The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 6
Hail-storm.—
Hail-storm.—
Early in the morning of August 3, Kew was visited by a severe hail-storm, which is believed to have inflicted damage upon the Royal Gardens to which their previous existence fortunately supplies no parallel. There is, in fact, no record of breakage of glass by hail in Kew on any previous occasion. The hailstones averaged 5 inches in circumference, and descended with such violence as to bury themselves in the ground.
No. 1 House | 186 |
No. 2 House | 1,152 |
No. 3 House | 412 |
No. 4 House | 3.500 |
No. 5 House | 2,059page 6 |
New Range | 3,946 |
Palm House | 4,558 |
Water-Lily House | 581 |
Temperate House | 8,666 |
Nursey Pits | 3,194 |
21 House | 1,028 |
Forcing Pits | 900 |
Old 18 House | 460 |
Propagating Pits (glazed with Hartley's rough plate) | 239 |
Herbaceous Ground Pits | 1,293 |
Decorative Department Pits | 4,194 |
Store Pits | 523 |
Cinchona House | 500 |
Geranium House | 54 |
Bulb Pit | 831 |
Engine House | 208 |
Herbarium, Official Residences, &c. | 165 |
Total | 38,649 |
Some idea of the magnitude of the destruction may be obtained from the fact that the broken glass amounted to 18 tons.
The large extent of the repairs which had to be immediately undertaken involved much replacement of decayed woodwork and extensive repainting. The progress of the works was rendered still more a matter of anxiety and labour by the comparatively low temperature and heavy rains which closed the summer of last year. This involved a heavy expenditure in tents and tarpaulins to temporarily protect the denuded houses. Two large temporary buildings had also to be erected for the protection of the workmen. Thanks to the energetic action of the Board, the necessary works were carried out with the aid of contractors with promptitude and despatch. The whole expenditure was covered by a supplementary vote in the Estimates. Although the collections generally suffered much from exposure to wet and cold, the actual number of losses has not been large. The injury done under such circumstances can, however, only be expected to slowly reveal itself.