fruit drinks etc at her lovely house, Milford Hall, for the girls in the Stafford area. It was a perfect day, but, unfortunately, only seven of eight girls were able to come and enjoy the good things, treasure hunt, bowling etc prepared for them. Those who were present enjoyed every minute of it and only wished more could have been present.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D1001
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Rain Delays Haymaking at Weston Coyney, 20-26 July, 1840

From the Diary of Jacob Marsh, Farmer, of Lane End
 
20 June – Heavy rain all day, no Haymaking
21 July- rain most of day, no Haymaking. Rec[eive]d a letter from MM from Rotterdam.
22 July- Fine day dry but no haymaking. Went to see the Steam carriages, much surprised.
23 July- Fine day, got hay ready for carring [carrying or possibly carting]
24 July- Rain no Hay Making
25 July- Mr Holbrook & family return’d to Alvaston with Betsey Riley on a Visit, Showers
26 July- Heavy rain in the morning. Hay very wet.
 
Reference: SD 1465
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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A Hot Tennis Party at Bridgetown, 22 July 1916

From the Diary of Mrs Elizabeth Hagar Whitehouse

The following extract suggests a very hot day. A formal weather record from the county for this date records a temperature of 79° Fahrenheit.
 
22 July Sunshine
We had tennis party in the afternoon. Kathleen Miss Fisher, Hilda Mabel Ros Mr & Mrs Fairley Lieut Nicholls. Had a good time & plenty of tennis but O it was warm. Much nicer after tea.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 6788/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Whirlwind at Barlaston, 23 July 1856

From The Staffordshire Advertiser
 
A correspondent furnishes us an account of a whirlwind which caused much damage  between Parkfields and the Barlaston station on Wednesday 23 [July], the same day on which a thunderstorm passed over the Potteries It is remarkable that the same wind which brought the thunder and sever hailstorms was form the NW, while the whirlwind came about the same time (half past four o’clock in the afternoon from the SW or SSW and passed across the valley of the Trent to the east of Parkfields, west of Barlaston station and out in the direction of Barlaston hall, doing much damage among the trees and hay the whirlwind from its ravages, has been traced for about two miles in length and from fifty to a hundred yards in breadth. Trees were deprived of their branches nearly along the whole course taken by the whirlwind and the hay was much scattered, the latter in some instances being carried to a great height in the air. On the road between Parkfields and Barlaston station the most violent ravages of the storm are seen. Several of the oak trees have lost their largest limbs, and some are completely dismantled, though other trees not ten yards distant have not lost a branch……. The storm lasted from five to eight minutes and was accompanied by a rushing noise. There was no rain at the night. The barometer which stood at 29.45 in the morning had fallen to 29.35 an hour after the occurrence, The thermometer stood at 68°.
 
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 16 February 1946
By courtesy of the Staffordshire Newsletter

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Fields Burnt up with Heat in South Staffordshire, 1737

From the Diary of Dr Richard Wilkes of Willenhall
 
There were some little showers on the 7,8,9 but not Rain enough to lay the dust, which was now exceeding troublesome. On the 22nd the Glass began to fall & we had some showers, but not enough to make the Channels run. In this Way, the Weather continued to the End of the Month, the ground being extremely dry and the Fields all burnt up with Heat. In many Places most of the Corn was got in this Month but it did not ripen kindly, some Parts of the Field being green, when others were full ripe & a deal of the Barley came into the red Row. Few, or perhaps none living remember so dry a season & so early an Harvest.
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 5350
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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Floods Destroy Hay Crops at Alrewas, 1878-1880

From the Sale and Purchase Account of Manor Farm, Alrewas
 
The following extracts show the financial losses which could be sustained when bad weather hit the hay crops.
 
1878- Meadows Flooded
         The whole spoiled
          Loss about £200
 
1879- Meadows Flooded
         The whole spoiled
         Loss about £200
 
7 July 1880
Wednesday Riles[the farm labourer]]  commenced mowing in Meadows at 5/- per acre
Ditto Thursday
Ditto Friday
Ditto Saturday
Flood stoped them
 
 
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office 3576/3/6
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

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A Deep Depression in July in the Staffordshire Moorland, July 1879

Extract from published observations on the summer of 1879 in the vicinity of the Staffordshire Moorland and Churnet Valley.

This was a particularly unseasonal summer in the north of Staffordshire.
 
JULY- Atmospheric Pressure - Highest reading of barometer (at 32 F) 29.425 ; lowest 28.572, 20th; monthly range 0.853
 
Temperature (shade)- Maximum, 28th, 73.4; minimum, 11th, 43.9; monthly range 29.5.
 
Rain from July 1st 9am to August 1st 9am, 4.304 inch or 434½ tons per acre.
 
Remarks: July came in with a large and comparatively deep depression, the barometer falling 0.624 in the space of twelve hours. This sudden decrease was accompanied by a total rainfall of 1.171 that amount falling in 48 hours) and fresh WSW gales.
 
Reference: William Salt Library On the summer of 1879 in the vicinity of the Staffs Moorlands and Churnet Basin by Clement L Wragge
© William Salt Library

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