Newspaper cuttings about the 1953 floods
These are some old newspaper cuttings telling us about the 1953 floods which happened in
Tilbury.
These people were local tenants and were taken to the Chadwell relief centre,where they were given hot meals and blankets to comfort them in their ordeal after their homes were flooded, They had to wait for the flood to subside before they went home.
Local shops were also affected.
Newspaper advertiments were taken out to keep in touch with their customers and let them know what was going on.
Comments about this page
Add your own comment
Top picture.
3rd from right is my mum Joan Cowin and 2nd from right is my sister Maureen Chapple. Maureen is holding either our tortoise or the cat which were both rescued from the flood water. I seem to remember that the tortoise was in hibernation in a box under the stairs and was found floating on the water.
I was nearly 18 when the 1953 floods hit Tilbury, we heard it on the news Sunday morning I put my St John Ambulance uniform on and reported to the police station at Tilbury and then assisted them in rescuing those that needed it. By mid morning the primary school in Chadwell was nearly full. Palmers Girls School was then opened up and I was asked to man the telephone and keep a log of those arriving I was there on duty until Wednesday 4th of February when the refugees there were accommodated elsewhere or were able to return to there own homes.
I am sure that the Chadwell Relief Centre was at the Primary School.The lady in the picture (Mrs Caroline Cox) was my Nan she is seen feeding her daughter also Caroline but known to us as Carrie as she suffered from Parkinson Disease
I believe that the Chadwell Relief Centre was at Chadwell St Mary Primary School. Can anyone confirm or correct this?
Add a comment about this page