Vol 14; No 24, Water, Water, Everywhere

[Les1949]

HAMPTON, AROUND AND ABOUT

Things you may not know, or didn’t know you knew!

No 24 WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

In November 1894 serious flooding affected the area of Hampto, there is a photograph from the time in which St Mary’s Church can be seen isolated by the result of the floodwater.


The Lower Sunbury Road was flooded and impassable to pedestrians for several days. Platts Eyot, and all the works on the island, were under water. The Waterworks was almost submerged, which would have caused serious problems for the supply of water(!) to the local towns. A major break in the river bank required the work of a hundred or so workers to protect the filter beds from being inundated - the phrase ‘all hands to the pump’, comes to mind. Part of the Engine House sustained serious damage. There was also damage to private residencies. Mr Clark’s Boat-House was washed away and his steam launch, ‘The Kitty’ was wrecked. Swans could be seen swimming around ‘Riverdale’ the property of Mr T F Knowles (Hampton FC’s President from 1921!).

In two days, the river had risen 10 feet above its normal summer level. Stain Hill Park, suffered more than most parts of the parish. Horses, carts and boats had to be requisitioned by residents and supplies of food and fresh water were being passed to those people at their bedroom windows.

The whole of Hurst Park Racecourse was under water and it was possible to hold a yachting race instead of horse-racing on it. Taggs Island was under water and many boats were damaged. Hampton Court Station was cut off and access was only by a series of pontoons and planks.

There don’t appear to be any reports of any loss of life, however there are some ‘close shaves’. On such involved the rescue of a boy in charge of a horse and cart. The cart overturned and everything went into the river. Many punts were launched, the boy was rescued but the horse and cart were swept away downstream. On the lighter side there were reports of a gentleman seen fishing from his, now surrounded, balcony.

There are flood markers which date from the time which can be found on the Lower Sunbury Road.

Eventually the floods dissipated and life returned to normal…..until the next time.




The Old Historian