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THE NORTH SEA FLOODS OF FEBRUARY 1736


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The events of 16 Feb 1736 (or 16 Feb 1735 based on the strange custom then followed in Britain of New Year at Lady Day, 25 Mar; or really 27 Feb 1736 based on the New Style astronomically corrected calendar used by most civilised countries in Europe, but not adopted in Britain until 1752) have been little noticed in history books, but I think the reports gathered here show that they were very significant to a great many people at the time.
I first found out about the 1736 floods (the result of what we would now call a storm surge; a synchronisation of high wind and rising tide) when searching through the Newcastle Courant newspaper as part of a long-term project to gather historical information about Cumbria; when I started looking for background details I found them seriously lacking, hence this web-page. While I was preparing it, an internet correspondent spotted a reference in a meteorological history book to a flooding of the Houses of Parliament on 24 December in the same year; this page has therefore been extended to include that and related events.

NEWCASTLE COURANT 21 Feb 1735/6:
taken from Wye's Letter or another of the London papers, 17 Feb:
"Yesterday in the Afternoon, about Three o'Clock, the Spring-Tide was higher than was ever known in the Memory of Man; the water flowed near two Foot in Westminster-Hall, where several Boats attended and carried a great Number of Persons from the Court of Common-Pleas, which was then sitting: In New Palace-Yard most of the Cellars, Vaults, and Ground-Floors, were filled, to the great Detriment of the Inhabitants; the Right Hon. the Speaker's Coach, which could not be got off its Stand in Time, was half filled with Water, and most of the Members of both Houses were obliged to stay till near Five o'Clock before they could get to their Coaches. It also over-flowed the Privy-Gardens at Whitehall, and the Parade at St. James's-Park."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 28 Feb 1735/6:
"We are inform'd from Bishop Auckland, that a Woman who lives there, and who is 108 Years of Age, has lately got a new Sett of Teeth."
[This wholly irrelevant item is included here mostly as an excuse to comment that the Newcastle Courant did not, as far as I can see, make any mention of flooding anywhere near its home town at this time, or indeed anywhere north of Whitby]

the London papers of 19 Feb list ships lost in "the late Storm" (evidently earlier than the 16 Feb event): a vessel bound to Tewkesbury, another bound to Bridgwater, and the "Anne and Betty" bound to Colerain in Ireland. The same event seems to be the cause of the stranding of three Dutch ships on the Goodwin Sands, mentioned in the 14 Feb issue from London papers dated 7 Feb.

also from the 19 Feb London papers:
"By the high Tide on Monday last great Damage was done to many houses about Rotherhith; and in the Marsh Grounds near Rochester vast numbers of Sheep were drowned; one Person lost 200; in short, the Damage is almost incredible."

from Wye's Letter or other London paper, 21 Feb:
"There are Letters from several Parts of England, that the Waters are so much out, that it is become very dangerous for Travellers; and that a great Number of Cattle have been carry'd away by the Streams."

from the London papers, 21 Feb:
A possibly relevant note from Paris, dated 29 Feb [New Style calendar]:
"The last Packet from Italy brought nothing remarkable, only that the bad Roads and foul Weather hinder our Troops from crossing the Alps"...

"On Monday last a most melancholy Accident happened at Gold Onger near Malden in Essex, where Mr. Cooper, Master of the famous Decoy there, which furnisheth most of the Market-Towns thereabouts with Wild-Fowl, being at work with five of his men in the said Decoy, a sudden Inundation of the River happen'd, and the waters came with such Rapidity and Force, that in a few Minutes about ten Miles of Land were laid under water: Mr. Cooper, with much Difficulty, sav'd himself in his Boat; but the five other Men perish'd in the View of many hundred People, none of whom could afford them any Succour."
[This, we shall see, is only a preliminary account, and not as accurate as it should be]

