Page 14 • The HERALD • 5th January 2023 v READ THE HERALD ONLINE: www.herald-publishing.co.uk v FLAT ROOFING SPECIALISTS All Roof Repairs Tel: 023 8184 5632 Mobile: 07880 508415 Email: steve@braithwaiteroo ng.co.uk THE FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST FREE ESTIMATES Call Richard on 07554 421544 or 023 8178 8299 PEST CONTROL Domestic, Commercial & Agricultural • WASPS • MOLES • RABBITS • RATS • BEES • MICE • SQUIRRELS • PIGEONS • INSECTS Local Friendly Family Run Business Fully Trained & Insured SOLENT SKIP HIRE LTD FOR ALL YOUR COMMERCIAL AND DOMESTIC WASTE MINI ~ MIDI ~ MAXI SKIPS ALSO CUBIC YARD BAGS OWN BAG COLLECTION AVAILABLE 023 8066 0123 01590 619700 • 01962 588288 Email: office@solentskiphire.co.uk The Blizzards of April 1908 by Robin Somes, Fawley and Blackfield Memories e spring of 1908 brought a series of freak weather events, not only to the Waterside area, but all across Britain, with the southern half of the country most severely a ected. ere are many accounts of that April’s weather, and luckily a few photos by renowned local photographer Edward Mudge to show us how our own area was hit. Snow is far from unknown in spring, but the amount that fell that year has never been recorded in April, before or since. e rst three months of 1908 were unexceptional; occasionally windy, but mostly dull and wet, with average temperatures. April looked like being much the same, but this changed abruptly on the 19th, Easter Sunday, when an area of very low pressure started to force polar air down over Britain. e rst wave passed within a day, but a series of others followed, each bringing stronger winds, hail and snow. ere followed a 4-day blizzard, from the 23rd to the 26th; parts of north Hampshire and Berkshire recorded 69 cm, or 27 inches, of snow. Southampton was hit by 37cm, or 14½ inches. As well as the heavy snowfall, night-time temperatures dropped below -12 °C in the north of England and Scotland. All of this, understandably, caused huge disruption across the country, particularly the south; in Southampton and Portsmouth, telegraph and telephone lines were down, roads, rail lines and tramways blocked, and shops and factories forced to close. On the a ernoon of 25th April, the cruiser HMS Gladiator was caught in a snow squall in the Solent, and was struck amidships by the American liner, SS Saint Paul. Badly damaged and beginning to sink, the captain of Gladiator attempted to run her ashore. However, she was caught broadside by the blizzard, turned over and sank just west of Yarmouth, with the loss of 28 lives. ough damaged, Saint Paul was able to return to Southampton. Elsewhere, many other ships were delayed from reaching port, diverted, or prevented from leaving, by the gales. By the 27th, much milder weather moved in, bringing a further problem – extensive ooding, as the snow melted. Fawley and Ashlett had received their fair share of snow, as Mudge’s rst photo shows. e following week, presumably aided by spring tides and low atmospheric pressure, the creek and marshes to the south were completely inundated. e winter certainly had a nasty sting in its tail. Ashlett in snow, by E.W. Mudge Floods at Ashlett, by E.W. Mudge Romsey & Waterside Lions Club recently donated £490 to Romsey Young Carers for them to purchase Snuddies to give to some members of their group. e hooded eece blankets, which come in several designs, will keep the youngsters warm as they snuggle down during the winter evenings. e Romsey Young Carers have 125 youngsters in their Romsey & Waterside Lions Donate Snuddies to Romsey Young Carers Lion Sandra Trowbridge presenting a cheque for £490 to Chris Hall and Charlotte Anthony of Romsey Young Carers group, and together with a party and games the gi s added an extra bit of festive fun.
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