What a scorcher but heat was really on back in ‘76
Think this year’s heatwave has been a scorcher? We’ve taken a look back at the unforgettable summer of 1976.
It was one of the most prolonged hot spells in living memory, and the country’s second-driest summer on record.
Crops failed, water supplies were short, reservoirs all but disappeared and emergency measures were introduced by the government.
Last month, Kent saw its driest June in almost a century, and grass fires, including one in West Malling, devastated huge chunks of the county’s farmland over the last few days.
With just 47mm of rain, this year has seen the driest start to summer on modern records, but has yet to rival the extreme drought in the 70s.
In 1976, it was also the sunniest summer on record, with 669 hours of glorious sunshine - so far, the UK has had an average of 385 hours.
Back in 1976, the River Medway reached a record low, as the Labour administration considered shipping in supplies from Norway.
Hosepipe bans were put in place, emergency standpipes introduced and all pumping from rivers stopped.
Kent managed to avoid many of the emergency measures affecting the rest of the country, due to a large number of underground reservoirs.
Similarly, this year, South East and Southern Water say there are no plans to restrict homeowners’ water usage, but we have been urged not to waste it.
National Farmers’ Union Council Delegate for Kent, Kevin Attwood, was 17 during the hot summer of 1976.
Kevin, of Dawn Court Farm in Doddington, says this year’s heatwave hasn’t been as extreme as the scorching temperatures back then.
In 1976, farmers suffered some of the worst conditions they had seen since the 1920s, with many facing devastating financial losses.
Kevin said: “The drought in 1976 affected yields and harvests, but this year’s heatwave hasn’t been quite as severe.
“It started later in the year, and it hasn’t gone on for as long.
“If you go back to 1975 and 1976, it was also critical that 75 had been a dry year too.”
Kevin says he is hoping for some rain soon, but the uncertainty is all part of being a farmer.
As a crop farmer, dry land also means grass fires are an ever-present risk for his Swale farm.
He added: “We’re going to see a few more cornfires this year, I’m afraid.
“All you can really ask people is to be extra careful, because they can be started by cigarette butts, barbecues, almost anything.
“The problem was the same then as it is now.”
Livestock farmers could also be in for a hard winter, as forage, which is used to feed animals during the colder months, could be in short supply.
After weeks without significant rainfall, a lack of grass means some farmers may be unable to produce enough silage to sustain their animals in the coming months.
Kevin said: “Feeding livestock this year will be a challenge, same as it was in 1976.”
George Dowse, divisional agriculture officer for Kent in 1976, warned the financial loss for farmers was considerable and agriculture would take time to recover.
Nationally £500million of crops were destroyed and food prices soared by 12%, but Faversham brewery Shepherd Neame reported sales were up by 8% on the previous year and were at their highest since the war.
Towards the end of August Lord Denis Howell was appointed Minister for Drought and warned of water rationing until December.
A week later severe thunderstorms brought widespread flooding to the country and he became known as the Minister for Floods.
With the hot weather predicted to continue for six weeks it certainly looks like Kent has seen a miniature version of the boiling summer 1976.