May
May always seems to have been a very unpredictable month. Archive sources show that the weather could run the whole gamut: late snows in the north of the county, bad and destructive thunderstorms, heavy rain, unseasonal heat, drought and, as every gardener knows only too well, frosts.
The range of temperatures could be wide. In 1922, for example, the lowest maximum temperature recorded at Weston Park was 50° and the highest 88° Fahrenheit. Examples of very warm Mays were recorded in the county in 1893, 1922 when temperatures hit the 80s Fahrenheit in the last week of the month and in 1940. On the other hand, in 1929, minimum temperatures in May fell to 30° Fahrenheit. Over half the minimum temperatures in the month were recorded as being below 40° Fahrenheit.
Drought and its impact on crops and vegetation were recorded in 1833 and 1850. Other example years of drought in May were 1905 when only 0.64 inches of rain fell and 1911 when 0.65 inches fell. Conversely, in 1932 5.16 inches of rain was recorded in the county, the wettest May since 1886 when 6.21 inches fell in the west of the county. In 1908 heavy storms across mid Staffordshire on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May resulted in major floods. 1.49 inches of rain was recorded at Weston Park on 2 May.
The extracts are arranged chronologically by the day to show the progression of weather through the month.
Snowy Days in May in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 1 & 14 May 1909
Severe Storm and Floods in Mid-Staffordshire, 3-4 May 1908
Floods at Tamworth, 4 May
1908
An Unsettled
Week in Sandon, 5-11 May 1845
Fair Weather for Potato Planting in Freehay, 7 May 1866
A Wet Whit
Sunday at Spotacre, 24 May 1931
Rain Keeps Children in Bed in Wednesbury, 25 May 1882 & 23-27 May
1898
Whitsun
Storm Damage at Trysull, 25 May 1640
Grass
Suffers From Drought at Trentham, 1833
Drought in Staffordshire,
1850
Signs of An
Early Harvest Trentham, 1840
Two
Minute Thunder Claps at Willenhall, May 1738
Snowy Days in May in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 1 & 14 May 1909
From
a Local Farmer’s Diary
1 May- A Very Cold Frosty Morning With Snow, Hail and Rain, We had a
cow calved a Heifer calf dead. Will waling [walling] Gaps in old
Lane.
14 May- A Stormy and Bitter Cold day. Hail Snow and Rain. Will and
myself Finished Sowing Swede Seed and Setting potatoes and pricked a
row of Peas and did some Wire Fencing between Woolliscrofts and Me.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6794
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Severe Storm and Floods in Mid-Staffordshire, 3-4 May 1908
From The Staffordshire Advertiser
There was a major flood in the county at the beginning of May 1908
resulting from a combination of previous thawing snow and rains and
a severe thunderstorm. Rivers which burst their banks included the
Penk, the Sow, the Trent, the Dove and the Tame, causing flooding in
the adjacent towns, villages and farmlands. There was one fatality
at Burton. The fact that the flooding occurred on Sunday meant that
many churchgoers were inconvenienced and much was made of this in
the newspaper reporting.
In the early hours of Sunday morning a severe storm passed over Mid-
Staffordshire and the neighbourhood of Birmingham and was
accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning and a torrential downpour
of rain. The storm lasted from 12-30 until 3-30am and it is
estimated that over an inch of rain fell in twelve hours the
downpour continuing for some time after. The effect of the
exceptionally heavy downpour was aggravated by the fact that
previous rain and snowstorms had swollen the streams and flooded the
meadows in all the low-lying portions of the district. Roads which
had been under water all week became impassable, streets and houses
were flooded in many places……Extraordinary floods were caused in the Brewood district, many hundreds of acres being submerged. At
Penkridge the streets and houses were flooded and great
inconvenience was experienced. In many cases sheep and lambs have
been drowned and horses and colts have had narrow escapes. The
farmers having land adjoining the Penk were kept very busy in their
attempts to save their lambs from drowning. For some miles around
Stafford the floods are the most serious known for many years and
the heavy rain on Sunday caused further trouble….. at Armitage on
Sunday morning the roads were flooded in places through the
overflowing of the River Trent to a depth of several feet and
worshippers at the Primitive Methodist Temple, Handsacre, were
carried thither in conveyances……. Longdon parish church where
special services had been arranged, was unapproachable, the few that
were present having to be conveyed in traps and vehicles. The River
Trent at Burton became so swollen on Saturday and again on Sunday
that the whole of the meadows were flooded………….. On Monday evening a
large number of people assembled at Trent Bridge to witness the
flood and, in spite of the fast running waters, several boats were
put out from the local boathouses… One of the Trent boats on coming
downstream found the flood so heavy that the members of the crew
were unable to prevent themselves from being carried under the
bridge……… The boat coming into contact with a swift current was
swamped and all the occupants thrown out. All were expert swimmers
but in attempting to reach dry land Plant [the coxswain aged 16] was
carried away and drowned.
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 9 May
1908
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter
Floods at Tamworth, 4 May 1908
From the Log Book of Tamworth Infants School
The severe floods of the weekend before also affected the area
around Tamworth where the Tame burst its banks, although the
flooding was said not to have been as bad as that which occurred in
1901.
May 4th- Very poor attendance again- 214 children present- on
account of floods in Bolebridge St, Lichfield St and Moor Lane. The
Vicar and Miss Clarke visited during morning school.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office CEL43/3
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
An Unsettled Week in Sandon, 5-11 May 1845
From
the Diary of Jeremiah Ginders of Sandon
Jeremiah Ginders was the agent to Lord Chetwynd at Ingestre. The
following extract records the changes of weather each day as well as
his estate and personal business. As the image of the document
shows, Ginders displayed a bent for graphic design.