from Wye's Letter or other London paper, 24 Feb:
"Letters from Hull mention that the Sea had broke down and over-flowed their Banks from the late Spring Tides, and done great Mischief.
We have received Advice from Norfolk, that on Sunday Night the 15th Instant a violent Storm arose at N.W. and continued 'till Tuesday Morning, and happening to be a Spring-Tide, brought the Sea in a most terrible Manner upon the Shore, it over-flowed the great Beach at Clay, and almost demolished the Town (many of the inhabitants of which were taken out of their Windows), over-flowed the Marshes, and left nine Feet water on them: The whole Coast, almost from Clay to Lynn, was over-flowed, and very great Damage done."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 6 Mar 1735/6:
"Extract of a Letter from Fleet near Holbeach in Lincolnshire" (21 Feb ?):
"On Monday the 16th Instant, about Sun-rise, there happen'd the greatest Inundation, occasioned by a very large Spring-Tide, the Wind being very strong at N.W. by W., that has been on our Coast for about 135 Years past; it has made 17 Breaches in the Bank between Spalding and Wisbech, some of which are very large, and several hundreds of Acres were overflow'd, especially at Long Sutton and Tidd St. Mary's: There are also several Sluices blown up, and at Gedney it wash'd down the Walls of several Houses, especially that of Thomas Hays a Fisherman, and carry'd off all his Goods, he and his Wife very narrowly escaping the Flood. We hear it has done a great deal of Mischief on the Norfolk Coast, besides Wisbech and Lynn-Regis, by breaking the Banks, and drowning several hundred of Sheep, to the utter Ruin of several of the Inhabitants."

"Extract of a Letter from Malden in Essex, Feb 23":
"The Account given in our last of the deplorable Accident that happen'd at Gold Onger the 16th Instant was founded on a wrong Information. The true Case was this: Mr. Cooper, with five of his Servants and Workmen, went into a Marsh at some distance from the Decoy, in order to save a Parcel of Sheep from being drowned by the Spring Tide: When they were in the Marsh, Part of the Sea Wall blew up, and the Inundation was so sudden and great, that five out of the six lost their Lives, of which Mr. Cooper was one; the sixth saved his Life with great Difficulty by Swimming, for his Spirits and Strength were jyst exhausted as he reached the Land. The Person in the Boat was a Carpenter, who worked for Mr. Cooper, and seeing his Master and the rest in Distress, he pulled off all his Cloathes, except Shirt and Breeches, and swam to a Boat at some Distance from his, with which he rowed towards his Master, but one of the Oars slippng oiut of his Hand, the other was of so little Use, that he sate down in the Bottom of the Boat, submitting to the Mercy of Wind and Tide, which drove him on Shore some Miles from the Marsh. When the poor Man got ashore, he could not stand, but crawled on his Hands and Knees to a Cottage, where they put him to Bed, and saved him from Perishing with Cold. The other five were buried last Friday from Mr. Cooper's House, which melancholy Sight drew Tears from most of the Spectators."

from the London papers, 26 Feb:
"We hear from Dunkirk, that the Waters have been so high lately, that several People have been obliged to be taken out of their Houses by Boats; and that a great Part of the Country is overflowed, and a large Number of Cattle drowned."

"They write from Whitby in Yorkshire, that last Monday Sen'night, the Meadows being overflowed by the Spring-Tide, four Sailors and a Farmer went off in a Boat belonging to a Collier, in order to save some Sheep; but after they had got four of them into the Boat, and crossing the River in order to land them, the Boat overset, by which Accident the Farmer and two of the Sailors were drowned, but the other two swam to a Hedge, where they remained some Hours before any Person could come to their Assistance."

"The Levels near Raynham in Essex, about two Miles below Dagenham, are overflow'd by the late High-Tide to a vast Compass, and the Damage done thereby is almost incredible; some reckon it to be about 100,000£."

"We are informed that the late High Tide overflowed the Banks of tse Isle of Candia near Tilbury Fort; and the whole Island now remains under Water, being entirely abandoned by the Inhabitants."

"The inundation occasioned by the late Spring-Tides has been so great, that a little below Eriff, on Kent side, a Grasier has lost 500 Sheep, besides some great Black Cattle; he was in imminent Danger himself. The inhabitants of Grays, in Essex, were obliged to take themselves to their Rooms up one Pair of Stairs; and those of the Isles of Foulness and Canvey, which were quite under Water, so that not a Hoof was saved, were taken out into Boats, from the upper Parts of their Houses, for which Purpose some were forced to break their Way through the Tiling. 'Twas feared these Islands would not be easily recovered, and that the Waters would not be off many Thousands of Acres of Land by the Thames Side in Essex till May."

