{"id":238,"date":"2018-03-01T16:52:27","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T16:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/?p=238"},"modified":"2025-07-15T15:36:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T14:36:34","slug":"snow-march-beware-low-flying-sheep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/index.php\/2018\/03\/01\/snow-march-beware-low-flying-sheep\/","title":{"rendered":"Snow in March \u2013 beware of low-flying sheep!"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the UK gripped by snow this first day of March 2018, here’s a look back to some rough weather in 1881.<\/p>\n

Low-flying sheep isn\u2019t a popular search on Google! But, it does make a fun headline. Not that it was funny, in March 1881, for the farmer concerned.<\/p>\n

The Carlisle Journal reported, on March 11, there had been flooding in Carlisle on the 9th and 10th: after five days of continous rain, following heavy snow before that, the River Eden overflowed to nearly 21 feet on the flood register on a bridge.<\/p>\n

The floods had abated within a few hours, but elsewhere, the snow had proved far more serious. At Aughtertree, a Mr Thomas Harrison<\/strong> had 121 Herwicks covered with snow. When dug out, 19 were found to be dead and a 20th died later.<\/p>\n

On March 3, Mr Wood<\/strong> of Aughtertree also suffered losses, and described one sheep as having been bodily lifted by the force of the wind and blown away. It still hadn\u2019t been found.<\/p>\n

Householders dug out of the snow<\/h2>\n

The occupants of Lownthwaite Cottage, situated in a hollow between Bassenthwaite and Rushwaite, had to tunnel their way out after the house was completely buried in a snow drift. A Mr Brown<\/strong>, of Intack, on the Uldale Common, was dug out by neighbours after his house was so buried in snow not even the chimneys could be seen.<\/p>\n

At Fellside, Caldbeck, the snow reached 20 feet deep in places: a Mrs Harper<\/strong> and two young children were trapped in their cottage on the edge of the fell from the Thursday night (March 2) to the Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

Again, farmers were counting the cost to their flocks, with the paper naming James Dalton, Messrs Bell, George Thompson and Thomas Pears<\/strong> of Fellside; John Smith, Biggards; Joseph Richardson<\/strong>, Hudscales, and; W Turner<\/strong>, Greenhead.<\/p>\n

The Fellside families<\/h2>\n

Of those named in the story:<\/p>\n

Thomas Pears<\/strong> was born 1851, died 1930, married Ann Dalton<\/strong> (1851-1890) in 1879. They had three daughter and two sons.<\/p>\n

His half-brother Wiliam Pears<\/strong> (1855-1932) married Mary Dalton<\/strong> (daughter of James in the article). They also lived at Fellside \u2013 and their descendants still do<\/a>.<\/p>\n

James Dalton<\/strong> was Ann Dalton\u2019s uncle. He married Mary Leathwaite Bell<\/strong> (1819-1904). He looks to have lived his whole life in the hamlet of Fellside, from his baptism in 1817 to his death in 1890.<\/p>\n

The Bells<\/strong> were a Fellside family as well. Mary<\/strong> was one of eight children of Richard Bell<\/strong> (1769-1854) and Mary Wood<\/strong> (1779-1871), who had taken the tenancy of their farm in 1832.<\/p>\n

Richard\u2019s<\/strong> exploits are said to have included walking 319 miles from London back to Cumberland in five days.<\/p>\n

After his death, the tenancy was taken over by Joseph<\/strong> his eldest son and John<\/strong> his youngest \u2013 they are said to have been the first to introduce a mowing machine into the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n

It would have been Joseph and John who were the Messrs Bell in the snow report.<\/p>\n

The poor trapped Harpers<\/strong> were Roseanna<\/strong>, born 1853, described on the 1881 census as an agricultural labourer\u2019s wife (husband Henr<\/strong>y isn\u2019t listed, so must have been away from home). The two young children trapped with her must have been daughters Ada<\/strong>, 7 and Alice Greenup Harpe<\/strong>r, 4. It must have been quite an adventure for them.<\/p>\n

And the others<\/h2>\n

Although the 1881 census was taken just a month after the snow (on April 3), there\u2019s no George Thompson<\/strong> listed.<\/p>\n

The others who can easily be found are:<\/p>\n

Intack. John Brown<\/strong>, widowed, 72 shepherd b Caldbeck<\/p>\n

Hudscales. Joseph Richardson<\/strong>, 44, b Caldbeck, with wife Mary<\/strong> 43 b Ireby and nine children.<\/p>\n

Greenhead. William Turner<\/strong>, widowed, 68, b Caldbeck, with brother Joseph<\/strong>, five children and a baby grandson.<\/p>\n

Fellside is also home today to YHA Caldbeck<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the UK gripped by snow this first day of March 2018, here’s a look back to some rough weather in 1881. Low-flying sheep isn\u2019t a popular search on Google! But, it does make a fun headline. Not that it was funny, in March 1881, for the farmer concerned. The Carlisle Journal reported, on March […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,2],"tags":[9,54,53],"class_list":["post-238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cumbria-history","category-family-history","tag-caldbeck","tag-fellside","tag-snow"],"yoast_head":"\nSnow in March \u2013 beware of low-flying sheep! - Cumbrian Characters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the UK gripped by snow this first day of March 2018, here's a look back to some rough weather in 1881. 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