Severe thunderstorms broke out just after midday over southwest London on the 14th of June 1914. Fierce lightning, torrential rain, severe flooding and hail accompanied the storms. 7 people were killed by lightning on Wandsworth Common and 4 others were injured.



Some reports by observers.

Dulwich: Violent hailstorms. Many hailstones were like acid tablets about 1 inch long, half an inch broad and over a quarter of an inch thick. A minute or two after these had fallen, a mist rose to a height of about 4ft above the ground.

Lewisham: A storm began at 12.24pm and came right overhead from the east with terrific flashes of lightning and loud thunder. At 12.31pm, rain fell with extraordinary fury; within 9 minutes 0.5 inches had fallen. The second storm came up just after 1pm, the lightning being even more severe. At 1.30pm, St Mark's Church, and the Holy Cross were struck. A tree in Hither Green Cemetery over 30ft high was splintered and two houses were struck at Catford. Another thunderstorm came up at 2.25pm with torrents of rain and hail as large as haricot beans fell for 5 minutes.

Richmond Park: Very severe storm passed over the house; an oak fence was struck by lightning in two places. Rainfall measurements were as follows.
1.80 inches in 45 minutes
2.70 inches in 90 minutes
3.2 inches in 2 hours
3.60 inches in 2.5 hours
3.70 inches in 2.75 hours

Wimbledon Downs: There was a curious scene close to Kingston Station, where the water was about four feet deep at five o'clock and motor cars and omnibuses had to make a wide detour. The storm was especially severe in Wimbledon district, where, owing to the bursting of an overtaxed sewer, the District Railway line was submerged. At Tooting Junction station was a foot deep on the platform.

A letter from G.E.Dacey of Lewisham

"No doubt you will have different accounts of the thunderstorms which passed over south London on Sunday afternoon, because some places were flooded out, while at others only a few drops of rain fell. The first storm at about 12.24 PM and came right overhead from east with terrific flashes of forked lightning and loud peals of thunder, then at 12.31pm down came the rain with extraordinary fury., within 9 minutes 0.5 in had fallen. The second star came up just after 1pm, the lightning being even more severe. At 1.30pm, St Mark's Church Clarendon Road was struck at Catford. The peals of thunder shook the house dreadfully, another came up at 2.25pm with torrents of rain and hailstones as large as haricot beans fell for about 5 minutes, being the largest I have ever seen, the flashes of lightning were very dangerous and were followed by awful peals of thunder which caused sensible vibrations again. Four more storms passed over and around is between 3 and 5pm but were only slight. By evening the clouds cleared and the sun shone brightly everywhere. So still and delightful after such a day of storms which will remembered in this district for many years to come."



From the Times of 15th June 1914

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Amazing - Its a long time since we last saw thunderstorms as severe as those.

 

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