The same London papers also report two more recent shipwrecks around the Irish Sea, in one of which, the "Lamb", around 80 people died.

from the General Evening Post, 28 Feb:
"Brussels, March 1" [New Style calendar]: "Deputies are arrived here from Ostend, to represent to the Court the Damages which the High Tides have caused, the Water having passed over the Sluices, and laid almost the whole Town in an Inundation."

from the London papers of 28 Feb:
"The Damage done in the North of Holland by the late Floods is almost incredible: The Water made a Breach in the Banks bordering the Sea, and laid the Country under Water for several Miles, which lasted four Days, where the Inhabitants were obliged to make use of Boats to provide themselves with the Necessaries of Life; by which several Misfortunes happened, and many People were drowned. Gorscum lay under Water two Days, and the third Day, tho' the Church was above a Foot deep in Water, abundance of People repaired thither to give God thanks for their Deliverance from the imminent Danger they were in."

"Fresh Accounts arrive daily of the Damages done by the High Tide last Week, by the overflowing of the Sea, especially up the River Medway, where Sheep in Abundance have been carry'd away. At Margate the Sea seem'd pretty well spread with Gates, Posts, Paling, Faggots, as well as Sheep, Hogs, &c.
From Sandwich we hear, that as three Men were shooting near the Place, the Sea came so suddenly upon them, being up to their Arm-Pits, that they with great Difficulty sav'd their Lives, but their Dogs were drown'd.
We hear that, among other Damages done by the late High Tide, a Vessel of 60 Ton Burthen being near the Shore of the Island of Sheppy, and a great Breach made in the Wall, could not avoid going thro' by setting in of the Tide, and struck above 100 Yards on; which Ship must be obliged to be broke up. And
That a Fisherman's Boat going below Raynham, the Fisherman seeing a Farmer and his two Servants in Distress, endeavoured to go through the Breach to their Assistance, but in his Attempt the Boat founder'd, and the Fisherman was lost, as likewise the farmer and his two Servants, who were endeavouring to save their Cattle.
Last week Mr. Thomas Tebb was drowned by the great Floods, in his Passage by Water from Lynn to Cambridge.
We hear that several Gentlemen in Essex and Kent, seriously considering the Misfortunes and Losses of their Tenants by the late Inundations, have agreed to allow them a Year's Rent towards the same."

After this, the papers turned their attention to matters such as the impending marriage of the Prince of Wales.


Now here are some reports from the storms of December 1736, a footnote in history for the flooding of Parliament, but very nearly noteworthy for a much more significant reason. The destruction this time was not the result of a single event, but several weeks of awful weather (for which reason, I've added the dates wherever the reports give just the day of the week). You'll note from the first item below that the stormy weather began several weeks before the date of the newspaper; there is likely to be yet more material in both earlier and later papers:


NEWCASTLE COURANT 11 Dec 1736:
letter from Hamburgh, dated 27 Nov, quoted in the London Evening Post, 2 Dec:
"THE 4th of this Month a high Wind at N.E. which brought up the Tide two Hours before its Time, swell'd the Elbe to such a Degree that several of our Streets were five Foot under Water, and the Cellars and Ground-Warehouses were fill'd with it, to the great Damage of the Merchants, the water was falling off till Seven in the Evening. We hear that some Digues at the Mouth of the Elbe gave way, and that several of the Villages beyond these Digues were entirely sawllow'd up, by which a considerable Number of People and a great Quantity of Cattle perish'd. A Digue also near Freydburgh, in the Neighbourhood of Bremen was broke all to Pieces; and besides these Damages several Merchant-Ships were lost in the Storm, five of them near Bremen; but we don't know as yet to what Country they belong."

news from Hamburgh, 30 Nov:
"Letters from Lower Saxony speak of nothing but the prodigious Damage done to the open Country by the last Inundation; and the Loss which the Inhabitants of this City have sustain'd by it, amounts to three Millions of Dollars."

from Wye's Letter or other London paper, 7 Dec:
"On Friday [3 Dec] last eleven Sailors belonging to the St. Peter of Amsterdam from Cadiz, the great Dutch Ship that was cast away on the Coast of Sussex the Twenty-fourth of last Month, richly laden with Spanish Wool and Pieces of Eight, came to Town to make complaint of the Barbarity of the Peasants who came down upon them, and in defiance of all the Opposition they and the Custom-house Officers could make, plunder'd and carry'd off great Quantities of their Treasure."

