88:
99:
of water down the River Holme. It caused 81 deaths and a large amount of damage to property in the valley leaving many homeless and without work. The buildings and structures destroyed included four mills, ten dye houses, three drying stoves, 27 cottages, seven tradesmen's houses, seven shops, seven
118:
after the disaster concluded that the reservoir was "defective in its original construction" and that "the
Commissioners, in permitting the Bilberry reservoir to remain in a dangerous state with the full knowledge thereof, and not lowering the waste pit, have been guilty of great and culpable
70:
Following a severe storm on
Wednesday 21 July 1777 the River Holme burst its banks and flooded the valley. Three people were drowned and a stone church built in 1476 was swept away. It was rebuilt the following year with funding from local clothiers.
151:
a week later. This led to some confusion as to the exact cause of the flood but it was confirmed that
Bilberry reservoir was not to blame. It was suggested that the reservoir prevented the flood from being more severe.
267:
398:
159:, housed in the area, assisted with the rescue of local residents and property. There was extensive damage to properties in the valley: 17 mills, 61 shops and 109 homes were flooded.
754:
532:
527:
507:
1556:
1531:
391:
199:
1586:
497:
1576:
1551:
1511:
384:
759:
1230:
1225:
492:
487:
166:
in recognition of his attempts to save the life of an elderly woman caught in the flood. The woman and
Geoffrey's father, who also tried to save her from
512:
749:
517:
347:
913:
865:
588:
459:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
744:
732:
542:
522:
502:
898:
893:
807:
583:
578:
424:
333:
312:
249:
46:
collapsed causing the deaths of 81 people. It is recorded as the 23rd most serious, worldwide, in terms of loss of life from floods and
1471:
573:
769:
717:
322:
1581:
1566:
1546:
1526:
1501:
1491:
1476:
436:
206:
79:
The River Holme again flooded the valley around
Holmfirth, following rainstorms on 21 September 1821, with no loss of life.
1397:
1387:
1382:
1364:
888:
537:
431:
419:
1506:
1324:
1314:
1309:
1299:
952:
799:
547:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1329:
1319:
1304:
1078:
774:
677:
654:
272:
477:
1481:
832:
789:
784:
779:
764:
722:
38:
and other settlements in the valley. The earliest record dates from 1738 and the latest from 1944. The most severe
171:
1571:
1536:
1516:
1496:
1486:
1392:
1142:
1124:
1034:
1006:
634:
563:
175:
287:
1339:
1334:
982:
903:
837:
822:
727:
95:
The 1852 flood occurred when the embankment of the
Bilberry reservoir collapsed, releasing 86 million
1044:
883:
860:
737:
568:
1561:
1541:
1521:
1466:
1025:
947:
62:
to burst its banks and flood the valley. Though there was damage to farmland there was no loss of life.
1425:
1001:
991:
827:
812:
659:
644:
148:
1402:
1020:
1015:
996:
967:
957:
942:
937:
908:
712:
692:
639:
624:
482:
292:
87:
1461:
1294:
962:
923:
649:
231:
1088:
972:
817:
707:
702:
593:
337:
318:
253:
179:
1409:
1133:
1053:
682:
103:
The collapse occurred at about 1.00 am on 5 February 1852 following a period of heavy
454:
156:
1205:
1063:
1039:
669:
629:
408:
376:
27:
162:
Geoffrey Riley (1929–2005), who was aged 14 at the time of the event, was awarded the
42:
occurred early on the morning of 5 February 1852, when the embankment of the
Bilberry
1455:
1106:
1097:
1068:
977:
842:
1187:
1160:
1083:
1073:
1058:
852:
697:
602:
163:
144:
136:
23:
1430:
1196:
1178:
1151:
616:
132:
128:
59:
1169:
140:
47:
362:
349:
1115:
929:
469:
446:
43:
35:
100:
bridges crossing the River Holme, ten warehouses, eight barns and stables.
1374:
1278:
170:, both lost their lives in the flood. Geoffrey was initially awarded the
167:
1442:
1283:
875:
178:
was discontinued in 1971 and he exchanged this for the George Cross at
153:
115:
31:
96:
22:
were a number of instances when severe flooding had occurred in the
86:
39:
139:, caused the deaths of three people in the Holme Valley. Due to
104:
380:
232:"Holmfirth – Is there more to it than Last of the Summer Wine?"
