As far as is known the church was unprovided with any lightning conductor. The same storm produced most disastrous effects in other parts of the Kingdom. Seven thousand panes of glass were broken by the hail in the Houses of Parliament; three hundred at the Police Office, Scotland Yard; other buildings in the metropolis suffered to a similar extent, the glass in the picture gallery at Buckingham Palace being totally destroyed and the apartment flooded with water.
[Illustration: Fig. 42. WEST-END CHURCH, SOUTHAMPTON.]
Fig. 42 shows the spire of the church at West End, Southampton, which was struck by lightning on June 10, 1875. A large quantity of the stone-work was broken by the passage of the electric discharge, and some of the pieces were thrown to a great distance.
[Illustration: Fig. 43. MERTON COLLEGE CHAPEL, OXFORD.]
On September 27, 1875, the tower of the chapel of Merton College, Oxford, was struck by lightning. The damage done was confined to the mutilation of one of the corner pinnacles and the displacement of fragments of some of the stone-work which were thrown on to the leads and the pathway beneath. Some workmen were on the leads at the time, but fortunately were not hurt. The tower had lately been restored, and the scaffolding had only been removed a few days previous to the accident. A gentleman who had taken shelter from the storm in one of the workmen’s sheds beneath the tower was startled by seeing fragments of stone falling from above; looking up, he discovered that the tower had been struck, and immediately informed the college authorities. On ascending the tower it was found that one of the eight crocketted pinnacles had been struck. This pinnacle occupied the south-western corner, and had been completely and cleanly severed from summit to base. Fortunately, the stone-work displaced--which weighed about three hundredweight--was thrown on to the roof of the tower, a distance of twenty-five feet. The vane, slightly fused by the electric discharge, was found embedded in an upright position in the leads. The mouldings on the edges of the pinnacle were divided to the extent of four feet, and many of the stones were turned entirely round.
The tower, which was erected in 1424, and is one of the landmarks of Oxford, had not up to the time of the accident been provided with lightning conductors, but they have since been affixed to the building.