5 May- W[est] frost morn showers & cold rather milder in the
evening- sharp frost in night.
6 May- E[ast] morning fine til 9 then thick & cloudy. William
Pickin’s wife came to ask for Sutton’s house, he is brother to
Sutton’s wife & Mrs P not much inferior to Mrs S for talk- hear from
me in course of this week.
7 May W[est] a little shower in morning at 9 N[orth] W[est] gentle
showers in afternoon W[est] till night gentle showers. Hannah
Ginders & Julia came here.
8 May- N[orth] cold foggy day rather wet in morning but dry in
Evening but thick & cloudy. Mrs G[inders] went to Stafford see
fashions.
9 May- N[orth] thick and darkish morning went N[orth] E[ast] thunder
and some rain rather warmer & middle of day fine. Bought 1 ton 6
hundredweight Straw Wpilings of W Greatbatch at 4/- per
hundredweight, which amount [to] £5-4-0. James Myatt put the plan on
the Ch[urch] Eaton deeds today ready for completion. Mrs and Miss
Harland called here this afternoon.
10 May- W[est] cold day generally cloudy. Samuel Myatt came here &
went home at night with James Myatt’s wife. Mr Flint came here.
11 May- W[est] cold day generally cloudy, middle of the day fine
show for rain evening.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 6850/4
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Fair Weather for Potato Planting in Freehay, 7 May 1866
From
the Log Book for Freehay National School
Attendance 79, a very poor school. This is easily accounted for when
there are twenty away ill of measles & as many away in the potatoe
field. The weather is very fair & the people are anxious on weedy
land to get in their potatoes.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3656/1
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
A Wet Whit Sunday at Spotacre, 24 May 1931
From the Daily Journals of the Spotacre Nursery,
near Stone
Sunday 24 May Whit Sunday- poured with rain all night & until 3-30pm
today, lawn (top end) is covered with water wind Southerly to SE &
S Westerley at times lone drifting clouds. Bobs & self Arthur Leese
H Moss and W Boulton loaded up for Bakewell we loaded 135,000 Ox
&5000 Savoys. We commenced loading at 5-30pm.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D6168/2
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Rain Keeps Children in Bed in Wednesbury, 25 May 1882 & 23-27 May 1898
From
the Log book for Wednesbury Infants School
25 May 1882- Attendance very poor indeed on account of much sickness
and the severe stormy weather. No registers marked on Thursday
afternoon, having had to send the children home, as they came, to
change their clothes, having been caught in a thunderstorm.
23-27 May 1898- A heavy shower of rain which came just about school
time on Monday morning caused a poor attendance of children. I sent
to many of the homes and found that the parents hadn’t troubled to
get their children up owing to the rain.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D4838/8/13
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Whitsun Storm Damage at Trysull, 25 May 1640
From
the Parish Register of Wombourne Church
Upon Whitsun-munday … there was the like terrible storme at
Tresles [Trysull] so that an elem was splitt and stones struck out
of the Church Wall and people in the Church thought the Church had
been on fire. This hapned May 25th 1640.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D3710/1/1
By courtesy of the Vicar and PCC of Wombourne, St Benedict Biscop
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Grass Suffers From Drought at Trentham, 1833
From the Trentham Farm Bailiff’s Report
The commencement of this month was highly favourable for vegetation-
latterly however it has been very droughty- it is now doing injury
to the crops generally but more particularly to the grass lands.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D593/L/6/2/15
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Drought in Staffordshire, 1850
From
The Staffordshire Advertiser
The Weather- The backwardness of the present season is now the topic
of conversation, and the cause, to some extent, of apprehension.
Wheat which was looking in such splendid condition three weeks ago,
has now a sickly appearance and the grass lands are in a worse state
than they were in the same period. In this county the want of rain
is very much felt…….. The dry north-easterly winds which have
prevailed have been accompanied by frosts at night, which have
severely affected the blossoms of fruit trees and have checked and
blighted the vegetation of gardens. Early potatoes in exposed
situations have been cut down……. Yesterday the temperature was
decidedly milder though the wind remained unchanged. A few days warm
rain would do much to remedy all the evil at present produced and
would effect a magical change in the appearance of our fields and
gardens.
Reference: William Salt Library, Staffordshire Advertiser, 18 May
1850
By courtesy of The Staffordshire Newsletter
Signs of An Early Harvest Trentham, 1840
From
the Trentham Farm Bailiff’s Report
The temperatures recorded by the Trentham Estate for the weather
during this particular month show a range of morning temperatures
between 43° and 65° and afternoon/ evening temperatures between 48°
and 62° Fahrenheit.
The weather during the last month has been very favourable and
vegetation of every description is promising for an early harvest-
Sown with turnips 4½ acres at the Hill farm, 7½ acres at Waggersley,
& 6½ acres at Hanchurch. The whole of the stock are looking well.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office: D593/L/6/2/22
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service
Two Minute Thunder Claps at Willenhall, May 1738
From the Diary of Dr Richard Wilkes of Willenhall
During this whole Month the Air was very uncertain, Sometimes hot &
then very cold but for the most Part rainy there never having been
more than 2 fair Days together. On the 6th we had in the Afternoon
as great a Storm as has been known & some of the longest Claps of
Thunder I ever heard, the Noise of many of them continuing longer
than 2 Minutes. The Air was extremely black & it lightned all Night.
This destroy’d most of the young Fruit, especially Apples & Pears;
but there was great plenty of Grass & the Corn was but too rank.
Reference: Staffordshire Record Office D 5350
© Staffordshire and
Stoke on Trent Archive Service