235:
147:, it was not widely reported and was overshadowed by the
107:. The story of the flood made the front page of the
1418:
1373:
1274:
1218:
922:
874:
851:
798:
668:
615:
556:
468:
445:
392:
8:
268:"Hitler's impact on the Great Flood of '44"
399:
385:
377:
1557:20th-century floods in the United Kingdom
1532:19th-century floods in the United Kingdom
191:
1587:May 1944 events in the United Kingdom
7:
1577:1944 disasters in the United Kingdom
1552:1852 disasters in the United Kingdom
1512:1821 disasters in the United Kingdom
314:On the trail of the Holmfirth Flood
311:Minter, Gordon & Enid (1996).
14:
288:"Obituaries: Geoffrey Riley, GC"
200:"Cricket Heritage of Holmfirth"
437:United Kingdom weather records
91:Bilberry and Digley reservoirs
1:
432:Drought in the United Kingdom
420:Climate of the United Kingdom
334:"The Holmfirth flood of 1852"
843:North Sea and Irish Sea 2013
332:Dickinson, Stanley (1910).
317:. H. Barden & Company.
273:Huddersfield Daily Examiner
1603:
861:Widecombe-in-the-Moor 1638
688:Holmfirth 1738, 1777, 1944
1472:History of West Yorkshire
1439:
460:Buachaille Etive Mòr 2009
415:
755:Somerset Levels 2013–14
693:North East England 1771
1582:Dam failures in Europe
1567:1944 natural disasters
1547:1852 natural disasters
1527:1821 natural disasters
1502:1777 natural disasters
1492:1738 natural disasters
1477:Disasters in Yorkshire
733:November–December 2009
407:Weather events in the
141:reporting restrictions
92:
58:Rainstorms caused the
90:
775:Yorkshire Dales 2019
678:Bristol Channel 1607
655:Yorkshire Dales 2019
363:53.55944°N 1.84556°W
149:invasion of Normandy
143:in place because of
1507:18th-century floods
548:February–March 2018
359: /
293:The Daily Telegraph
135:following a severe
889:Great Malvern 1761
808:South England 1287
713:South England 1968
368:53.55944; -1.84556
296:. 20 January 2005.
256:on 5 January 2007.
93:
50:in human history.
1482:Floods in England
1449:
1448:
1398:April–August 2022
1388:February–May 2019
1219:Windstorm seasons
212:on 16 August 2009
182:on 6 March 1973.
180:Buckingham Palace
1594:
1431:Great Stink 1858
1170:September 2020 (
1045:September 2011 (
983:September 1961 (
401:
394:
387:
378:
374:
373:
371:
370:
369:
364:
360:
357:
356:
355:
352:
341:
340:on 25 June 2007.
336:. Archived from
328:
298:
297:
284:
278:
277:
264:
258:
257:
252:. Archived from
246:
240:
239:
228:
222:
221:
219:
217:
211:
205:. Archived from
204:
196:
157:prisoners of war
20:Holmfirth floods
1602:
1601:
1597:
1596:
1595:
1593:
1592:
1591:
1572:1944 in England
1537:1852 in England
1517:1821 in England
1497:1777 in England
1487:1738 in England
1452:
1451:
1450:
1445:
1435:
1426:Great Smog 1952
1414:
1403:Wennington 2022
1369:
1288:
1270:
1214:
1206:November 2023 (
1188:February 2022 (
1179:December 2021 (
1161:February 2020 (
1152:February 2020 (
1116:December 2015 (
1107:December 2015 (
1098:November 2015 (
927:
918:
904:Birmingham 2005
870:
847:
794:
738:Workington 2009
698:Strathspey 1829
664:
635:Chew Stoke 1968
611:
552:
464:
441:
411:
405:
367:
365:
361:
358:
353:
350:
348:
346:
345:
331:
325:
310:
307:
305:Further reading
302:
301:
286:
285:
281:
266:
265:
261:
248:
247:
243:
230:
229:
225:
215:
213:
209:
202:
198:
197:
193:
188:
174:. However, the
131:, 29 May 1944,
125:
109:London Standard
85:
77:
68:
56:
12:
11:
5:
1600:
1598:
1590:
1589:
1584:
1579:
1574:
1569:
1564:
1559:
1554:
1549:
1544:
1539:
1534:
1529:
1524:
1519:
1514:
1509:
1504:
1499:
1494:
1489:
1484:
1479:
1474:
1469:
1464:
1454:
1453:
1447:
1446:
1440:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1433:
1428:
1422:
1420:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1412:
1407:
1406:
1405:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1379:
1377:
1371:
1370:
1368:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1291:
1289:
1287:
1286:
1281:
1275:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1222:
1220:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1203:
1197:October 2023 (
1194:
1185:
1176:
1167:
1158:
1149:
1143:October 2019 (
1140:
1134:January 2018 (
1131:
1125:October 2017 (
1122:
1113:
1104:
1095:
1089:October 2014 (
1086:
1081:
1076:
1074:Christmas 2013
