Previous Notices & Events
'FLOOD ALERT' Open Meeting held on Tuesday 18th October 2011
Tuesday 18th October 2011
The first talk of our new season by Neil Storey was eagerly awaited and we were not disappointed.
If any of us had taken a detached view of recent global natural disasters we were reminded by graphic images of the deaths, destruction and human misery that can be wrought by the forces of nature in this talk about the floods of 1912, 1938 and 1953.
With the aid of maps and charts the geographical area of Norfolk affected was shown and the climatic conditions, which caused each flood, were explained.
The 1912 floods were caused by heavy rainfall on 25/26 August accompanied by a northern westerly gale, which inundated towns and villages and much of Broadland. Norwich bore the brunt of the flooding as the swollen River Wensum flooded homes and businesses in Magdalen Street, Westwick Street and Heigham Street. Of the images shown many included horses & carts and boats conveying people to safety and ladders used to rescue people from upper floors. Other scenes showed the disruption to railways and smashed bridges at Lakenham, Trowse and Damgate, Wymondham.
The speaker showed a map, which explained why the 1938 floods are sometimes referred to as the “Horsey Floods”. On the 13/14 February, a combination of northerly gale and spring tide left a trail of destruction along the NE Norfolk coast. A tidal wave caused a coastal breach in the sand hills at Horsey and flooded 15 square miles of farms and marshes with salt water leaving Horsey, Somerton and Hickling isolated. Livestock and fish were killed. Neil pointed out that even these gruesome sights attracted onlookers who came in their cars to view the devastation.
If we were injured to the sight of homeless, desolate people at this point worse was to follow in the recounting of the terrible floods of 31 January 1953. Neil tracked the line of the storm surge driven by northerly gales, which whipped up the North Sea into massive tidal levels, which smashed into the coastline from Lincolnshire to Kent. Homes were destroyed and people swept away and drowned. A map showed the grim toll of times & place of 100 deaths in Norfolk: Hunstanton(32), Snettisham(25), King’s Lynn(15), Yarmouth(9), Heacham(9), Sea Palling(7), Salthouse, Wiveton and Watlington.
Many photographs showed the destruction caused by this wall of water. Buildings, railway lines, sea defences, piers, roads, vehicles – all smashed into incongruous shapes. The sight of the Terra Nova washed up on Wells Quay stuck in the memory. Neil described some individual feats of heroism and the relief effort.
This was a big subject to cover but the drama and poignancy captured in the images was successfully conveyed to us. The speaker demonstrated his ability to engage with his audience and for something different rounded off by inviting us to help identify other unidentified photographs with possible Brundall connections.
We also learnt that Neil Storey had acquired some rare photographic postcards of Brundall military hospital. Part of this collection acquired by BLHG members may be seen on our website www.brundallarchive.co.uk/ Recent Uploads.
Report by John Thomson
The significance of the January 1953 Norfolk floods is further illustrated by the reminiscences of Betty Wade - 'Reminiscences of a Cobholm resident by Betty Wade (nee Webb)' can be found via the 'YOUR MEMORIES' Button on the HOME page.
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