Read All About It!
There is an online resource called The British Newspaper Archive, a wonderful site for searching national newspapers. From this site I have collected around one hundred stories about newsworthy happenings in the Arksey area from the years 1839 to the mid 20th century. The range of stories include crimes, accidents, announcements, disasters and celebrations.
The next five posts include transcriptions and images of the stories which have been put together in the following categories:
For the British Newspaper Archive site go to - The British Newspaper Archive.
The next five posts include transcriptions and images of the stories which have been put together in the following categories:
- Wild Weather - Part One
- Railway Incidents - Part Two
- Accidents - Part Three
- Crime and Punishment - Part Four
- Miscellaneous News - Part Five
For the British Newspaper Archive site go to - The British Newspaper Archive.
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Wild Weather
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| Flooding on Almholme Lane in 1932 |
The floods which hit Arksey and Bentley in 1932 are well documented and were covered extensively in the national press. The following includes stories of the floods plus some other weather related stories.
Contents
- The Flood Menace, the Serern Falling, But The Don Still Swollen - 1932
- Doncaster Floods, Prayers Said In Churches of South Yorkshire - 1932
- Cemetery Flooded, Several Yorkshire Villages Still Cut Off - 1932
- The Harvest in West Yorkshire - 1844
- Heavy Thunderstorm, Doncaster - 1878
- Thunderstorm - 1849
- Heavy Thunderstorms and Floods - 1878
- Links
The Flood Menace
The Severn Falling, But The Don Still Swollen
'The worst of the Severn flooding is now passing in Gloucester, and there is now a much brighter outlook.
The river this morning had fallen seven inches in the preceding 24 hours.
But there was still no sign to-day of a fall in the floods in the Don Valley. Families have been rendered homeless, and a large proportion of the population of Bentley-with-Arksey have taken refuge in the village schools.
Gloucestershire Echo, 7 March 1933A number of maternity cases have been moved from their flooded homes to a Doncaster nursing home, and a boat service is being operated between Arksey, Almholme and Stockbridge.Meanwhile the inhabitants of Bentley are awaiting a reply from the telegram which the urban district council forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture and local M.P.'s demanding that Government should take "such effective and vigorous steps to deal with the constant menace to their health, comfort and prosperity as would be taken in the event of an invasion of their homes by a foreign enemy".'
Doncaster Floods
Prayers Said In Churches Of South Yorkshire
Western Morning News, 6 March 1933'At some of the churches in South Yorkshire yesterday prayers were offered for the abatement of the flood waters which are devastating the Doncaster district for many miles around.Several hamlets and villages are now cut off from communication except by boat.Bentley people spent an anxious night on Saturday fearing that the river would overflow at the North-road Bridge, Doncaster, and cause a repetition of the disaster of last May, when 1,500 people were driven from their homes by the floods.Notwithstanding the fact that water was lapping the walls of the church at Arksey, the vicar (Rev. J. Pierce Price) is conducting the services as usual.The vicar had watched throughout the night to give warning to the people if the position became any more serious.Despite this vigil carried out in waders and in a boat, he had conducted the 8 a.m. Communion service in the church, followed by other services during the day.'
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| The Avenue and pit in flood. |
Cemetery Flooded
Several Yorkshire Villages Still Cut Off
From our own correspondentDoncaster, Tuesday.
Western Morning News, 25 May 1932'Although the water has subsided some-what the situation remains serious in Doncaster and Bentley areas.Several villages are still isolated by the floods, and Bentley Cemetery is under water.Main line trains on the London and North-Eastern Railway between Doncaster and York had to be diverted to-day owing to flood water on the line near Arksey. The Flying Scotsman on its journey south this afternoon was considerably delayed through this cause. Bentley Colliery is surrounded by water, and 2,000 men and boys have been thrown idle.Captain J. T. Roseveare, chief drainage engineer to the Ministry of Health, is cooperating with the Doncaster Drainage Board and Bentley Urban Council in efforts to alleviate the situation. It is established that over 3,000 houses are affected. People are still being carried from their homes in boats and horses and carts. Several roads in the district are still impassable.The floods in the Evesham Valley subsided slightly during the day, and the River Avon to-night was 11ft. 8in. above normal.In the Nottingham district floods have stopped work at the Clifton Colliery, and water was to-day rushing through West Bridgford Parish Church.'
The Harvest in West Yorkshire
London Standard, 10 August 1844
Heavy Thunderstorm
Doncaster
'A terrific thunderstorm broke over Doncaster about noon on Saturday. The lightening was intensely vivid, and almost simultaneously accompanied by heavy peals of thunder. Rain and occasional hail fell in torrents all the while, and the day was almost as black as night. A large wheat stack on the farm premises of Mr. R. S. Brundell, of Pandell (Sandall) Grange, near Doncaster, was fired in the midst of the storm. An engine was promptly sent for from Doncaster, and as promptly arrived, and though that stack was destroyed, several others closely adjacent were saved by the firemen. A private house was struck in Regent Square, and a chimney stack considerably damaged, as also the slates on the roof. A woman, aged about 60 years, was killed at Arksey. She had arrived from Doncaster by a train, and went down towards the village, carrying her umbrella over her. The passengers, who followed shortly afterwards found her dead upon the road, but whether she had been struck by lightening or had died suddenly through fright is not certain. The body, it is said, presented no marks indicating that the unfortunate woman had been struck. The lodge at the cemetery was also struck and slightly damaged.'
Sheffield Independent, 20 May 1878
Below is a further report on the story above.
Heavy Thunderstorms And Floods
'Doncaster. - On Saturday, soon after noon, a brief though terrific thunderstorm passed over Doncaster and the district. The storm, though not lasting more than half or three quarters of an hour, was productive of great damage. In the town the chimney of a house on the river leading to the racecourse was struck by the electric fluid and shattered, and the lightening then passing through the roof entered the upper room. At Brodsworth, four miles to the north, and at the Corporation sewage farm, three miles distant to the east, stacks were fired by the lightening. The damage at the latter place is over £100, a wheat stack being wholly spoilt either by the fire or the water from the fire brigade. Fortunately the wind was in a right direction, or five other stacks in the yard, which were standing near the one fired, might have been destroyed. The most deplorable result of the storm occurred at Arksey, about three miles from Doncaster. A woman named Yates, while at or near the station, became ill through excitement, and died almost immediately. The storm though brief was one of the most violent that has been known at Doncaster. Several houses and other places in the town were flooded owing to the excessive fall of water.'
York Herald, 25 May 1878
Thunder Storm
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Links
For other articles in the series use the links below:
Alison Vainlo
Written 2013, updated 2020
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