Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 17 January 1930
GALE HAVOC
IN PAULTON AND DISTRICT.
ELECTRIC LIGHT FAILURE.
The neighbourhood of Paulton and district did not escape the ravages of the terrific gale which was general throughout the South on Sunday night. Very considerable damage was caused to property, but no serious personal injuries were sustained. The damage principally was in the direction of trees being blown down, and in many instances chimneys and pots, together with innumerable slates and tiles have been blown from the roofs of houses.
Considerable damage was done to the roof of the house of Mr. Charley Evans, coal haulier, of Plummers Hill, Paulton, where the chimney was entirely dislodged, a large quantity of slates removed from the roof letting in daylight into the bedrooms over a large area.
Some short distance away at the Old Lottery Inn, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith, a heavily built freestone chimney and pot, crashed down bodily on to the roof, exposing the bedroom, the debris falling into a narrow opening used very frequently by residents to Jubilee Terrace, but fortunately there was no one passing at the time or the consequences might have been serious.
ROOFS OF SHEDS BLOWN AWAY.
There are many instances of roofs of sheds poultry houses being blown many yards away from their positions. In a field belonging to Mr. Frank Williams, of South View, Paulton, the roof of a poultry house was taken a distance of many yards.
The greater pert of the galvanised roof of a large shed belonging to Mr. Fred Manley, of South View, Paulton, was torn away and blown across the highway.
At the rear of the Cemetery Lodge, Paulton, a limb of a tree crashed into the roof of a cow house in a field belonging to Mr. Tom Watts, and did considerable damage.
At the Cemetery Ledge, Paulton, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. C. Cox, the top glass portion of a cucumber frame was lifted from its position and it crashed against the side of a nearby greenhouse, smashing numerous panes of glass to smithereens, and causing damage estimated at about 30s. or £2. Damage of this kind is general throughout the district.
The roof of the residence of Mr. Edward Ashman, boot manufacturer, of Paulton, was seriously damaged by falling chimney pots and dislodged slates, and in the same way many of the Council houses near the Paulton Hospital were seriously affected.
BUS SERVICES INTERRUPTED.
Reports come to hand of trees being blown down in all directions, mostly elms. A score or more trees have crashed at Timsbury, and neighbourhood.
On the main road leading from High Littleton to Paulton via Gooseherd and and Bristol Road, the passage of traffic was impossible through a large tree being blown right across the highway, and a similar incident brought about for a time the suspension of all traffic, seriously interfering with the Bristol bus services on the Bristol to Radstock road via High Littleton, and on the Bristol to Wells and Street route via Clutton.
In the space of an hour no less than five trees fell in Old Mills Lane, Paulton, and several trees crashed in the field at Elm Hayes, the residence of Dr. Miall.