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1026:October 1996 (
1023:
1018:
1013:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
934:
932:
920:
919:
917:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
880:
878:
872:
871:
869:
868:
863:
857:
855:
849:
848:
846:
845:
840:
838:North Sea 2007
835:
833:North Sea 1978
830:
828:North Sea 1976
825:
823:North Sea 1953
820:
815:
813:North Sea 1287
810:
804:
802:
796:
795:
793:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
770:Winter 2019–20
767:
762:
760:Winter 2015–16
757:
752:
750:Winter 2013–14
747:
742:
741:
740:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
674:
672:
666:
665:
663:
662:
657:
652:
647:
645:Boscastle 2004
642:
637:
632:
627:
621:
619:
613:
612:
610:
609:
600:
591:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
560:
558:
554:
553:
551:
550:
545:
540:
535:
530:
525:
520:
515:
510:
505:
500:
495:
490:
485:
480:
474:
472:
466:
465:
463:
462:
457:
451:
449:
443:
442:
440:
439:
434:
429:
428:
427:
425:climate change
416:
413:
412:
409:United Kingdom
406:
404:
403:
396:
389:
381:
343:
342:
329:
323:
306:
303:
300:
299:
279:
259:
250:"1944 weather"
241:
223:
190:
189:
187:
184:
133:flash flooding
124:
121:
84:
81:
76:
73:
67:
64:
55:
52:
28:West Yorkshire
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1599:
1588:
1585:
1583:
1580:
1578:
1575:
1573:
1570:
1568:
1565:
1563:
1560:
1558:
1555:
1553:
1550:
1548:
1545:
1543:
1540:
1538:
1535:
1533:
1530:
1528:
1525:
1523:
1520:
1518:
1515:
1513:
1510:
1508:
1505:
1503:
1500:
1498:
1495:
1493:
1490:
1488:
1485:
1483:
1480:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1460:
1459:
1457:
1444:
1438:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1423:
1421:
1417:
1411:
1408:
1404:
1401:
1400:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1376:
1372:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1292:
1290:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1273:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1217:
1211:
1209:
1204:
1202:
1200:
1195:
1193:
1191:
1186:
1184:
1182:
1177:
1175:
1173:
1168:
1166:
1164:
1159:
1157:
1155:
1150:
1148:
1146:
1141:
1139:
1137:
1132:
1130:
1128:
1123:
1121:
1119:
1114:
1112:
1110:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1087:
1085:
1084:February 2014
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1069:December 2013
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1054:December 2011
1052:
1050:
1048:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1035:December 1998
1033:
1031:
1029:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1010:
1007:August 1986 (
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
992:February 1962
990:
988:
986:
981:
979:
978:February 1903
976:
974:
971:
969:
968:December 1879
966:
964:
963:February 1871
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
943:November 1824
941:
939:
938:December 1703
936:
935:
933:
931:
925:
921:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
899:November 1981
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
881:
879:
877:
873:
867:
864:
862:
859:
858:
856:
854:
853:Thunderstorms
850:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
805:
803:
801:
797:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
739:
736:
735:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
675:
673:
671:
667:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
630:Lynmouth 1952
628:
626:
623:
622:
620:
618:
614:
608:
606:
601:
599:
597:
592:
590:
587:
585:
584:February 2009
582:
580:
577:
575:
572:
570:
567:
565:
562:
561:
559:
555:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
538:February 2012
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
486:
484:
481:
479:
476:
475:
473:
471:
467:
461:
458:
456:
453:
452:
450:
448:
444:
438:
435:
433:
430:
426:
423:
422:
421:
418:
417:
414:
410:
402:
397:
395:
390:
388:
383:
382:
379:
375:
372:
339:
335:
330:
326:
324:0-9524747-4-3
320:
316:
315:
309:
308:
304:
295:
294:
289:
283:
280:
275:
274:
269:
263:
260:
255:
251:
245:
242:
237:
233:
227:
224:
208:
201:
195:
192:
185:
183:
181:
177:
176:Royal Warrant
173:
169:
165:
160:
158:
155:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
122:
120:
119:negligence".
