David <d.bill@ntlworld.com> writes >Can anybody tell me which epidemic was threatening Suffolk villages in 1835? >Was it perhaps cholera?? I have whole families dying at the same time! >Valerie Bill To expand on Neil's reply: I have had similar thoughts in the past and so I have noted down epidemics when I come across them through the ages. Also extremes of weather which might affect the crops. I agree that what you have seen is quite possibly cholera, but it might be something else. Here are my notes from epidemics of that period. === 1826 - 37 World-wide waves of cholera first recorded in India, then Russia, Europe & US 1831 Oct - first references to Cholera in UK. Arrived from Asia, with 6000 deaths within a few months 1831 October 26 - Sunderland. One William Sproat died that day from the disease, though nobody wanted to admit it. Merchants and officials found plenty of reasons to rationalize away a prospective 40 day maritime quarantine of the ports. ... (sources: London Encyclopaedia, & http://www.theplumber.com/plague.html ) 1831 Oct Cholera preparations recorded in Manningtree (Source: Essex RO SEAX ref D/P 265/18/1 & London Encyclopaedia) 1831-2 Cholera hits USA, Canada, New York, New Orleans, Montreal, Quebec 1832 Cholera hits Sheffield Monument to 402 dead of "Asiatic Cholera" epidemic of 1832. 1347 reported affected. (Sources: Allan Jobson, Suffolk Miscellany & http://public-art.shu.ac.uk/sheffield/unk126.html ) 1833-34: One of the warmest winters recorded since 1659. January was very wet 1834-5 "sore throat" (possibly scarlet fever?) recorded in UK Nfk, Gooderstone PR records a "virulent epidemic" with an average of 10 deaths/year => 80, esp children 1834 A dry spell from February to June, then a very wet summer (in London). Thick fog from 30th September to 6th October (London & South). 1834-1835: Very bad winter. Notably snowy winter in Scotland. By the third week of January, 1835, there had been enough snow to seriously disrupt the 'Mails', but it was not until the end of February that the greatest quantities were reported. The bad/snowy weather lasted well into mid-March, with depths of 8 or 9 feet being reported. Resulted in an avalanche in Lewes, the only major avalanche recorded in England. Caused by a large build-up of snow on the cliff slipping onto a row of cottages called Boulder Row (now part of South St). About 15 people were buried, and 8 of these died. The Snowdrop pub in South St is named in memory of the event. (That pub was once my "local" although I didn;t realise it at the time) 1835  A very dry summer (London & South). When you look back over history, you see that the recent scares about "Bird Flu" etc. are just following in a centuries-old tradition. With best regards, -- Colin Fenn London

Neil, Colin Many thanks, This kind of information is very useful, Valerie Sent from my iPhone On 5 Nov 2010, at 11:56, Colin Fenn <erasmus@fenn.demon.co.uk> wrote: > David <d.bill@ntlworld.com> writes >> Can anybody tell me which epidemic was threatening Suffolk villages >> in 1835? >> Was it perhaps cholera?? I have whole families dying at the same >> time! >> Valerie Bill > > To expand on Neil's reply: I have had similar thoughts in the past > and so I have noted down epidemics when I come across them through > the ages. Also extremes of weather which might affect the crops. > I agree that what you have seen is quite possibly cholera, but it > might be something else. Here are my notes from epidemics of that > period. > > === > > 1826 - 37 World-wide waves of cholera first recorded in India, then > Russia, Europe & US > > 1831 Oct - first references to Cholera in UK. Arrived from > Asia, with 6000 deaths within a few months > > 1831 October 26 - Sunderland. One William Sproat died that day from > the disease, though nobody wanted to admit it. Merchants and > officials found plenty of reasons to rationalize away a prospective > 40 day maritime quarantine of the ports. ... > (sources: London Encyclopaedia, > & http://www.theplumber.com/plague.html ) > > 1831 Oct Cholera preparations recorded in Manningtree > (Source: Essex RO SEAX ref D/P 265/18/1 & London Encyclopaedia) > > 1831-2 Cholera hits USA, Canada, New York, New Orleans, Montreal, > Quebec > > 1832 Cholera hits Sheffield > Monument to 402 dead of "Asiatic Cholera" epidemic of 1832. > 1347 reported affected. > (Sources: Allan Jobson, Suffolk Miscellany > & http://public-art.shu.ac.uk/sheffield/unk126.html ) > > 1833-34: One of the warmest winters recorded since 1659. > January was very wet > > 1834-5 "sore throat" (possibly scarlet fever?) recorded in UK > Nfk, Gooderstone PR records a "virulent epidemic" with an average of > 10 deaths/year => 80, esp children > > 1834 A dry spell from February to June, then a very wet summer (in > London). Thick fog from 30th September to 6th October (London & > South). > > 1834-1835: Very bad winter. > Notably snowy winter in Scotland. By the third week of January, > 1835, there had been enough snow to seriously disrupt the 'Mails', > but it was not until the end of February that the greatest > quantities were reported. The bad/snowy weather lasted well into mid- > March, with depths of 8 or 9 feet being reported. > Resulted in an avalanche in Lewes, the only major avalanche recorded > in England. Caused by a large build-up of snow on the cliff slipping > onto a row of cottages called Boulder Row (now part of South St). > About 15 people were buried, and 8 of these died. The Snowdrop pub > in South St is named in memory of the event. (That pub was once my > "local" although I didn;t realise it at the time) > > 1835 A very dry summer (London & South). > > When you look back over history, you see that the recent scares > about "Bird Flu" etc. are just following in a centuries-old tradition. > > With best regards, > -- > Colin Fenn > London