Ruins at Neepsend Lane following the Great Sheffield FloodRuins at Neepsend Lane following the Great Sheffield Flood
Ruins at Neepsend Lane following the Great Sheffield Flood

Pictures reveal devastation caused by the Great Sheffield Flood which tore apart the city and killed hundreds of people

Historian Ron Clayton wants there to be a bigger focus on the tragedy of the Great Sheffield Flood and is working hard to ensure the country’s worst ever man-made disaster, which took the lives of 240 people after the newly built Dale Dyke Dam burst, is never forgotten.

156 years ago just before midnight on March 11, 1864 the newly built dam burst as it was being filled for the first time causing 700 million galloons of water to rush down through Loxley Village and on to Malin Bridge and Hillsborough and in to Sheffield city centre.

At least 240 people died and more than 600 houses were damaged or destroyed by the flood.

Ron said: “The flood is a sobering event in social history and one which shouldn’t be forgotten.

“When you have lived in Sheffield all your life hearing about the flood is part of every day life but it is a story of people and humanity and lives lost.

“Every person who drowned in the floods or died in the following months as a result of disease was a person and although efforts have been made to name all the victims some people were never identified and buried in unmarked graves but they were people who mattered to someone.”

There will be a series of memorial events across the city on March 11 to remember the people who lost everything to the great flood.

Ron said: “This year is the biggest year for memorial events with more people from different groups doing something to pay tribute.

“It’s nice to see the flood being remembered and we never want it to be forgotten. We have done some work in schools to ensure the next generation understands what happened and some of the people who died in 1864 were only children themselves.

“Sheffield now has the Blitz Trail and I would like to see something similar done to mark the lives lost during the flood.”

Memorial events include; wreath laying at Millsands Memorial outside UKBA at 11.30am, a walk from Lower Bradfield carpark to Dale Dyke, and flowers will be laid on Bates’ family grave at Loxely Cemetery at 3.15.

Ron added: “Everyone is welcome to all these events, either bring some flowers or just come and pay your respects.”

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