On May 31st, 1915 Zeppelin LZ38 came into UK airspace over Margate. It proceeded to Stoke Newington in N London at 10.55. It was a dark, moonless night. No searchlights found the ship, no guns fired. 15 aeroplanes scrambled but only one got a sighting. Engine trouble ended the pursuit.
The Zeppelin sailed up to 10,000 feet above London unopposed.
16 Alkhan Road was hit first but with no injuries. In Cowper Road Samual Leggart’s house was hit. In the panic the family got the children out, but found one was missing, found later, burnt to death while hiding under the bed.
187 Balls Pond Road was next to be hit, the Zeppelin following the A10 South towards Central London. Thomas Sharpling and family escaped, but 2 lodgers were found dead, kneeling by their bed praying.
The next bombs landed in Southgate Road, Hoxton and Shoreditch. In Hoxton Street a Russian Nightwatchman was attacked coming out of a burning building, mistaken for a German saboteur. The following days, ‘German’ shops in the area were attacked.
The attack continued to Bishopsgate Goods Yard, Spitalfields, Whitechapel, as the Zeppelin began its journey home via Whitechapel and Commercial Street. A bomb in Christian Street injured 9 pedestrians and killed one 8 year old boy. Then to Stepney, Stratford, Leytonstone where 6 bombs were dropped.
The raid took 20 minutes to traverse Central London 7 premises were destroyed. 7 dead.£18,000 of property damage. 91 incendaries, and 28 High Explosive bombs were dropped plus 2 grenades.
Source London 1914-17 The Zeppelin Menace by Ian Castle.
More Zeppelin stories in the Almanac of the Past.
Pallio di Ferrara May 31st
Last year, on an archaeological reunion to Ferrara we attended the Ferrara Pallio. Museum of London archaeologists, in the 1980’s worked with Italian archaeologists excavating medieval town houses in the centre of the historic town of Ferrara. Here is a video of the history of Ferrara and the excavations which includes a picture of a young me. (I’m standing up in grey cap-sleeved t-shirt.)
https://youtu.be/v4zQxFA_dYA?si=EdBMR3XZ3oDEBKOH
The Pallio is a traditional event taking place since 1259. The town is divided into 8 contrade and each mounts a procession to the centre. Here there is some tremendous flag waving and hurling accompanied by drums and trumpets. Then the procession to the Piazza di Ariosto, where there is a stadium for a horse track. The procession marches around the stadium. Then there are foot races, a donkey race and finally a horse race. There is intense rivalry between the groups but a lovely atmosphere.
Spectators have to be patient during the events to allow the joy of the winners to be shared with the winning contrade. The final horse race takes an absolute age to begin because the horses will not settle. Apparently, there is some gamesmanship by trying to exhaust the other teams horses. It certainly exhausted me. And once they got started at very long last they were recalled almost immediately. I decided to go to bed.
But you can see edited highlights on the official Ferrara youtube post here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zs0Vel67KpA
First posted June 2nd 2025, Zeppelin content added 2026.
Discover more from And Did Those Feet
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.