"When the last Mail came away they had almost a continued Storm for many days, and much Damage was done on the Coast of Holland and the Northward. The Tom and Jack, Hutton, from Salo, who had arrived in the Texel, was afterwards stranded on the Balgsand; and on the Coasts the God's Gift, Capt. Le Crass, bound from Bremen to Cadiz, besides Dutch Ships, &c. Near Helligland four large and five small Ships were lost" ... "A Danish Ship called Frederick IV, bound from Copenhagen to Tranquebar, was lost on the Schagh, but the People and her Treasure were sav'd. On Bornholm was lost a Swedish Ship, Martin Welman, Master from St. Ubes to Stockholm."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 18 Dec 1736:
from the London papers, 9 Dec:
"The Damage done at Hamburgh, in the late Storm, by Land and Water, is inexpressible; four large and five small Vessels were wreck'd on the Coast of Heyligland, as also one other near Kalver-Dam and the whole Cargo, valu'd at 150,000 Marks, was lost: Embden and East Friesland were all overflow'd, many Banks broke through, and many Bridges carried away by the Force of the Waters, which have been abated but a few days, to the immense Damage of the Inhabitants."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 25 Dec 1736:
from the London papers, 18 Dec 1736:
"The two packet-Boats that put off from Helvoetsluys last Sunday [12 Dec] for Harwich, in order to bring News to her Majesty, were in the utmost danger of being lost, the Weather being so very tempestuous."

from Wye's Letter etc., 21 Dec 1736:
"Though the Wind last Tuesday [14 Dec] continued several Hours fair for his Majesty's embarking, yet Sir Charles Wager is exceedingly commended in advising against it, the Wind having since continued very stormy; and particularly that on the fourteenth Inst. at Night, the Chapstow Boat, Richard Thomas Master, bound for Bristol, was lost in a dreadful Storm of Wind and Rain upon the Stones called the Shutes, near the aforementioned Place; she had on board 60 Souls, 28 of whom were drowned; and 'tis feared we shall hear of other Damage in the Channel."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 1 Jan 1736/7:
from Wye's Letter etc., 25 Dec 1736:
"Yesterday morning [24 Dec] about Five o'Clock was a prodigious high Tide, occasioned by the late Rains bringing down the Land-Waters, and a strong North-West Wind filling the Channel: It overflow'd almost all the New Palace-Yard, ran into part of Westminster-Hall, fill'd the Town-Court by the House of Commons, overflow'd the Horse-Ferry Bank, and made a large Breach in it in the same Place the great Tide did last Spring; it also broke down great Part of the Wall of Nathaniel Blackerby, Esq; near Parliament-Stairs, and fill'd all the Coffeehouses and Cellars near Westminster-Hall."

from Wye's Letter etc., 28 Dec 1736:
"On Sunday [26 Dec], just as the Queen was going into Chappel, a Messenger brought an Account that his Majesty, who sail'd from Helvoetsluys Yesterday se'nnight [20 Dec], put back in there again on Tuesday [21 Dec]; and that the Yatchts had been in a great Storm, with as high a Sea as it was possible for them to live in, but that several of the Men of War were dispers'd and not come in; and that his Majesty was in perfect Health. Her Majesty ordered the Messenger Fifty Guineas for this good News of his Majesty's happy Deliverance. And
On Sunday [26 Dec] in the Afternoon, the Admiralty receiv'd an Account, that the Eltham Man of War, having put up Jury Masts, was come to an Anchor in Margate Road, very much damaged, but all safe and well on board; and that the Princess Louisa, another of the Men of War appointed to convoy his Majesty, was drove by stress of weather into the Downs.
There is yet no Account come to the Admiralty of the Charlotte Yatcht, Capt. Bridges, who sail'd in Company with the other Yatchts and Men of War from Helvoetsluys, and were dispers'd by bad Weather.
The Yatchts and Men of War must be refitted before they can put to Sea again. Helvoetsluys is so full, that Lodgings are got with great Difficulty; Sir Charles Wager pays five British Crowns a night for his Lodgings.
Great Quantities of live Fowls, Lambs, Pigs, and Wines, have been sent from hence to Helvoetsluys for his Majesty's Accommodation.
Yesterday [27 Dec] Orders were sent for the Eltham Man of War to be brought up from Margate to be refitted.
The Messenger who brought the good News to the Queen of his Majesty's safe Return to Helvoetsluys after the great Storm, came by the Way of Calais.
His Excellency Horatio Walpole, Esq; on board the Fubbs Yatcht, was in extreme great Danger, the Vessel being almost torn to pieces by the Weather."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 8 Jan 1736/7:
from Wye's Letter etc., 30 Dec 1736:
"His Majesty is still detained at Helvoetsluys by contrary Winds, who has had such Experience of Sir Charles Wager's Skill and Judgment, that he will never put to Sea without his Advice."

