The Great West Country Blizzard of 1978 at Timberscombe, as photographed by Joyce Smith (and shovelled by Reg and Andrew Holcombe)
Title
The Great West Country Blizzard of 1978 at Timberscombe, as photographed by Joyce Smith (and shovelled by Reg and Andrew Holcombe)
Subject
Description
The Great West Country Blizzard of 1978 ranks as one of the worse winter storms to ever hit Britain. On the 15th of February, the front of a storm coming from the Atlantic Ocean, approached the United Kingdom, already producing heavy snowfall. Expected to cross over the south of the country, as it reached the Southwest the front stalled as it could not overcome a cold airmass over the rest of the UK. Thus the storm remained in place and on the 18th, further weather conditions launched gales and blizzards. By the 19th, a huge temperature contrast between some milder air and very cold air coming from the continent created even more copious snowfall. At both the Cardiff and Exeter airports, the level of snow was recorded at 34 cm (13.4 inches) with some snowdrifts on higher ground reaching 24 feet.
Timberscombe was in the midst, as were almost all West Somerset villages and towns, most with roads under 30 cm of snow and all ground transport paralysed (1).
Snow, gales and blizzards subsided on the 20th of February, but it was the coldest day yet with -22degC registered (2). Not surprisingly, most people remained housebound. When she could, Joyce Smith, living at Ford Cottages on the western end of Timberscombe, made her way out her home with her camera and photographed the top picture, taken on Timberscombe's western road, Bemberry Bank, completely covered in snow. It took a day or more longer to reach the village centre to take the second photograph, normally just a few minutes away (3).
In the centre of that photograph are father and son, Reg and Andrew Holcombe. On the 23rd of January 2023, Reg Holcombe saw this photograph again, remembering the day well. The Lion Inn is on the left, with a path already shovelled to its door--surely a priority to many. Reg and Andrew, then around 8-years-old, appear to be looking toward the camera but they would also be looking directly at Jubilee Store on No. 3 Jubilee Terrace, a village shop run by their respective wife and mother, Mary Holcombe. Joyce Smith worked part time at Jubilee Store and while taking the photograph, was also probably there to work. As apparent by the automobiles still buried in snow on the right, most people weren't going anywhere too quickly. The food and products sold by Mary Holcombe at her shop would have been essential.
The building in the centre of second photograph, still enclosed by snow, is the early 19th century Church Steps Cottage, moved into during 1973 by Stephen and Maureen Waters (4). The house was so named because cobblestoned steps leading up to St. Petrock's Church are on its right. While the church's tower and the church yew tree are visible, the steps that gave the house its name are still buried by snow drifts.
Both St. Petrock's tower and Church Steps Cottage are also visible on the upper photograph, the latter seen to the right of the double-levelled Old Forge, at the site where there had probably been a blacksmith working since the 1100's. The Old Forge and The Lion Inn are both thought to have been built in the early 19th century on the foundations of earlier forges and public houses. Facing the camera on the left foreground (with a porch that is blanketed with snow) is Kiln Farmhouse, also likely early 19th century (5). Quite the newest structure in the photograph is the Village Hall on the right edge of the photograph, having just opened on the 30th of August 1976 (6).
Ironically the rest of February 1978 was quite mild. Within days, the temperature was 15degC. Unfortunately the result of the quick thaw of so much snow was flooding, some quite terrible. Throughout these days, a number of people died (7). While the Great West Country Blizzard is remembered with awe, it was difficult time for many.
Timberscombe was in the midst, as were almost all West Somerset villages and towns, most with roads under 30 cm of snow and all ground transport paralysed (1).
Snow, gales and blizzards subsided on the 20th of February, but it was the coldest day yet with -22degC registered (2). Not surprisingly, most people remained housebound. When she could, Joyce Smith, living at Ford Cottages on the western end of Timberscombe, made her way out her home with her camera and photographed the top picture, taken on Timberscombe's western road, Bemberry Bank, completely covered in snow. It took a day or more longer to reach the village centre to take the second photograph, normally just a few minutes away (3).
In the centre of that photograph are father and son, Reg and Andrew Holcombe. On the 23rd of January 2023, Reg Holcombe saw this photograph again, remembering the day well. The Lion Inn is on the left, with a path already shovelled to its door--surely a priority to many. Reg and Andrew, then around 8-years-old, appear to be looking toward the camera but they would also be looking directly at Jubilee Store on No. 3 Jubilee Terrace, a village shop run by their respective wife and mother, Mary Holcombe. Joyce Smith worked part time at Jubilee Store and while taking the photograph, was also probably there to work. As apparent by the automobiles still buried in snow on the right, most people weren't going anywhere too quickly. The food and products sold by Mary Holcombe at her shop would have been essential.
The building in the centre of second photograph, still enclosed by snow, is the early 19th century Church Steps Cottage, moved into during 1973 by Stephen and Maureen Waters (4). The house was so named because cobblestoned steps leading up to St. Petrock's Church are on its right. While the church's tower and the church yew tree are visible, the steps that gave the house its name are still buried by snow drifts.
Both St. Petrock's tower and Church Steps Cottage are also visible on the upper photograph, the latter seen to the right of the double-levelled Old Forge, at the site where there had probably been a blacksmith working since the 1100's. The Old Forge and The Lion Inn are both thought to have been built in the early 19th century on the foundations of earlier forges and public houses. Facing the camera on the left foreground (with a porch that is blanketed with snow) is Kiln Farmhouse, also likely early 19th century (5). Quite the newest structure in the photograph is the Village Hall on the right edge of the photograph, having just opened on the 30th of August 1976 (6).
Ironically the rest of February 1978 was quite mild. Within days, the temperature was 15degC. Unfortunately the result of the quick thaw of so much snow was flooding, some quite terrible. Throughout these days, a number of people died (7). While the Great West Country Blizzard is remembered with awe, it was difficult time for many.
Creator
Joyce Smith /
Joyce Smith
Joyce Smith
Source
Date
February 1978
February 1978
February 1978
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
two photographs taken in February 1978 by Joyce Smith of the winter storm that became known as the Great West Country Blizzard. / Timberscombe / western edge of the village and the village centre
Acquisition Date
2020
2020
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Village Streets / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2023
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
13 X 20
13 X 20
13 X 20
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) "When the Snow of '78 hit Taunton", somersetlive.co.uk, "Historic blizzards and freezing cold", community.netweather.tv, "February 1978: The Great West Country Blizzard", the weatheroutlook.com, "The History of British Winters", netweather.tv and "Great Blizzard of Feb 1978", wsr.org.uk (2) community.netweather.tv (3) as recalled on 23 January 2023 by Joyce Smith (4) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park, MEM24590 and as recalled by Maureen Waters of Church Steps Cottage in 2020 (5) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk (6) TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Village Hall History, written by Lesley Webb and as recalled in February 2022 by Wendy Hellewell, an original member of the Timberscombe Village Hall Committee (7) community.netweather.tv
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2023
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-333
Technique
Copies
Citation
Joyce Smith /
Joyce Smith, “The Great West Country Blizzard of 1978 at Timberscombe, as photographed by Joyce Smith (and shovelled by Reg and Andrew Holcombe),” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 2, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3601.
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