History
Sheffield Flood, March, 1864
The Dale Dyke reservoir at Bradfield was made under the powers of the Water Company's Act of 1853, authorising them to take water from the Loxley, the Rivelin, and their tributaries.
The Great Sheffield Flood, also known as the Great Inundation, was a disaster which devastated parts of Sheffield, on March 11th 1864.
The flood occurred when the Dale Dyke Dam, above Low Bradfield on the River Loxley burst. This sent huges waves of water flooding down the valley, through Loxley and Hillsborough, and then down the River Don through central Sheffield, Attercliffe and as far as Rotherham. The deluge destroyed 800 houses, killing 270 people, and wrecking every bridge as far as the Lady's Bridge in the city centre. Bodies swept by the flood waters were later found as far afield as Mexborough and Kilnhurst.
There were also eleven churches, chapels, or schools flooded. Three tanneries, skin yards, etc. were partially destroyed. There were fifteen bridges totally destroyed, and five partially destroyed.
Two Hundred Lives Lost when the Dale Dyke Dam burst it's Banks »
Bodies recovered at Doncaster, Mexborough and Swinton, Saturday evening »
The Calamity at Sheffield » Sheffield Monday night
Preliminary Meeting in Aid of the Sufferers »
Update - The Calamity at Sheffield »
Meeting in Aid of the Sufferers »
The Sheffield Catastrophe Letter to the Times Editor, 21st March
Work Begins on Cleaning the Streets March 1864
The Catastrophe at Sheffield Adjourned Inquest, 12th March
The Catastrophe at Sheffield Inquest resumed, 23rd March
Sheffield Inundation Relief Fund Letter to Times Editor, 26th March
New Bill under consideration of House of Lords 26 May, 1864
The Sheffield Catastrophe Letter to the Times Editor
List of those who died
Situation in November, 1864
Court of the Inundation Commission 22nd November 1864
Inundation Commission Case reaches Conclusion December, 1864
History of Flooding of the Rivers Don and Sheaf
Construction of Dale Dyke Reservoir
Nathaniel Beardmore, Civil Engineer
All extracts are from Sheffield, Daily Telegraph and The Times, unless stated otherwise
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