The Great Sheffield Flood was a flood that devastated parts of Sheffield, England, on 11 March 1864, when the Dale Dyke Dam broke as its reservoir was being filled for the first time. At least 240 people died and more than 600 houses were damaged or destroyed by the flood. The immediate cause was a crack in the embankment, the cause of which was never determined. The dam's failure led to reforms in engineering practice, setting standards on specifics that needed to be met when constructing such large-scale structures. The dam was rebuilt in 1875.

Dale Dyke Dam

thumb|upright|Sheffield in 1832

Sheffield is a city and subdivision of South Yorkshire, England. As the town industrialised, its population grew from 45,478 in 1801 to 185,157 in 1861. This rapid population growth resulted in greatly increased demand for water, which led to the construction of the Dale Dyke Dam for the purpose of providing a more efficient source of clean water. It was created by the Sheffield Waterworks Company.

Collapse of Dale Dyke Dam

On the night of 11 March 1864, assisted by a strong south-western gale, the newly built dam, known as the Dale Dyke Dam in Bradfield Dale near Low Bradfield on the River Loxley, collapsed while it was being filled for the first time. An estimated 3 million cubic metres (700 million imperial gallons) of water swept down the Loxley Valley, through Loxley Village and on to Malin Bridge and Hillsborough, where the River Loxley joins the River Don. The flood continued south down the Don into Sheffield centre, around the eastward bend of the Don at Lady's Bridge, then to Attercliffe, past the sites of what later became Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Arena and Meadowhall Centre, and on to Rotherham. A wall of water moved swiftly down the valley, destroying everything in its course. The centre of the town, situated on the hill to the south, escaped damage, but the densely populated district of the Wicker, around the new railway viaduct (constructed by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway), was completely destroyed.

John Leather and resident engineer John Gunson were working closely together during the construction of the dam. Leather designed the dam and looked over its construction whereas Gunson directed and supervised the construction of the dam.

150th anniversary

March 2014 saw the 150th anniversary of the disaster. Events took place to commemorate the occasion, including an illustrated talk and exhibition at Low Bradfield Village Hall, guided walks to the dam, memorial services at St Nicholas, High Bradfield and St Polycarps, Malin Bridge, and a public talk at the University of Sheffield by the Institution of Civil Engineers and the British Dam Society. A commemorative tankard and plate were produced by the Bradfield Historical Society, and the Bradfield Brewery produced a special "flood beer" known as Dam It. The duo Toffee Music recorded a CD of Great Sheffield Flood songs.

See also

  • Floods in Sheffield 2007
  • Great Sheffield Gale, a lesser known disaster which devastated the city 98 years later
  • List of disasters in Great Britain and Ireland by death toll
  • List of deadliest floods

References

  • The Great Flood at Sheffield – 1864
  • Newspaper article from 1864
  • Sheffield Flood – insurance claims archive
  • Sources for the Study of the Sheffield Flood 1864 Produced by Sheffield City Council's Libraries and Archives
  • Documentary film telling the story of the Great Sheffield Flood 1864
  • Sheffield Flood 1864, song by Toffee Music created for the 150th anniversary, on SoundCloud