South Western Star - Friday 22 May 1914 - "Connaught Park” etc WANDSWORTII RATEPAYERS' ASEOCIATION. "CONNAUGHT PARK GRUMBLES AND SUGGESTIONS. Discussion of the state of the ttl acres of land recently added tn Wandsworth Common was the chief proceeding at a meeting of the Wandsworth Ratepayene Association, held at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening. It was stated by ono speaker that residents near the common were bitterly disappointed that the land had not born laid out as • park. "Connaught Park' was sup gamed as • name. Mr. H. .7. Lister (chairman of the association) presided. There were present I Messrs C. Worthy (hon. secretary), C. R. Bianchi, T. Devonshire, I k. F. Thomas, .1. Musselwhite, .1, Heard, W. Robertson, C. H. Front, .1. R. Kennelly, .1. Plumridge, F. ,l. Slarmoy, S. H. Tribe, W. Lino, C.. 1. Webb and T. W. Critlin. Three new marchers were elected. RAIL% AV •TATIOV, The hon. secretary reported that since the last meeting he had had a letter from the genera manager of the London and South Western Rail. way, stating that the company h..d carefully eonsidered the association's proposal of a station at Wandsworth Common, near Trinity road, but were unable to adopt the suggestion. Mr. Robertson thought that the association should persist. Fire hundred people had signed the petition for a station, and if each one contri• buted a shilling the £2.1 might act as an induce. merit to the company to open a station. Mr. Thomas said that a station would cost at least £l,tP. He lid not see why a halt should not be provided when the line was being elev. tritied. Mr. Ilumnilire remarked that the company might be informed that if a station were not established the residents in and near Trinity road , would consider the advisability of asking the motor bur companies for a perviee. Mn Robertson : If the bums. are to come down Earlefield road I, for one,Phall oppose at, especially if my house falls down. The chairman said the proposal of a public contribution had not been eariously considered. He had not heanl of halt.. PO near the centre of London. Mr. Thomas. mined aml Mr. Robertson seconded that another letter be pent to the cons• piny asking that if notation could not be provided • halt should be made. The motion wa• adopted unanimoualy. With reference to the arooriation'a puggeation for • new railway tat inn between Pone', and Wpridaworth Town, the general manager of the London and South Weatern Railway Company bad written that in view of the expenae that would be involved in conotrurtion, maintenance and manning, it gran not proikroell to in the matter. gam Putney Station it pointed out, was only :01 &dant from the mug- . . It agretal, on the motion of Mr. l'himralge. ieronded I.y Mr. Thomas, that the letter boon the table. I rokssl 4.11 Answering an inquiry by the aociation, the Wandsworth Town Clerk had wntton internanp secretary that the Borough Council had been in correspondence . with the . National Insuranie . . . . . LbromissiOners and the Public Works Board with regard to the question whether loans could not be granted out of the funds of those boards to local authorities. The information obtained was that loans out of those funds could be granted to London Borough Councils only for the purposes, of the Small Dwellings Acquisitioa Act. IMELEIHos I•ARk•IWAD. The Town Clerk wrote that the question of renaming part of Wimbledon Park , red with a view to avoiding confusion had been referred to a subcommittee, who would view the road. . . . . The cha;rman said She road seemed a Int of • Chinese puule. (Laughter.) "... , ,:sAVGIIT PARK." Mr. Thomas mowed: "That the Wandsworth Ratepayero' Asoociation are of the opinion that the piece of land recently added to Wandsworth Common should be named Connaught Park (after H R. H. the Du -e of Connaught, K.