In a
thunder-storm, in the afternoon of the ?6th? inst. as Peter Brown, stone-mason
(late of this town) [Lancaster] was sheltering, with some other workmen, in a back
kitchen, at Rigmaiden [Rigmaden], near Kirkby
Lonsdale, he was killed by the lightning. He was 32 years of age, and has
left a widow and several children to lament his loss.
On the same
afternoon, a man of the name of Coupe was killed by the lightning, whilst
sheltering under a turf-stack, at Winmarleigh, near Garstang.
During the same storm, the windows of the Town-Hall, at Garstang,
were broken by the lightning.
Thunder-Storm at Preston and
Wigan.
Tuesday week,
these two places and their neighbourhoods were visited by vivid lightning and heavy
claps of thunder, although of short duration.— A young female, while engaged
ironing opposite a window in Theatre- street, Preston, was struck
blind for three hours, but we are happy to hear that her sight is now perfectly
recovered.
Lytham and its neighbourhood were also visited
with the storm on the same day and several trees were split by the electric fluid
near the residence of Joseph Benbow, Esq. [steward for the Clifton family of Lytham
Hall].
Westwood
House, near Wigan, the seat of Charles
Walmsley, Esq. was struck with the electric fluid, about 11 o'clock in the
forenoon; stones and bricks were thrown 20 or 30 yards from the chimney shaft;
but the only internal damage sustained was a small rent in the chimney shaft
over the fire-place, and the total destruction of a picture of the late Lord
Chancellor Camden, placed there.
A cow was
killed in Haugh, belonging to a person in the employ of the Earl
of Balcarras.
A terrific
storm of thunder and lightning passed over Carlisle on Friday
evening, the 6th inst., about five o'clock. The lightning flashed in quick
succession, and the thunder roared must awfully. The electric fluid entered the
kitchen of Mr. Joseph Ferguson, in Fisher-street, by the window, broke several
panes of glass, knocked down one servant girl and stupified another, forced its way
through the ceiling, breaking up a hearth-stone in the room above, and finally went
off by the chimney. In the Swifts, near that city, two sheep were
struck; and a great variety of damage was sustained in different parts of the
neighbourhood.
Lancaster Gazette - Saturday 14 May
1825 p.3
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