Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 11 September 1931
” Wombwell Alarms”
Pickaback Rescues at Darfield Main
A Woman’s Gallantry
The floods in the Wombwell area were the worst within the recollection of the oldest residents. Families were rendered temporarily homeless and much damage was inflicted in the loss of live-stock and garden produce.
Following heavy and persistent rain, the Dearne rose swiftly, and on Friday morning many families awoke to find their houses threatened by flood. Streams ankle-deep ran through the streets in the low-lying parts and for the several hours the people faced alarming prospects. An abatement of the rain brought some relief on Saturday, and later in the day the water began to recede, leaving a trail of devastation. The visitatian was extraordinary for the time of year.
The first anticipation of the possibility of serious flooding came on Friday morning with the intimation that traffic was being disorganised through floods at Aldham Bridge on the outskirts of the Wombwell Urban District. Under the arch of the London and North-Eastern Railway bridge water lay over a foot deep and many motor vehicles were stranded. A passenger bus stood in the middle of the flood for a considerable time, and after the driver had waded in the water minus boots and socks in a vain effort to restart his engine, the vehicle was towed out by another bus. A similar experience before Joseph Mitchell, the well-known speedway rider who was driving an open car.
Despite the risk of stop of a stoppage the ‘buses continued to run through the water, but the officials of the Dearne District Light Railway had the trams stopped at either side, the fear being that the water would get to the motors. With as little inconvenience as possible the passengers were transferred from one vehicle to another and the devices adopted whereby the possibility of damage to vital parts of the cars was obviated.
Flood water invaded the gardens of Mr WH Dean and Mr Charles Lowery, of Aldham cottages, damaging produce and making it impossible to reach livestock housed some distance from the cottages. The drains would not cope with the water, though roadworkers strove valiantly in an effort to keep them open and prevent dislocation of traffic. The trouble persisted more or less throughout Friday and Saturday
“Team Work” At Low Valley.
Along the first to experience the inconvenience of flooding were the residents of a block of houses in George Street, Low Valley. Water collecting in the back yards quickly reached flood proportions, and for some time torrent ran through the houses from back to front. The womenfolk worked in teams with sweeping brushes, trying with little success to cope with the inrush.
The house most affected was that taken by a Miss Ethel Pearce, of Wath. and Mr. Samuel Ennis of Low Valley, in preparation for their forthcoming marriage. The night before Miss Pearce had gone home to Wath after spending a week spending a week on cleaning operations, but unfortunately had left the key with Mr Ennis’s sister. Neighbours did what they could to prevent the new decorations soiled, but with little success.
Parts of George Street and Providence Street were ankle deep in water gushing up from over charged drains. The road authorities were faced with an abnormal problem; water poured in torrents from the hillside toward Upperwood Hall. At the George Hotel, Low Valley, the hand pumps of the Wombwell U.D.C. were used to get the water the cellars where barrels were floating about.
The danger of serious damage and effect en employment occurred at Darfield Main. Water from the hillsides ran down on the colliery like a river, and, gushing out on the railway shunt near the crossing gates in Pitt Street you are you, rushed through the colliery yard in a broad stream. Prompt steps were taken to divert the water from the shaft, but it invaded the waggon weigh and put it out of action.
The worst effect of the flood was felt by the little community living in sinkers’ huts behind Darfield Main Colliery. There are eight houses of wood standing on brick foundations. About nine o’clock on Friday morning the inhabitants suddenly became aware of water rising round their houses, and in less than ten minutes it had reached the window sills. There was no upper floor to fly to, and the residents could only quit as speedily as possible, taking such of their belongings as they could. Some alarm was felt for the children, but largely through the courage of Mrs. Alfred Gwilliams they were quickly got to safety. After Mrs. Gwilliams had carried one or two of the occupants to dry land on her back, the stricken tenants looked back through their open doors to see the beds floating.
Floods invaded the whole of the eight cottages, but quickly receded from the four higher ones, and the occupants were able to give help to their less fortunate neighbours. All spoke with admiration of Mrs Gwilliams’s pluck. The men living in these huts are mostly employed at Darfield Main, but the families are in poor circumstances and will feel keenly the loss they have suffered through damage of their effects.
Drowned Livestock.
Anxious about their own safety the occupants had not time to attend to their livestock. Fowls were trapped in their pens and about twenty chickens were drowned, Geese and ducks escaped, and later in the day were seen gliding majestically in and out of the houses as though enjoying the calamity! The families who suffered most were those of Percy Shaw, William Shaw, Alfred Gwillliams, and Fred Empson, all miners.
It transpired that the floods had been caused through the blocking of a drain. A large colliery tip acted as dam. One who has lived in the neighbourhood 36 years said she had never known such floods, though occupants of the huts have previously suffered some inconvenience through water. Not often is Netherwood Road flooded, but on a Friday night the thoroughfare was impassable. To attempt to cross the floods would have been dangerous, for the water rushed over the bridge over the Dove stream with a roar. Some idea of the weight of the at this point be gathered from damage done to the high wood fence of the Mitchell Main cricket ground, which was partly carried away and the rest knocked “crazy”. The cricket field and much of the land surrounding it was completely waterlogged.
Broomhill people are accustomed to floods, but the oldest in the village have known nothing so bad as that on Saturday morning. The water rose rapidly during the night, and by 9 a.m. had invaded points it be never before been known to reach. For several hours there was a danger of the village being completely cut off. A torrent mead the village street near the Mason’s Anus in Rotherham Road, and reached across the roads to the footpath in Broomhill Lane, threatening the connection with Wombwell,
four the first time within recollection the whole of the pasture land between Broomhill Lane and Darfield was completely under water so that it was quite impossible to discern the course of the river and streams.
The welfare ground up Broomhill, with its well laid out tennis courts and bowling greens, as well as the playing field adjoining, were converted into a lake that would have been ideal for bolting. Peeping through the floods, the water and other amusements made a spectacular picture. At this point also the road was intersected by an quotes uncharted river,” and the river across the road between the river and Cat Hill, at the foot of which motors were forced to rush a flood 18 inches deep. Many were stranded had to get out and push. The prospect of the river bridge which was converted into an island looked weird and desolate. Broomhill people most of whom had their cellars flooded, will remember the occurrence for a long time.
Other low-lying parts, new Scarboro, Wombwell Station and Cottonwood, also suffered badly.
Darfield’s Worst
Almost unprecedented was the flooding at Darfield, where waters rose quickly on Saturday morning and during the rest of the day motorist ran the risk of “conking” in water a foot deep and extended for several hundred yards along the main road. Many houses were cut off and the occupants had to fly to upper rooms, taking their belongings with them.
Cliff Road was covered by floodwater, and in Church View and surrounding cottages water reached the height of the kitchen tables. Many motor vehicles were stuck in the water, including a motor cycle combination driven by a patrol constable, who had to push his way out.
Wombwell Speedway presented a watery prospect. The floods invaded the enclosure and rose to the height of the safety fence. Salvage operations were hastily commenced at the Speed Club; the piano, carpets and furniture as well as stock, were carried on to the stand, but much damage was suffered.
Kent Road was completely isolated for 24 hours, and occupants of houses in Station Road took the precaution of constructing barriers of clay outside their doors.