(.), and opened to the public as soon as practicable, and that the London County Council should lay out a portion of the land, not exceeding one quarter as a flower garden and also erect a permanent bind. stand within the added area. He said the added land should have a separate name, and 'Connaught lark' would be appropriate. He believed that a triangular piece of land had, for the time* being, been railed off as the site of a bandstand, but it wan so near Dorlcote.road that in case of illness the resident« might have PIM for complaint. Mr. Bianchi seconded. He said he had always been of the impression that part of the land would be made &secluded flower garden. Mr. Robertson said it was surprising that the County Council should be content to leave a piece of public land without trees or oeats. Mr. Worthy replied that he V/lIA told on good authority that • portion WWI to be set out as a rock garden with a few trees. At a meeting if the Acquisition Committee a I.lea had been made for a bowling green. The secretary read a letter from Mr. Edwin Zvans, L.C.C., stating that be had done what he could to move the Parke Committee, without leacceon. This year's estimates would not permit carrying out of a scheme for laying out a park. More might he done next year. Mr Innons la visitor) said be personally ha.) eallected Pio towards the acquisition fund, and be felt he had taten money under false pretesee---(laughter) -because he assured the au), scribers that the extension would be formed into apart. The inaction of the County Council had leituoed bitter disappointment. The present bandstand oite was within 50 yards of houses and sight lead to unbearable nuio-rice. Re was told that the stand would be put there because the ate warn near the refreshment rooms. If the bands were to annoy the neighbourhood for the Nike of selling County Council ginger.beer(laughter) —it would not be fair. Mr. Taylor (another visitor) said that inotea.l almaking the extension into a park they had left it • desert, a treeless waste. Mr. Tribe sail he for one had understood that • bandstand would be put in the extension. The resolution carried, one member voting against. “ https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004606/19140522/093/0005[The Times: Search: "Wandsworth Common"].
[BNA: Buckmaster Battersea 1914]
[BNA: Buckmaster Wandsworth 1914]
[London Evening Standard: Buckmaster Wandsworth 1914]
Illustrated London News, 20 June 1914
[Source: Illustrated London News, 20 June 1914]
The most complete account that I know of - extraordinarily detailed and horribly graphic.
LIGHTNING FLASHES DEATH MESSAGE.
LOVED ONES FELLED AND SWEETHEARTS PERISH.
HORRIFYING SCENES IN A PARK
(By Our Special Commissioner.)
A great black cloud hung like a pall over Wandsworth Common, London, lightning zigzagged in the heavens, thunder peals were deafening, and the rain came down in a torrential spate. Under a tree were group of five children, happy in spite of the war of the elements. They were playing "Ring of the Roses," and their childish voices blended merrily in rag-time songs.
A dazzling flash of lightning played the tree, the singing was instantly hushed, the little mites were scattered on the earth, and three of them were dead. Two rose to their feet, tottered and staggered about as if they knew not where they were.
To another tree in the Common a girl and her lover ran for shelter from the sheets of rain. In a twinkling of eye love's dream for them was cut short. The darting flame from the black sky illumined them for the fraction of a second, and the girl lay dead, one of her legs almost severed from her body. Her lover, seriously injured, lay with his arm round her waist. He was taken to hospital, lingered for a few days, and then followed his sweetheart across the bourne.
Father and Child Perish
Under the same tree a father stood with his little three-year-old daughter in his arms. The merciless flash caught them both, and they were dashed to earth dead. Others were struck, but fortunately their names are only on the injured list.
The death-roll extends to seven, and they are: Percy West (25), 3 Lindore Road, Clapham Junction; George Legg, aged 5, 20 Currie Street, Battersea; Eliza Legg, aged 3, 20 Currie Street, Battersea; Walter John Hilliard, aged 34, 18 Currie Street, Battersea; Marion Grist (23), of Steelworks Road, Wandsworth; Albert Bett (31), of 1 Chivalry Road, Battersea; Florence Bett, aged 3 1/2, his daughter.
The injured are: Henry Hilliard, 2, 13 Currie Street, Battersea; William Budd, aged 7, Road. Battersea; Emily Budd, aged 5, Winstanley Road, Battersea; Kate aged 32, Steelworks Road, Wandsworth.
