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Extract
from the diary of Mrs Gertrude Trevethick of Sea Lane, Saltfleet |
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Philip
James Trevethick, from South Cockerington visited the BBC Bus in Saltfleet
to talk about the impact of the 1953 floods. He brought with him his
mother's diary and has kindly given us permission to reproduce an
extract from it:
January
31st 1953
A night of horror and fear, in minutes the lights failed and the sea
flooded our home feet deep. Charles with torch rescued important papers
and drums after we had carried the children upstairs to safety. I
waded for food, tins, bottles, clothes, kettle and hot water bottles
- we got what we could whilst we could wade, then joined the children
upstairs, rubbed ourselves dry and removed wet clothes. I was able
to fill one hot water bottle before the fire went out, so put the
children all in one bed with it to keep warm - and a red Christmas
tree candle on the mantlepiece - they soon all went to sleep.
Through the bedroom window we could see the sea completely surrounding
us and the poor neighbour's bungalows. The headlights of a car standing
at the top of the lane showed waves and wreckage, Mr Fricker's garage
down. We could do nothing for the old people, only hope they were
up on their furniture, We stood at the top of the stairs until we
knew that the tide had turned and the water level had started to go
down. We then got into bed to keep warm.
We were awake all night and out of bed to see Herb Horton with his
tractor start the rescuing (later we knew he had found his father
drowned and sent his mother to hospital. He then worked on all night.)
We saw three people carried from Mr Fricker's, Mrs Clayton had died,
Mrs Millward and Mr Frost also drowned, People with cars and tractors
could get halfway down the lane, we decided to stay here.
Extract
from the diary of Mrs Gertrude Trevethick of Sea Lane, Saltfleet
See
also: Eyewitness accounts of the 1953
floods |
Flood facts | Flooding
then and now | Useful links
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Awareness | Experiences
of the floods
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