from the London papers, 1 Jan 1736/7:
"The Expence of Horses, Coaches, &c. waiting at Harwich, and on the Kentish Roads, for his Majesty's Return from Holland, is computed at above 125£ per diem.
On Wednesday Night last the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty receiv'd a Letter from the Right Hon. Sir Charles Wager, which gave an Account that his Majesty was in perfect Health: That the Charlotte Yatcht is safe at Ter Veer in Zealand: And that the Sheerness Man of War was drove on thew same Coast, where she sprung her Fore and Main Mast, and was oblig'd to cut them away to the Deck; she fired several Guns of Distress, but to no Purpose, however at last got back to Helvoetsluys."

"The William and Margret, Capt. Orchard, bound to London from Malaga, having received some Damage in the late bad Weather, has been obliged to put into Dartmouth to refit.
The Beckford, Capt. Payn, and the Shelton, Capt. Nisbit, are both arrived in the Downs from Jamaica, after having suffered very much by bad weather.
The William and Mary Capt. Dowson, the Increase, Capt. Green, and the Endeavour, Capt. Erratt, all three bound from Hull to London, were lost last Thursday Night [probably 23 Dec, not 30 Dec] on the Coast of Norfolk, near Wells, in a violent Storm at N.N.E. and out of the three Ships only two Persons were sav'd; tho' Capt. John Dowson of the William and Mary, and Capt. Green of the Increase, wisely staid at Hull, and sent their Mates as Masters in their Stead. The first-named Ship had a great Quantity of Woollen Goods in her, and was reputed worth above 10,000£."

from Wye's Letter etc., 4 Jan 1736/7
"His Majesty, on the 21st past, had reached so far in his Voyage home as to have been within 18 Miles of Norfolk; but being a dangerous Coast, several Ships having been lost in the Storm, it was thought most advisable to put back into Helvoetsluys, when such heavy Seas broke into the Caroline Yatcht, that in her Great Cabin, where the King was, the Water was a Foot deep, which, 'tis said, obliged them to lighten her, by throwing all her Brass Guns over-board, but the Weather being now calm and clear, and the Wind turning last Night to N. and inclinable to a Point of the E. his Majesty is expected here To-morrow. His Majesty when he came to Helvoetsluys rewarded the Pilot with a Bill for 200£ Sterling. One of the Sailors of the Mary Yatcht was washed over-board going into Goree."

"An Express is said to be arrived with the bad News that the Louisa Man of War, Capt. Bradley, which was one of the Ships to convoy his Majesty, but separated from the rest the 21st past, and got into the Downs, but afterwards order'd back again to join the Convoy, was last Thursday [30 Dec] lost at the Gohre near Helvoetsluys, in a violent Storm, and that the Captain and seventeen of his Men were drowned; and at the same Time a Dutch East India Man was lost on the Coast of Holland; as also a Ship nam'd The Defence, Capt. Batson, Commander, bound for Guiney."

"By the late Storm on the Coast, so wide a Breach is made in Margate Pier, that a First-Rate Man of War may enter therein; but the Damage cannot be guess'd at."

NEWCASTLE COURANT 15 Jan 1736/7:
from the London papers, 6 Jan 1736/7:
"The Letters from Rotterdam, dated on Tuesday the 21st ult. O.S. say, his Britannick Majesty was row'd on board his Yatcht about Eleven o'Clock in the Forenoon the Day before, and immediately put to Sea with the other Yatchts and Convoy, the Wind at S.E. which soon carried them out of Sight.
'But,' says the Postscript to the Letter, 'if his Majesty had not the Happiness to land upon the English Coast before this Morning, he must certainly have had the most violent Storm to encounter with that has happen'd since the 19th of January, 1715, for it is now actually tearing up Trees by the Roots, blowing down Churches, &c. &c. with the Wind blowing furiously from the N.W.'
A particular Letter from the Hague says: 'The Yatchts were scarce got out to Sea, but the Wind turn'd contrary; and that, about Four o'Clock in the Afternoon, a Storm arose, which increas'd at Night, and grew so violent by next Morning, that the Convoy was separated from the Yatchts, and these from one another. When the Storm was in some Degree dispers'd Admiral Wager took the first Opportunity to make the best of his Way to Helvoetsluys, into which Port he brought the King's Yatchts about Three o'Clock in the Afternoon, together with four other Yatchts and a Frigate; but the Men of War, to the Number of five, together with one of the Yatchts, were dispers'd: The King was in great Danger of being cast away, had it not been for the extraordinary Care and Skill of Admiral Wager, whose happy Conduct his Majesty seems to think he cannot sufficiently admire'."...

