From the Darlington & Stockton Times of June 22, 1872

“ONE of the most, if not the most, severe thunderstorms which has been witnessed in Richmond for the past 20 years visited this town on Tuesday,” reported the D&S Times 150 years ago this week. 

“Between 12 and 1 o’clock, the storm raged most violently which greatly alarmed the most part of the inhabitants. The lightning was very vivid and was followed by loud peels of thunder which appeared to rock the very foundations of the old castle. 

“The thunder was accompanied by a heavy fall of rain and hail, which continued throughout the remainder of the day, causing the streets of the town to be completely flooded. 

“Six sheep belonging to the Earl of Zetland was struck dead by the lightning whilst grazing in the field at the top of Pimber Hill.”

From Middleton-in-Teesdale to Darlington, no communities escaped the wrath of the storm. At Barnard Castle, there were many lightning strikes, including one on Ullathorne’s mill beside the County Bridge. The resultant blaze was quickly extinguished.

“Passing by Raby Park at the time the storm was most violent, Superintendent Marley observed a lightning strike a tree under which four deer were sheltering. The tree was literally split up and the whole of the poor animals killed on the spot,” said the paper.

At Gilling West, Richard Hill, of Danby Wiske, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a single hen from William Woodward’s cart-house, but in Richmond, magistrates felt they didn’t have powers enough to punish Thomas Peart, 16, adequately for his shocking crime.

Prosecuted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal’s local inspector, Peart had “deliberately poured the scalding water from a tea-kettle” onto the back of a dog belonging to Joseph Hodgson.

“The magistrates said they were sorry that the law would not permit them to give the defendant a good flogging, which he justly deserved, as a more deliberate act of cruelty could not have been committed. He was fined 25s; in default 14 days’ imprisonment.”