On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 08:49:49 +0100, "Martin Rowley"
wrote:

The following two examples (amongst many) to put the Boscastle flood
into perspective:

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/geography/cbhe/

note the 1957 event in particular ... remarkably similar.

1847
On 16th July, 1847, a waterspout burst on Davidstow Moor, the watershed
where the Camel and Inney (despite their opposite destinies) take their
rise. The water collected in the valleys and forced a passage in two
directions, down the Inney and the Camel. A wall of water from 12 to 18
feet above the usual level of the river swept down the Camel Valley
carrying everything before it. Gam Bridge stayed the flood for a moment
but soon gave way and the infuriated water attacked Wenford Bridge with
a regular bombardment of tree trunks and other things plundered from the
meadows. A mineral train happened to be in the station at Wenford
Bridge, and the driver with great presence of mind drove his engine at
full speed down the valley shouting to the people to leave the
riverside. He was not a moment too soon. Wenford Bridge broke beneath
the strain and Poleys Bridge followed suit. Tresarret Bridge was swept
away. Helland Bridge showed that the mediaeval bridge builders knew
their business, for despite the depth and narrowness of the valley, the
waters failed to break it, but rising above the parapet, swept on and
brought their battery of trees and hayricks against the ancient bridge
of Dunmeer. This was soon swept away together with the railway bridge by
its side. A train was approaching the bridge at the moment of its
destruction but the driver was able to bring it to a standstill. The
lowest railway bridge at Pendevy floated gaily down stream and would
have done much damage to Wadebridge had not men in boats secured it with
ropes and chains. When the flood subsided, it was found that the valley
from end to end had been devastated. All the bridges but Helland and
Wadebridge (the two oldest) were in ruins, and for 12 months remained
impassable. Many years later pieces of hay, straw and mud could be seen
in the branches of trees at Dunmeer 20 feet above ordinary water level."


1957
"In 1957 there was a terrible flood. There had been continuous
torrential rain which came down the Valency River from the moors and
hills. The power of the water damaged the top bridge [in Boscastle] and
flooded surrounding cottages and shops. People were trapped and had to
be rescued from their homes. Charlie Berryman, the local bandmaster,
drowned when he fell in trying to retrieve a chair. "The first warning
was given by Mrs Elizabeth Whitehouse who was riding her horse up the
valley, saw the rivers coming and galloped to give advance warning. It
came with such a rush, like a huge wave, that no-one had a chance to get
furniture out of their rooms. Miss Rachel Beadon was in the call box at
the end of the bridge ringing Norman Webber to ask for help, the flood
came on so fast that she could not get out...and two of the young
fishermen crawled across on the parapet of the bridge with a rope and
rescued her. The river overflowed into the whole of the Valency Valley ,
over the lawns and into cottages, shops and garage, many household items
and furniture were washed into the sea."

Martin.


The thing that strikes me about these accounts, and also this week's account, is
the use of the wording "wall of water" and "such a rush, like a huge wave".

Not having any great knowledge of how rainfall permeates the soil and runs off
in these events I would be inclined to think that 2 hours of very heavy and
consistent rainfall would produce a 2 hour gradual rise in the level of the
river, not the few minutes hinted at the reports.

This suggests to me either a "pooling" effect of the 2 hour rainfall, which was
suddenly released, or that the bulk of the 200mm or so of rain fell in a very
short time, measured in minutes. It could, of course, be just plain hyperbole,
suggesting that the Victorians were just as prone to journalistic exaggeration
as modern reporters.

Martin