Floods

This photograph shows Ernest Guttridge on Annesley Street during the floods of 1947. If you have any memories or photographs of the floods why not send them in and I'll put them on the site. Send them to the usual email addresses. 

Ernest Gutteridge 1947

This recollection of the 1947 flood was written by my aunt Joan and appeared in the Evening Post Bygones column on 8th November 1999.

The 1947 floods-I remember them well. The thaw had set in after a hard winter and, as children listening to adults talking about the threat of floods, it all seemed very exciting. We made daily visits to the embankment to see if the water was still rising.

As soon as it reached the grass, little sticks and markers were placed at the edge of the water to check it's progress. the general opinion was that ' we will be alright unless it reaches Bobby Clifton.' This was a reference to the statue of Sir Robert Clifton near Wilford Bridge. It did reach Bobby and the Trent flooded the surrounding area.

The first we realised was when the drains started filling up and bubbling. We stood round in amazement, not realising that our lives were about to be severely disrupted, and certainly not expecting the water to come up that way. I honestly thought it would come rolling in from the Trent in big waves.

My brother Alan and his mate, Billy West came running in to Midland Cresent, shouting that the floods were coming. We all ran to have a look. The swamps were filling up and we were most upset at being dragged away by our parents. By this time most people had made some provisions. A certain amount of food was brought (there were still shortages) and candles. Next morning the water was in the streets and houses. We moved upstairs and fires were made in the fireplaces in the bedrooms.

As these had never been used regularly they were not successful-lots of smoke and very little heat.

Wellingtons and waders appeared and brave souls ventured forth to check the situation. Milk and bread were delivered by rowing boats. Our neighbours, Fred and Ida Bennett had a three month old baby and had to be rescued by an amphibious truck.

We had no gas or electricity, and water had to be boiled on the bedroom fires, so it was impossible to care for a baby in those circumstances. My uncle, who worked for the fire brigade, came in a big truck to rescue us but was unable to get through. The police were stopping vehicles on Traffic Street because the wash from the trucks was making the situation worse.

The Salvation Army came round with soup, and we just muddled through but time has dimmed the memories of what we ate and drank, and what the toilet arrangements were.

After the water receded, the clean-up began. The council issued us with disinfectant but that didn't affect us, the great adventure was over, we went back to our normal routine; school and playing.

Some time after the floods we received food parcels from Canada. My mother was very dubious about them. In her eyes only John West salmon, tinned fruit and Tarantella tomatoes came in tins. She was reluctant to try the tin of bacon. We did eventually try it and it was very nice, but that might have been the novelty value or the fact that we never had much choice.

It must have been a dreadful time, but the spirit of the Meadows came through, with everyone helping each other.

When I look back, one picture springs to mind-looking out of the window to see some swans gliding serenely along Midland Cresent, stopping to catch scraps of bread thrown by people.

JOAN WILKINSON (nee Corthorn)

Carfield Avenue

Toton

Thanks to William Hands who sent in these photographs of the ROF workshops during the floods. William's father was a policeman at the ROF and lived in one of the houses on the site