The funeral procession makes its way past St James' Church, Louth
Two Grimsby individuals - a man and a toddler - are believed to be among those drowned in the terrible flood that devastated Louth 100 years ago. They were a fireman, Harry Phillipson, of unknown address, and a three-year-old Lily Metcalf of Heneage Road. They were among 23 casualties that fateful day, but does anyone have any information about either? Was Mr Phillipson part of the Grimsby fire crew who attended the scene? Why was Lily in Louth? The Grimsby News has seen this contemporary account of the funeral.
Louth, with approximately population 10,000, paid a whole public tribute on Wednesday at the funeral of 16 of the 22 flood victims, the others having been taken to their native placed for private interment.
The church, one of the finest in Lincolnshire, was filled with mourners and townspeople, the latter being headed by the mayor and corporation members and representatives of other public bodies.
The Rector (the Rev C. H. Lenton) conducted the service, assisted by other clergymen and ministers of the town.
Speaking for the community, the Rector said that Louth and the whole country sympathised with the mourners in the loss they had sustained.
"Let them pray for themselves so they might be as one family in the great common bond of sorrow.
The one thing the world needed to-day was fellowship and love."
This psalm was selected by the rector: "God is our hope and strength- a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof rage and swell; and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same. The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God."
Outside, the crowd lined both sides of the uphill road to the cemetery, waiting until the sorrowful procession emerged from the church.
The coffins were borne on four black-draped lorries. The mourners who were able-bodied followed on foot, and older people were accommodated with carriages.
The Mayor, Aldermen and Town Councillors came next, and, as the procession moved on its way, hundreds joined and marched slowly to the cemetery.
Many had gathered at the burial ground.
At the grave where the three children of Mr and Mrs Berry - Jack (5), Herbert (4), and (1) - were laid to rest, the crowd was a congested one.
As the tiny coffins were lowered, there was a heartrending sobbing from those present.
The persons buried were: The three Berry children, Mary Bishop (76), Walter Bateson (47), Charles Thorne Smith Mitchinson (83), Elizabeth Smith (68), Mrs Brumfield (14), Clara Brumfield (15), Jane Thorpe (77), Betsy Ann Thorpe (42), Ellen Kirkman (61), Percy Fytche (70), Charles Borman (66), Maggie Winton (15) and William Frith (54).
Mr, Mrs and Miss Swingler were buried on Tuesday, and, earlier on Wednesday, the boy, Edward Halligan, aged seven, interred.in the Catholic section of the cemetery.
J. Phillipson, the fireman, and Lily Medcalfe, aged three, were buried at Grimsby.
Thus 22 of the victims have been laid to lest, and as as far can be ascertained only the body of the unfortunate old woman, Mrs Fytche, remains unrecovered.
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| Mourning those who lost their lives in terrible circumstances |
And here is another account of the events of that fateful day:
One of those swift and terrible calamities which leave men gasping and helpless visited the town of Louth, in Lincolnshire on Saturday.
It is not yet clearly ascertained where lay the origin of the calamity but the indications are that there was a clond burst on the North Lincolnshire Wolds, at the foot of which the town lies.
A report has it the storm broke in the fullness of its violence at Scamblesby which lies up about six miles south-west of Louth.
What is certain is the gathered waters swept down the hillside towards the town, and dashing through the low-lying quarters wrought such havoc Louth has never known before.
Houses were torn down, bridges smashed, motor cars, furniture and heavy vehicles, one of them a tar-sprayer weighing a ton and a half, tossed about like chips of wood.
Saddest of all, human beings, suddenly penned in rooms from escape was impossible, drowned without the faintest hope of rescue.
There had been a heavy thunderstorm which kept the inhabitants in their homes, but none suspected the fate which fell upon them so suddenly.
So far as is known, 23 lives have been lost, and it is feared that others are missing, and a rough estimate of the damage puts it at £100,000.
Fifty houses were washed away and 700 others damaged.
Some 800 hundred people are homeless in Louth.
The Congregational Church has been converted into a food and clothing depot, and a large staff has been formed into a food committee.
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| The salvage operation begins |
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| Damaged, but is it still usable? |
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| Too dreadful for words. Townsfolk gaze with horror at the devastation |
And of the opening of the inquest:
An inquest was opened at Louth, on Monday, on victims of the disaster.
Charles Swingler said he encountered the flood in Eve Street, and rushed to assist in rescue work.
When he returned to his own home on Ramsgate, he found that his parents and sister had been drowned.
William Fytche, of Ramsgate, said he carried his father and mother out of the house into the garden, and they all got into a tree, but the tree went over, and all three were carried away by the flood.
He went under, and, when he rose to the surface again, his parents had disappeared.
The body of his father bad been found but not that of his mother.
Miss Kirkham had been away from home and had only returned at midnight on Friday. She was drowned in her house.
The proceedings were adjourned.
* A monument in Louth Cemetery remembers those who died: Walter Bateson (47), Edith Berry (1), Hubert Berry (4), Jack Berry (5), Mary Bishop (76), Charles Borman (66), Clara Bromfield (15), Margaret Bromfield (44), William Frith (54), Frederick Fytche (70), Hannah Fytche (67), Edward Halligan (7), Ellen Kirkham (61), Lily Metcalf (3), Charles Mitchinson (82), Harry Phillipson (36), Elizabeth Smith (68), John Swingler (68), Susan Swingler (65), Margaret Swingler (23), Jane Thorpe (77), Betsy Ann Thorpe (42), Maggie Winton (15).
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| It's still standing - but only just |
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