The storm and floods of January 1794
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The storm of wind and snow which wrecked many ships in January 1794, and was followed by a thaw which brought flooding, is well known to climatologists, but little noticed in history books. News reports show that it was very significant to many people at the time, so here's another page of reports from contemporary newspapers, similar to the one I prepared a couple of years ago on the 1736 North Sea storm surge. Note that the northern newspapers did not have room to describe the effects of the storm on southern England.
CUMBERLAND PACQUET, 28 Jan 1794:
A violent gale of wind came on here last Thursday evening [23 Jan], which continued with little intermission till Sunday morning [26 Jan]. Considerable damage has been sustained by the shipping in the [Whitehaven] harbour. On Thursday night, about ten o'clock, the Nelly & Fanny, Gunson, loaden with oats, from Wexford, was driven upon the beach on the outside of the North Wall, and sunk. The sea ran so high, and the waves broke with such violence, as to prevent, for some hours, that assistance which numbers of people on the shore were anxious to afford to the distressed crew; at length they were all brought to land, except two boys, who (lashed to the shrouds, for greater security) had perished during the dreaded interval.- The vessel went to pieces the next tide.
By the violence of the wind, on Saturday morning one of the alder-trees in the Flat Walks, near the Castle [at Whitehaven], was blown down.- An inveterate frost set in on Friday night, which continues.
NEWCASTLE COURANT, 1 Feb 1794: