The Sheffield Flood - 150th aniversary

March 2014 sees the 150th anniversary of the Sheffield Flood disaster, when the Dale Dyke Dam near Bradfield, Yorkshire, burst upon the reservoir being filled, flooding the Loxley Valley, and killing 238 people and some 700 animals. A summary of the event is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sheffield_Flood. Bradfield Parish Council has announced plans to commemorate the event locally in its newsletter, available at www.bradfield-yorks-pc.co.uk/_NEWS_ITEMS/Newsletter%20January%202014.pdf.

Yorkshire based genealogist Ian Marson has kindly flagged up an archive resource online from Sheffield Hallam University for those who made compensation claims following the disaster - it can be found at https://www2.shu.ac.uk/sfca/, and may be of interest to those whose ancestors were caught up.

The story of the Dale Dyke is one I know well, having previously produced and directed a BBC documentary in 2003 (Time Flyers: Villages of the Dammed) which included the story, and which was partly filmed at the location where the breach - the old breach spot is marked by CLOB stones (Centre Line Old Bank) to this day. Another great resource for those researching the flood disaster is Mick Armitage's amazing site at www.mick-armitage.staff.shef.ac.uk/sheffield/flood.html, which is about as definitive a resource detailing what happened as you will likely find.

(With thanks to Ian Marson via LinkedIn)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.