Lightning at Royal Ascot

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Triptych

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I had never heard this story until reading it in the Weather Eye section in The Times:

In the UK, one of the worst lightning strikes in a sports arena was at Royal Ascot on July 14, 1955. On a hot and muggy day, a thunderstorm broke during the afternoon and sent crowds rushing for shelter as rain pelted down. Soon afterwards lightning struck a metal fence and, even though no one was struck, the voltage gradient from the lightning ripped through the ground and scythed down crowds packed in and around a nearby marquee. The aftermath looked like a battlefield, as the injured lay on the ground and others wandered around dazed and shocked. Two spectators died and 48 others were injured.

I'm surprised I've never heard it mentioned anywhere before. Can anyone remember it?
 
Crikey! I've never read about this either, must dust off more old books and see if it is mentioned in them. Will ask Mother-in-Law, she attended in those days.
 
This is from the book 'Ascot The History'.

In 1955 the Royal meeting was postponed until July due to a rail strike. The Gold Cup had been run on the Wednesday, won by Botticelli. On Thursday three races were run before the weather struck. The Daily herald reported:

"Lightning hit Royal Ascot this afternoon. As it cut a swathe through the crowd on the Heath side a woman fell dying. Forty-nine others lay injured among the 100 or more knocked flat or hurled into the air."

Those dead included a pregnant woman, Mrs Barbara Batt, and when news of her death reached the course racing was abandoned for the day. A second fatality was Leonard Tingle.

My Mother-in-Law was there!!! She remembers the deaths, the races being abandoned and the weather being, in her words, "absolutely foul". She said it was chaos after the races as everyone tried to get away from the course. :eek:

I have another older book on Ascot and will see if I can unearth it under the far too many books I have and see what it tells us.
 
A slightly different telling of it from Royal Ascot by Dorothy Laird

"Exceptionally rainy weather delayed construction of the new course for three weeks in the autumn of 1954, and there was something of a rush to get it ready in time. (nothing changes eh? ;) ) The royal meeting was planned for June 14-17th, 1955, but in the event, on account of a railway strike, it was postponed until July 12-15th, 1955.

On Gold Cup day, on the altered date of Thursday, July 14th, there was a devastating Ascot thunderstorm. Just after four o'clock, when the King George VI Stakes had just been won by Prince Barle ridden by Manny Mercer, a violent storm broke out. 'A vivid flash of lightning travelled the length of the straight opposite the Royal Box, appeared to contact the wire fencing surrounding the bookmaters enclosures on the far side, and scores of people near the fencing were struck to the ground', wrote The Sporting Life. 'It was a wicked flash of lightning, which struck into the closely packed crowd and scattered them like a pack of cards,' said Mr A.J. Harvey, a gateman close by. One young woman, Mrs Barbara Butt from reading was killed onthe spot, and Mr Leonard Tingle of Sheffield died in hospital next day. The injured including an A.A. Patrol man who was struck while patrolling the road outside the racecourse, were taken to King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor. The Duke of Norfolk at once informed the Queen who was on an official tour abroad, and she sent a message of condolence to the bereaved.

After an interval of an hour one more race (the Ribblesdale Stakes, won by Ark Royal, ridden by Doug Smith), was run, but the rest of the card was postponed; the Bessborough Stakes to the Friday and the Rous Memorial Stakes to the Saturday."

So, two different versions. Hmmm.... was the Gold Cup run on that day or the day before?

Anyway, sounds like quite a storm and very scary too. Mother-in-Law fairly ancient these days and gone to bed earlier than me so will have to ask her tomorrow if she saw the Gold Cup that day or the day before.
 
I believe that a bookmaker was killed by a lightning strike at Ascot in another year, making it the most dangerous racecourse to attend in the country (unless you read Graham Greene).


Edit: that was in 1930 and the bookie was Walter Holbem who had played professional football for Sheffield Wednesday.
 
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Mother -In-Law is admitting that she cannot remember whether she saw the Gold Cup run on the Wednesday or the Thursday but she thinks it was Wednesday due to some kind of rescheduling. Would be interesting to know. Might do some more digging in old books..... it is time to dust them off.
 
Isinglass said:
On Gold Cup day, on the altered date of Thursday, July 14th, there was a devastating Ascot thunderstorm. Just after four o'clock, when the King George VI Stakes had just been won by Prince Barle ridden by Manny Mercer, a violent storm broke out.

