Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Sutton]
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June.—The month was a most remarkable one. It was certainly the wettest, if not the coldest
June, so far as the records of the district are concerned. The low temperatures and the wet have been
prejudicial to all crops, some of which have been totally destroyed, but has not affected the health of
the people so much as might have been expected. Ground frosts have been reported in some places.
The mean temperature of the month was about 3½ degrees below the average, and was at Wallington
55.7 degrees. There were recorded at Wallington 174.1 hours of sunlight, which is 31.9 hours or seven
per cent, below the June average of the 15 years 1886—1900.
July.—The month can be divided—the first 15 days being practically rainless, and the second 16
days being extremely wet. One of the most remarkable features of this and the previous months was
the number of falls exceeding one inch. The mean temperature was about the average, and was at
Wallington 61.1 degrees. There were recorded at Wallington 194.1 hours of sunlight, which is 16
hours or three per cent. below the July average of the 15 years 1886—1900.
August.—The month has again been wet; in fact, it is the wettest August since 1891. We have
again the phenomenon of further falls of rain exceeding one inch. The rainfall is about double the
August average. The mean temperature is about two degrees below the average, and was at Wallington
59.6 degrees. There were recorded at Wallington 201.8 hours of sunlight, which is 8.5 hours or one
per cent. above the August average of the 15 years 1886-1900.
September.—The month was somewhat cool, with about an average temperature; whilst the
rainfall is somewhat variable, being slightly below the average at Greenwich, but three-quarters of an
inch above the 20 years' average at Wallington. 'J he gale on the 10th was general throughout the
district, and caused great destruction amongst the trees. The mean temperature of the month was at
Wallington 57.6 degrees. There were recorded at Wallington 183.3 hours of sunlight, which is 23.1
hours or five per cent above the September average of the 15 years 1886-1900.
October.—The month was extremely warm, but the most remarkable feature is the amount of rain,
the large number of rainy days, and the number of days having a fall of one inch and above. With
reference to the total fall of rain, if we take the long record of Greenwich as fairly representing the
district, the present October fall has only been exceeded seven times in the same month, viz., in the
years 1835, 1841, 1.846, 1855, 1865, 1880, and 1882. The rainfall is about two inches above the
average. The mean temperature of the month is about three decrees above the average, and was, at
Wallington, 52.8 degrees. There were recorded at Wallington 97.5 hours of sunlight, which is 2.9
hours, or one per cent. below the October average of the 15 years 1886-1900.
November.—The month was mild and open, with very little rain till towards the end. The rainfall
is about half an inch below the average whilst the mean temperature was very variable, though, on the
whole, above the average by from one half a degree to a degree. The mean temperature of the month
was, at Wallington, 44.3 degrees. There were slight snow showers on the 29th and 30th. There were
recorded at Wallington 42.2 hours of sunlight, which is 9.1 hours or three per cent. below the November
average of the fifteen years 1886-1900.
December.—The month was cold at the beginning and end, and very mild about the middle.
There was a dense black fog on the 5th. The mean temperature of the month is slightly below the
average and was 38.5 at Wallington. There were recorded, at Wallington, 28.3 hours of sunlight, which
is 10.6 below the December average of the 15 years 1886 to 1890.