Whatever the weather


Springhill, like many places in the UK, is currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures and a few inches of snow and, whilst not particularly severe compared with other places, has left one resident at least somewhat exposed.

Mac 670


Thankfully severe weather events are relatively rare in the Springhill area but a flood in 1911 caused a lot of damage. As ever the local press report it graphically, as this extract from the Rossendale Echo demonstrates:
'Tremendous storms were experienced in Rossendale on Saturday and Sunday and it is almost miraculous that there was no loss of life. Ominous clouds began to gather about 7 o’clock on Saturday night and soon after rain came down in torrents and soon the streets were like rivers. On Sunday noon there was another great storm.
...
In Cloughfold district a great amount of damage was done and on Saturday evening an alarming incident occurred. It was rumoured that a man had been killed on the railway but it appears that the driver of the train from Bacup to Manchester due at Cloughfold at 10.40 pm, FELT THE TRAIN JUMP near Highfield crossing and a subsequent inspection of the line proved that a large quantity of debris had been brought down the line by the storm. What the consequences would have been had the train left the track is too fearful to contemplate. On Sunday the storm was again very severe at Cloughfold. At the top of Hareholme Lane a goit burst and the water ran down the street past the corner of what was formerly the Friendship Inn into Bacup Road like a raging torrent carrying all before it. People in the street barricaded their doors as well as they could but in many cases it ran in at one door and out the other and both husbands and wives had a very busy time with brooms endeavouring to keep it out... soon Bacup Road was like a river and pedestrians had much difficulty getting across...at Higher Cloughfold tons of debris was brought from the hill and deposited near Sion Baptist Chapel.... '
(Rossendale Echo 17 May 1911)

The ‘tons of debris’ is shown in this photograph of Edge Lane:

flood edge lane

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