After an interval of an hour one more race (the Ribblesdale Stakes, won by Ark Royal, ridden by Doug Smith), was run, but the rest of the card was postponed; the Bessborough Stakes to the Friday and the Rous Memorial Stakes to the Saturday."

So, two different versions. Hmmm.... was the Gold Cup run on that day or the day before?
Click to expand...
The Gold Cup was on the Wednesday. The running order was as follows:

Jersey Stakes
Queen Mary
Royal Hunt Cup
Gold Cup
King George V H'cap
Coronation Stakes
 
From The Times 15/07/55

Forty-four people, one of whom died later, were injured and burned by lightning when a thunderstorm broke over the Royal Ascot meeting to-day. The storm started just after the Gold Vase had been run, and lightning struck the section of the crowd in the centre of the course opposite the Royal enclosure. In the light of the flash the spectators were seen to fall to the ground as though mown down. A terrific peal of thunder shook the course. Announcements on the loud-speaker system called for all doctors and ambulances. The next race was postponed while the injured, most of whom were stunned, lay in the heavy rain tended by those who had been standing near. Police were quickly there. A few moments of panic followed as the lightning and thunder continued, but it was short- lived. The woman killed was Mrs. Barbara Batt, of Caroline Street, Reading, who went to the races with her husband and her parents. Mrs. Batt was expecting her first baby in November.

Rain had been fatting for about a quarter of an hour wvhen the crowd were struck. They had huddled for shelter round a refreshment tent and an ice-cream stand. The lightning flashed over the grandstand and seemed to go across the course, where it struck the metal fencing and the sheltering crowd. Those who had been nearest the fence appeared to be the more seriously injured. Most of those who were struck said that it was so sudden they still did not know what happened. " There were hundreds all trying to find shelter round the tea tent in the pouring rain, when suddenly there was a flash and I felt something hit my stomach," said one man. ' It was like being stabbed." Mr. Leslie Lidbetter and his wife, Mrs. Vera Lidbetter, of Eskbank Avenue. Brighton, who were burned on the legs and arms, recalled that someone had asked for help in passing back a child, when " there was a complete blackout and when we came round there were people unconscious all round us." Mr. J. F. Thompson, of Palm Avenue, South Shields, spoke of a flash which seemed to cause everyone momentarily to lose consciousness. When they came to many were screaming. His daughter had felt that her hand was pulled toward the wire, and another man had felt a shock run up his arm from his hand. Mr. A. J. Harvey, a gate attendant, said that a " wicked flash of lightning " struck right among a closely packed crowd 10 yards away from him " It scattered them like a pack of cards," lifting some off their feet.

Many of those uninjured ran from the scene; some screamed as they sought relatives and friends. Police took command of the situation and quickly restored order, finding blankets and nurses, and calming the crowd. Most of the people who had been struck were by now on their feet, but many were moving in a daze. Many of the casualties were taken to a marquee used as a hospital tent before being removed to hospital. Windsor Hospital sent out an appeal for all local doctors to report to the hospital at once. Nurses off duty were recalled, and a casualty station was set up. As soon as the ambulances had been emptied they were sent back to Ascot, with a police escort to get them through the race traffic. The ambulances also took the injured to other hospitals in the district.

An A.A. patrol man. Alan John Wilson, was also struck by lightning. He was on the main road near the racecourse at the time. Most of the spectators had gone prepared for rain, but the sudden storm took many by surprise, Women in light summer dresses ran for shelter, but many were too late and were soaked through. A number of men in the Royal enclosure lost their hats in the rush for shelter. Fortunately, the day brought the smallest attendance of the week, with the Queen and royal party absent. The crowd had thinned a little at the first threat of the rain. The Duke of Norfolk announced that as her Maiesty's representative at Ascot he had sent a message to the Queen about the storm, and had received a reply which said that the Queen was shocked to hear the news and wished to send her sympathy. One more race was run after the accident, and racing was then abandoned for the day.
 
Dorothy Laird didn't do her research ~ Thursday wasn't Gold Cup day, but it was the day of the Gold Vase (now the Queen's Vase) and it was that race in which Manny Mercer rode Prince Barle to victory.
 
Wow, thanks Rory, very lengthy account and great to have it. Just proves that you really cannot believe everything that you read - you need to read it in several places and then figure out which version is correct! Mother-in-Law will be thrilled she was right, guess I will have to tell her.....

I collect all of these old books, but have found lots of discrepancies such as this. When I do I try to remember to stick a bit of paper in the page with the correction. I'm wondering now how much of Dorothy's book is correct. :eek:

Where did you find the real answer? In the Times archive?
 
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