1-150-758 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'A Voice from the Clouds', 1875. John Bull, the representative of the British people, stands up to his thighs in flood water, surrounded by the wreckage of household furniture. Jupiter of the Rains admonishes him for not having made adequate preparations for the floods. It seems that 1875 was a very wet year, with rainfall well above average. By the end of November many areas were suffering from severe flooding. It was claimed that no adequate safeguards were in place to prevent such occurrences and that lessons had not been learned from previous floods. As Mr Punch said, 'Tis the old, old story over again'. From Punch, or the London Charivari, November 27, 1875.