PAGE 27
THONGSBRIDGE
The
water swept through the lower part of the mill occupied by Messrs.
Wimpenny and Woodhead at Thongsbridge, and carried away the dyehouse
and other buildings.
The engineer lived in a cottage on the premises.
This was filled with water, and gutted. In the moment of
peril he sprang to the window to escape, but, before he
left it, it occurred to him to look back for his child,
and , on turning round, he saw it just floating out of the
door beside him. He had only just time to catch hold of
its leg and thus save its life.
MYTHOLMBRIDGE AND SMITHY PLACE
At Mytholmbridge Mill serious damage was done.
At Smithy Place Mill, the water rose to a fearful
height, and, but for the alarm which had been given, the
loss of life must have been great.
Image
produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission
of Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey
Whole families had to leave their beds and betake
themselves out of the way of the flood, with no other covering
than what they slept in, some quite naked; and the shrieks
and cries of the children for their parents, and parents
for their children, were heart-breaking.
The damage done in this village was very great.
HONLEY AND ARMITAGE BRIDGE
From Honley to Armitage Bridge the wreck was
fearful, the front and back walls of St. Paul’s church at
the latter place being completely destroyed.
Two children were found dead above the Golden
Fleece Inn, one of them on the water side, the other washed
into a tree. These were conveyed to the Inn, and afterwards
identified.
A young woman, about 18 years of age, was found
dead and naked in a field near Armitage Fold, beyond this
point little damage was done to property, and no lives were
lost.
Image
produced from the Ordnance Survey
Get-a-map
service.
The valley from Holmfirth to Lockwood forms
a fine sweep of meadow land; and hills rising rather precipitately
on each side, richly clothed with wood, and along the valley
are several handsome residences and stately factories.
On this fatal morning it presented a most deplorable
aspect, being overspread with timber, broken machinery,
dead cattle, human bodies, mud, stones, and all kinds of
debris.
