Water

Sheffield is a city built on many hills - often humorously compared to Rome. To be more perceptive, it is a city built on many rivers - powerful bodies of water, flowing down steep slopes in narrow valleys, which provided the energy for the city's industry and drove its development

The principal river is the Don, with major tributaries, the Loxley, Rivelin, Porter and Sheaf (from which the city gets it's name), and many feeder brooks and dykes. The river Rother also flows through part of the city, and joins the Don in adjoining Rotherham

In 1864, the biggest non-maritime disaster in Victorian England took place in Sheffield. On 11 March a workman on a newly constructed dam on the Loxley noticed a concerning crack narrower than a penknife blade. Within hours the crack was as wide as a finger. The construction engineer was called.  Presumably in mounting panic, he ordered the waste water weir to be dynamited to reduce pressure.  

It was to no avail. Just before midnight, the dam collapsed catastrophically; within 47 minutes, it was empty and 3 million cubic metres of water flowed down the narrow valley at 18 miles an hour, far too fast for any warnings to be issued. Farmsteads and entire villages were not just innundated but obliterated. 600 homes were damaged or destroyed. 240 deaths were recorded, but there were probably 50 or 60 lives lost without record. It is strange that it has been almost forgotten - locally there is some salience but, despite its scale, it is not one of the key national events taught in school history

Last night, at about the same time the dam engineer was called, thunder clouds rolled over Sheffield and raindrops the size of marbles began bombarding the city. Gutters and drains overtopped, manhole covers were lifted, sheets of water flowed over roads and pavements, and the hills let their presence me known once again. A steam of foul water flowed into our son's garage. Just in time, we realised what was happening and rescued valuable power tools and construction materials before they were swamped. The back door of the garage had to be opened to allow 10 or 15cm of water to escape into the garden and down the hill to the brook 

After a restless night we spent the morning on a big clean up, with spades and brushes and several bottles of Jey's Fluid. It was all a bit traumatic in the moment, but no-one was harmed, the house itself is fine, and flood waters have created so much misery for so many people in recent years that it is insignificant in comparison

We are now home. The Pear Tree pub laid on a floral 'welcome back'. Or just possibly it is linked to the beer festival next weekend. Our neighbour's chickens also welcomed us back to our garden - but he came to fetch them home before dark. Ironically, we seem to have had only moderate rain here - we may need to water some plant pots tomorrow! All is right worth the world