a quarter to one o’clock
At a quarter to one o'clock , on a wet Sunday afternoon , in November 1837 , Samuel Snoxell , page to Mr. Zachary Thorpe , of Baregrove Square , London , left the area gate with three umbrellas under his arm , to meet his master and mistress at the church door , on the conclusion of morning service . Snoxell had been specially directed by the housemaid to distribute his three umbrellas in the following manner : the new silk umbrella was to be given to Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe ; the old silk umbrella was to be handed to Mr. Goodworth , Mrs. Thorpe 's father ; and the heavy gingham was to be kept by Snoxell himself , for the special protection of `` Master Zack , '' aged six years , and the only child of Mr. Thorpe . Furnished with these instructions , the page set forth on his way to the church . The morning had been fine for November ; but before midday the clouds had gathered , the rain had begun , and the inveterate fog of the season had closed dingily over the wet streets , far and near .