This is the awful record left by a thunderstorm, the death-pall of which hung for about four hours over Wandsworth Common and its vicinity, beginning about mid-day. In the forenoon all was bright, and thousands of people were enjoying the sweet June air. The thunder cloud rose slowly, and the intermittent peals were taken little notice of.
Brighter and brighter grew the flashes of the darting lightning, and louder and more frequent the thunder. Then the clouds opened, a deluge of rain came, and there was stampede from the open for the shelter of the trees, and the terrible tragedies fell quick upon one another.
Ran Under the Trees.
I talked with a park-keeper, who, from his observation-box, was a witness of the tragic happenings the tree where the girl and her lover and the father and child were taking shelter along with others.
PIC
[CAPTION: Lizzie and George Legge, who were killed by lightning on Wandsworth Common. Inset - Henry Hilliard, who was injured. ]
There were five to eight persons in all gathered under the tree, which goes by the name of the 'Frying Pan.' Two people wore passing my box, and just I cried to them to take shelter with me, eyes were riveted on streak of lightning. It zig-zagged among the branches of the trees like a golden snake, and simultaneously most of the people, men and women, fell to the earth.
A Sight of Horror
It was sight of horror, I tell you," went on the keeper. "Of six persons struck down and unable to rise, three were dead, in some cases their features and their clothing were burned. The father was still clasping his child in his arms, his trousers were ripped up, and the child's clothes torn ribbons, both were dead. A woman who was also dead had one her boots tom from her foot, part of her clothing was also torn, and gold bracelet found close was twisted out shape.
"At another tree close found a man land woman both seriously injured. The woman's hat was torn to ribbons, her hair was singed, and one of her hair combs was split into three parts. It seemed miracle that she was not killed, for the shape of the tree was imprinted her breast."
Flung against a Tree
Thomas Grimwell, who was one of those sheltering under the trees, told that was lifted off his feet and flung against a tree. I seemed forget where I was for a time," continued, but I pulled myself together and went to the porch of a house. There was a smell like something burning. I was wearing
[COLUMN 2]
india-rubber on my heels, and that probably saved my life."
"I was hurled against a tree and was blinded by flash for a time," said Constable Lawrence. I saw six children sitting under a tree, and when I recovered I noticed that they were in a huddled mass."
Percy West, who was unconscious by the side of his dead fiancee, I was told, was taken to the Hospital. Poor fellow, he revived little and frequently inquired for the girl. He was burned on the abdomen at a spot which corresponded with a metal belt he was wearing, and on the right wrist at a point which corresponded with a glove he was wearing, and which had been torn from his hand. His right boot was cut through and his face and moustache were badly scorched. On the day following he died.
Screaming Children
Mr William Wilkins, who was struck by the flash at the tree where the three were killed, told that he was standing few feet away from the tree protecting his two little children from rain.
"The lightning." said, "knocked down with such force that for short time I was a semi-conscious state. The screaming of my children brought to my senses. They were unhurt, but wore frightened at seeing me on the ground and not taking any notice of them.
"I was considerably dazed when I got up, and I saw a man, woman, and child apparently dead under a tree close by. I had burn behind my left car; except that and the shock, together with a buzzing noise in ears which kept up for a considerable time, I was none the worse of my rather terrorising experience."
Thought the Houses Were Falling.
William Budd, a boy of seven, was only slightly injured, and the wee lad, in childish language, gave me an account of his experience. "We were having games," he said, "when the rain began, and ran for the trees. We were all scared, and crept as close to the tree possible.
"Walter Hilliard and George Legg stood up on the seat, and I was sitting with my back to the tree. All at once I couldn't see anything at all. I was blinded. Then there was such a crash, I thought all the houses were falling down.
"I put my hands in front of me and I felt something fall over me. When my eyes opened I could see three of the others lying on the ground. My right leg was sore, and to ease it I tried to get down off the seat, but fell, and then I seemed to go to sleep."
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