Important News!!!

Page Last Updated: 03 - March - 04

On March 11th 1864 - shortly before midnight - the newly built Dale Dyke Dam - situated in the Bradfield hills just outside Sheffield - collapsed. A colossal mountain of water thundered down the Loxley valley and on to Sheffield wreaking death and destruction on a horrific scale. The greatest devastation took place in the Malin Bridge, Hillsborough, and Owlerton areas. Excepting wars, this is now acknowledged as one of the biggest man-made disasters in British history, and is annually recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

A comprehensive web site covering all aspects of the flood, and including many photographs, can now be accessed - see address/link at the bottom of this page.

OPPOSITE: The ruins of the Malin Bridge Inn shortly after the flood. Here seven members of the Bisby family were drowned and washed away by the flood-waters. The body of the landlord - George Bisby, and those of two daughters, were found several days later at Sheffield; those of the other four Bisbys were never identified. The following day, Emma Bisby - a daughter who had not been at home that night - was seen, 'in great distress' and 'eyes red with tears', searching amongst the rubble for whatever remains she could find of her home - and her lost family.

A series of events have been arranged, and will take place in the week commencing 8th March 2004, to commemorate the 140th anniversary. You are warmly invited to attend any, or all, of these events*:

Recent research by Karen Lightowler has revealed some interesting, previously unknown, flood-related information, and this will be presented at the exhibition. Also, over 100 descendants of the flood victims have been traced - and many will be attending the events as special guests.

If you are descended from someone who lost their life in the Flood and/or you have some Flood related material you would be prepared to lend to the Exhibition, then please contact either Pam or Karen of The Great Sheffield Flood 140th Anniversary Community Project:

OPPOSITE: Immediately behind the shattered building in the centre of the picture runs Holme Lane (Malin Bridge to the left, Hillsborough to the right). To the right of this building, and on the far side of Holme Lane, can once again be seen the ruins of Malin Bridge Inn. On the extreme left of the picture are the foundations of The Stag Inn - the building having been totally washed away. From here died 12 members of the Armitage family; and the family tomb stone, naming all the deceased, is shown below: it stands in the Loxley Old Chapel church-yard, and indicates that 5 of the children were never found.

The Armitage family grave headstone - at Loxley Old Chapel

A plaster-cast death mask of flood victim Joseph Goddard

Joseph Goddard was a neighbour of the Armitages at Malin Bridge. Writing in the months following the flood, Samuel Harrison records an event that occurred in a dwelling about a mile further down the valley - at Owlerton:

'The flood burst open the door, and washed into the house the body of a man. A lodger named Ashton saw it first, and called out to Mr. Shaw that a pig had been swept into the house. On closer inspection it was found to be the body of a man, entirely naked, the shirt being torn off, and hanging only by the button on the wrist-band. The body was that of Joseph Goddard . . . '

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A permanent memorial to the flood victims is planned, and will probably be sited in the Malin Bridge area - where the greatest loss of life occurred. It is hoped that final details of this will be revealed at the March exhibition.

Site created: November 2003 Events: March 2004

Mick Armitage (e-mail)