from the London papers, 8 Jan 1736/7:
"Letters from Hanover of the 31st of December say, that the late Storms have put the Dutchy of Bremen, by the Destruction they have made there, out of all Manner of Condition to pay any thing to the King for five Years to come. Those Letters add, that as the storms still continued, and as the Dykes had given way on all Sides, they apprehended an universal Inundation in that Duchy."

"On Wednesday her Majesty complimented at Court the Right Hon. the Earl of Abercorn, on the gallant Behaviour of his Lordship's Son, the Hon. Mr. Hamilton, Lieutenant of the Louisa Man of War, who when that Ship had struck on the Sand Bank, and was in the utmost Distress and Boats were sent from the Men of War, Yatchts, &c. at Helvoetsluys, to fetch the Crew ashore, refus'd to go into the Boat himself, till he saw the Crew first in, saying, He would share the same Fate with the common Sailors, and claim no Precedency."...

"Private Letters from Helvoetsluys advise, that the Misfortune which happen'd to his Majesty's Ship the Princess Louisa, was owing to the Negligence of a drunken Dutch Pilot on board. The Ship struck on a Sand Bank in Sight of the other Men of War and Yatchts attending on his Majesty; wherefore Sir Charles Wager was himself a melancholy Spectator of the Catastrophe, but could afford no other Assistance than by sending out Boats, &c. whereby the Captain and all the Crew, excepting 17 Men, were preserved. It is remarkable, that in less than half an Hour the Ship split in Pieces, so that the Munitions, Stores, &c. were for the best part lost.- It is said that the said Man of War, with the Rigging, Guns, &c. cost near Forty Thousand Pounds, and that the other Damage done to the rest of the King's Ships, Yatchts &c. amounts to not less than Thirty Thousand Pounds.

The News of the Hull Ships mention'd in our last to be lost on the Coast of Norfolk, is confirm'd; as is also that of the Dutch East India Man on the Coast of Holland, and the Defiance, Capt. Batson, near Helvoetsluys."

letter from Aurich, East Friesland, Dec 15
'We continue to receive very melancholy Accounts of the Damage done in this Country by the Inundation from the Reflux of the Droller, and the overflowing of the River Ems. As the Waters began to subside some Days ago, people were willing to take that Opportunity for repairing the Dykes where they were broke; and last Sunday Divine Service was perform'd at Grethsyl, and other Places, to beg of God to deliver them from that Scourge; but just as we flatter'd our selves with the Deliverance, a violent Tempest arose in the Night, which destroy'd all the new Works lately made, and render'd the Inundations more general. Such is the terrible situation of the Principality at Present....'

from Wye's Letter etc., 11 Jan:
" 'Tis advised from Ostend, that Masts, Rudders, and other Marks of Shipwrecks, were daily seen floating by that Harbour"...

"The Thomas and Susannah, John Smithson, Master, bound from the Streights to Amsterdam, lost both her Anchors and Cables, and had three of her Men wash'd overboard and drown'd on the Coast of Holland, in a Storm on the 2d and 3d Instant, but had the good Fortune to get into Ramsgate the 6th."

Also reports of shipwrecks in Mount's Bay on 31 Dec, and at the mouth of the Elbe [date unspecified].

NEWCASTLE COURANT 22 Jan 1736/7:
Reports from Ireland of ships going around near Ross in Co. Cork, the week before 19 Dec, and on the Isle of Man [date unspecified].

Also a report of the King's belated return to British soil (at Lowestoft, on the afternoon of 14 January).


And finally:

"Upon the late STORM.

When GEORGE propitious left the German Strand,
Impatient to arrive on British land,
The grateful Sea, with Wonder and Surprize,
Extols her much-lov'd Monarch to the Skies:
The Winds, in dreadful Gusts, his Praises sing,
And with united Blessings hail their King:
What dastard Soul in such a Storm could fear,
When the great Ruler of the Sea was there?"

If this page has interested you, see also my earlier compilation of reports about a storm which hit north-west England in 1795-6.