10 May 2023

George Hought - killed by lightning

The burial register of the East Riding of Yorkshire parish of Hutton Cranswick records the burial of George Hought of Hutton on 16 August 1851, aged 25.

The vicar, Rev. Joseph Rigby, added a note to the final page of the register to explain the circumstances:

George Hought of Hutton Cranswick was killed by lightning August 4th 1851. He was working in a field at Gowdy Hole, and a storm coming on, he had gone under an elm tree for shelter; he being in his shirt sleeves at the time. He was found soon after by his master Mr. Coates, his clothes were torn, and his body very much blackened: he left a widow and two children to mourn over their sudden bereavement.

 Caelo tonantem credidimus Deum regnare

The Latin quotation is from Horace's Odes, Book 3, Poem 5. 

Translated literally into English it means "we believed that Jupiter reigned in heaven when we heard him thunder".