Rushden Research Group: Floods in Rushden

Floods in Rushden

Floods 1880s

Flood 1903

Floods 1926

Flood 1934

Flood 1968

Rushden Echo and Argus, 21st March, 1947

Floods in Wellingborough Road last Sunday

Flood at the Hayway/Higham Hill junction - 4th May 1952

Rushden Echo & Argus, 18th June 1954
	Six months ago it was June in January. Now it’s January in June. Sunday’s torrential rain caused flood water to rise over four feet at Yelden and Lower Dean. Householders made sandbag barricades as the water swirled near their homes. Kimbolton residents were all set to evacuate after being cut off from Stonely for six hours. In Rushden water spouted nearly two feet high from drains and manholes.

This was the scene outside J & C Claridge’s factory, on Sunday morning. Following torrential rain, water from the overflowing Hall Brook rushed down Skinners Hill, and was about six inches deep. In Duck Street it rose to a foot.	Duck Street swam in a fast-moving torrent which poured down from Skinners Hill. Rubbish had fouled the grill in the nearby brook, causing stormwater to overflow the banks and rush down the hill to flood Duck Street. A dam built by Council workmen on Sunday on Skinners Hill, turned the bus park into a reservoir.

The Rushden Echo and Argus, 15th July 1955, transcribed by Gill Hollis

Flood prevention plan is to cost £17,000
A £17,000 safeguard against flooding, the condition of Hall Avenue after the repair work, and the handling of footpath re-construction in various streets were chief topics for discussion at Rushden Urban Council’s meeting on Wednesday.

The scheme for a relief sewer to prevent the flooding which had occurred periodically at the junction of Wellingborough Road and Duck Street, was adopted for submission to the Ministry after Mr. Cyril Freeman had moved its deferment.

It provides for an automatic pumping station, actuating a pumping main in Fitzwilliam Street and along Wellingborough Road to a point near Station Road.

Mr. Freeman expressed alarm about the cost, which he suggested might be nearer £30,000, and about the effectiveness of the plan, adding that the “receiving end” (the sewerage works) was not adequate.

The surveyor (Mr. A. Millar) said it was better to have a little temporary overloading at the works than to have flooding in Duck Street, Station Road and Washbrook Road.

Left - The Lightstrung area under water in the 1960s.

The building at the foot of St Mary's Avenue was Roy's Hair Stylist. In the 1970s it became the premises of the Headland's who sold time share and property abroad.

When Headlands moved near to Nene Park, the Diamond's Football ground, Mike Neville moved his estate agency into the property.

College Street flooded in the 1960s

These three pictures were taken in central High Street between 1971 and 1976, by Michael Martin.

Above: note the factory of Seddons & Arlidge who made shoe boxes, Graham Willey (Estate Agents), Bradford & Bingley Building Society and Bake 'n Take Sandwich Bar are long gone.

Top right, shows the Co-op Hall and National Westminster Bank in the background.

Right: Hepworths, Lindy Bakeries.


Duck Street - Summer 1974 - outside Wilkins & Denton offices

Taken on May 14th, 1975 at 6.40pm - the junction of Wellingborough Road and St Margaret's Avenue, - Photo by A J George

In 1968 a culvert blocked and caused flood.
In September 1975 the brook running from High Street South, through Hall Park,
along Duck Street, and out through Spencer Park was culverted.

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