117:
112:
110:
106:
101:
98:
89:
82:
80:
74:
72:
65:
63:
61:
53:
51:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
21:
16:
1562:1940s floods
1542:1850s floods
1522:1820s floods
1467:Holme Valley
1410:Cannich 2023
1393:Wareham 2020
1207:
1198:
1189:
1180:
1171:
1162:
1153:
1144:
1135:
1126:
1117:
1108:
1099:
1090:
1079:January 2014
1064:October 2013
1059:January 2012
1046:
1040:January 2007
1027:
1021:January 1990
1016:October 1987
1008:
1002:January 1976
997:January 1968
984:
973:October 1881
958:October 1859
948:January 1839
914:October 2022
894:October 1913
800:Storm surges
687:
650:Morpeth 2008
640:Glasgow 2002
617:Flash floods
604:
603:March 2023 (
595:
594:March 2018 (
579:January 1995
564:January 1881
523:October 2008
344:
338:the original
313:
291:
282:
271:
262:
254:the original
244:
226:
214:. Retrieved
207:the original
194:
172:Albert Medal
164:George Cross
161:
145:World War II
137:thunderstorm
126:
113:
108:
102:
94:
78:
69:
57:
24:Holme Valley
19:
17:
15:
1383:Summer 2018
953:August 1848
909:London 2006
884:London 1091
818:Thames 1928
780:Summer 2022
728:August 2008
723:Summer 2007
718:Autumn 2000
708:Thames 1947
703:Thames 1928
660:London 2021
557:Snow events
543:Spring 2013
366: /
129:Whit Monday
111:newspaper.
60:River Holme
1456:Categories
930:hurricanes
924:Windstorms
683:Trent 1683
625:Louth 1920
589:March 2013
574:April 1981
569:March 1891
470:Cold snaps
455:Lewes 1836
447:Avalanches
351:53°33′34″N
186:References
48:landslides
34:affecting
1462:Holmfirth
1441:Disputed
1375:Wildfires
1279:Heatwaves
876:Tornadoes
866:July 1968
765:June 2016
354:1°50′44″W
44:reservoir
36:Holmfirth
1284:Droughts
216:3 August
168:drowning
1443:tsunami
1266:2023–24
1261:2022–23
1256:2021–22
1251:2020–21
1246:2019–20
1241:2018–19
1236:2017–18
1231:2016–17
1226:2015–16
1145:Lorenzo
1136:Eleanor
1127:Ophelia
1109:Desmond
1100:Abigail
1091:Gonzalo
1009:Charley
928:former
745:2012–13
533:2010–11
528:2009–10
518:1990–91
508:1985–86
503:1981–82
498:1962–63
493:1946–47
488:1894–95
478:1683–84
116:inquest
97:gallons
32:England
1208:Ciarán
1190:Eunice
1163:Dennis
985:Debbie
670:Floods
605:Larisa
321:
154:German
1419:Other
1199:Babet
1181:Barra
1154:Ciara
1047:Katia
210:(PDF)
203:(PDF)
40:flood
1365:2022
1360:2021
1355:2019
1350:2018
1345:2013
1340:2006
1335:2003
1330:1995
1325:1990
1320:1976
1315:1955
1310:1911
1305:1906
1300:1808
1295:1757
1172:Alex
1028:Lili
790:2024
785:2023
596:Emma
513:1987
483:1709
319:ISBN
218:2009
123:1944
105:rain
83:1852
75:1821
66:1777
54:1738
18:The
1118:Eva
926:and
236:BBC
127:On
114:An
1458::
290:.
270:.
234:.
30:,
26:,
1210:)
1201:)
1192:)
1183:)
1174:)
1165:)
1156:)
1147:)
1138:)
1129:)
1120:)
1111:)
1102:)
1093:)
1049:)
1030:)
1011:)
987:)
607:)
598:)
400:e
393:t
386:v
327:.
276:.
238:.
220:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
