26 years since the Great Storm

[dougdeep]

I was a milkman then. I was driving the float along South Coast Road in Peacehaven when I was overtaken by a bus shelter.

 

[Durlston]

One of my most vivid memories as a kid.

The wind was whistling eerily like out of a horror movie and it was just starting to get light when I looked out and saw several trees were down along with most of the fences. My dad went outside to check on his greenhouse which by some miracle had remained damage-free. The electricity was off for days (had to listen to a battery radio for the football results on the Saturday). Can't remember how long I was off school; until the Monday I think.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I dont think that the youngsters on here who werent around then can imagine what it was like. I remember all of the phone boxes outside Worthing Library were all toppled like dominoes and Yates on the seafront had boats in the garden blown off the beach. It was chaos the next day.

Id been to Jonseys wine bar with my mate and we walked back (pissed) along Montague St with all the alarms going off and shit flying all over...just thought it was a bit blowy. went to sleep without really noticing anything and woke up hungover with trees all over the place.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Quick quiz.
Where was this photo taken:

Could be one of many but I'd guess Stanmer. I took loads of photos of my kids on Hove Park and St Anne's Well Gardens. So many trees I remember as a kid knocked flat.

 

[Trufflehound]

Shame on everyone who was drunk and slept through it, considering it was a Thursday night (all right early hours of Friday).

I was another one...

Got woken up by a mate ringing up to find out if I was still alive. It did take me a moment to work out whether I was or not.

 

[meeching gull]

26 years blimey had some good times with the school all but destroyed had a few weeks off school
But on the crap side of it lost a family friend to heart attack that night,and as the strong winds continued
over a couple off weeks a friend of mine got swept out to sea on the undercliff in pecehaven

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Is there any decent footage about?

There was a stronger storm and couple of years later, but as there were very few leaves left and the ground was firm, there was minimal damage.

 

[easynow]

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

I was 6 months old and apparently slept right through it!

Wish I were that good a sleeper now adays!

 

[footychick]

Wow, 26 years, one thing I actually remember quite well. I lived in Lindfield at the time and remember sitting on my cabin bed with my brother, wondering whether the tree in the garden was going to fall down.

 

[Zukey Seagull]

I was too young as I was born in June of 1987

Must of been scary stuff

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I lived at home at time in Princes Crescent in Hove. We lost about half our roof that night. I remember going to football on the Saturday (H v Preston North End) and the damage to Hove Park was shocking, nearly ever tree uprooted!

I was working at the Royal Bank in George street at the time and we couldnt believe the number of complaints we got because the cash machine was out of action!

I was sent this link ages ago re damage to Hove park - around 6 mins 50 you can see Hove Park opposite the Goldstone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsj67HgCwTQ

That 6' 50 bit was you jogging in those tight shorts?

 

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

I remember my son going out to do his paper round and coming back in to wake me up to say we had a few tiles missing but don't worry the house opposite hasn't got a roof. Yes I did sleep through it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It was all a government conspiracy - FACT.

[yt]6H-Pw1YzoCw[/yt]

 

[Notters]

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I was a milkman then. I was driving the float along South Coast Road in Peacehaven when I was overtaken by a bus shelter.

brilliant

 

[Jam The Man]

Is there any decent footage about?

There was a stronger storm and couple of years later, but as there were very few leaves left and the ground was firm, there was minimal damage.

] Yes indeed.. January 1990 and it happened during the daytime

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I was a milkman then. I was driving the float along South Coast Road in Peacehaven when I was overtaken by a bus shelter.

Some bus shelters survived - unlike the trees standing next to them.

Old Steine.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Traffic calming on Lewes Road.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Some bus shelters survived - unlike the trees standing next to them.

Old Steine.

One good thing to come out of it was not being crapped on by all the starlings roosting in the trees after finishing work and waiting for a bus at the Old Steine.