Extraordinary Occurrence.
The Birmingham Journal says, “A very curious, and, as yet, inexplicable occurrence, has, within the present week, furnished matter for the wonder of our townsmen. On Tuesday, the 28th ult. about half-past 12 o’clock, during the very high wind, Mr Wilcox, who is a draper and haberdasher, residing at No. 14, in Bull-street, was alarmed by the nonise of slates on a back kitchen chimney falling through the skylight into a room underneath. On a carpenter proceeding to the spot, within a quarter of an hour afterwards, for the purpose of boarding it up, a pane of another window broke, and another immediately followed this brittle example.
Upon which Mr Wilcox went to his next neighbour, Mr Wedgwood, to inform him of the circumstance, who placed himself in a situation which overlooked the back of Mr Wilcox’s premises, when he saw one pane after another forced out. From the kitchen the devastation proceeded into a small brew-house adjoining; the entire window, over the door, was forced into the yard, in view of Mrs Wilcox, who was attracted to the spot by the crash.
The windows in the passage, leading to the front of the house, were next forced out; as also those of the back and front chambers, during the afternoon, and until late at night, to the great annoyance and no little alarm of the family. In the passage stood a clock, the glass before the face of which was also broken.
At eleven o’clock Mr and Miss Wilcox were in the shop, when on the latter placing a key near a glass case, a pane immediately broke; this was followed by one in the shop door and another in the back window. During Wednesday various panes continued to break, and the clock in the passage fell down; this was placed up again and rested against the wall by Mr Wilcox, but on Thursday it fell down as before, and the back of it went to pieces in the presence of Mr Wilcox. Various other damage was done to glasses before pictures, looking-glasses, &c.
From these unaccountable circumstances, a great number of persons have assembled around the premises, and the most ridiculous reports and surmises have passed current with the public – earthquake, the house giving way, &c. Several scientific gentlemen have investigated the case, with the view to ascertain the cause of so singular a circumstance; but they were unable to trace it. They considered that the shop windows were saved by the great quantity of flannel, which probably acted as a non-conductor.
At the time of the commencement there was no explosion, or any thing to lead them to the supposition that electric matter had fallen; but we think, from the circumstances of the thick slates being split, the brick work and chimney-piece along the kitchen grate being much shattered and displaced, that it must have proceeded from some such cause, and surcharged the premises with a matter which effected the devastation. Even earthenware cups in cupboards did not escape breakage.
Upwards of eighty panes were broken, and the glass in one of the windows appears tinged with a pale green hue. Several of our principal Surveyors have inspected the premises, and have found them in a perfectly safe state. We understand that more than one house in the immediate neighbourhood experienced slight effects of a like nature to the foregoing.
Public Leger and Daily Advertiser, 11th May 1829.