Historical weather records

[MrsLizzy]

Does anyone know if it's possible to find records of weather conditions in years past?

[Lydart]

Yes ... there's an excellent book by someone called Stratton ... the name of it escapes me, for I've often browsed it at a friends house !

I can check tomorrow ?   Or you may find it on AbeBooks ... it was published about 15 years ago and is therefore probably out of print.

Someone may know of a web-site which deals with this subject ?

[MrsLizzy]

I was hoping to find out what the weather was like in East London in June 1881.  My 3 x great aunt committed suicide and the newspaper report on the inquest said she'd fainted in church a few days before.  Obviously the weather had no bearing on her suicide but I was wondering if she might have fainted from the heat.

[MarieC]

I'd be interested in knowing if there is a website for historical weather records, too!

Mrs Lizzy, there may be other reasons why your 3 x great aunt fainted, then committed suicide.  Poor lady.  Could she have been pregnant?  Or just found out that she had a serious disease, and couldn't face its progress? 

MarieC

[PaulineJ]

would exceptional weather have been reported in the newspapers at that time?

Pauline

[aghadowey]

Mrs Lizzy, there may be other reasons why your 3 x great aunt fainted, then committed suicide. Poor lady. Could she have been pregnant? Or just found out that she had a serious disease, and couldn't face its progress?

or maybe her corset was laced too tightly

[Lydart]

The book I remembered was:-

'Agricultural Records A.D. 220 - 1977'
author  J. M. Stratton
published by John Baker


I forgot to check the date ... but something like 1980, so most definitely out of print, but maybe your library could get it for you ?

It deals with the weather for each year, and the ancient records are sketchy, but more recent ones are much better !   I used it to find out what the weather was like at the time of my ancestors childhood ...

It doesn't deal specifically with East London for one particular month, but more generally of what the weather was like over the whole year.   I'm looking for a copy for myself, to save me having to keep borrowing my friends ! 

[kerryb]

Lydart

That sounds like an interesting book and one I wouldn't mind myself.

Have you tried www.abebooks.co.uk

Kerry 

[Lydart]

Yes, Abe has it ...

£25 !