200 THE GREAT FLOOD IN ESSEX.
flood at Chelmsford, on December 20th, 1881, when it is said that
the Chelmer was higher than had been known for twenty-two years
at Broomfield Mill ; the flood-water was also deep on the Baddow
Road. Mr. Corder says that the rain then did not affect the Wid, as
it chiefly fell in North Essex.
From the "Essex Times" I learn that at Romford there was a
serious flood in 1841, but on that occasion the water mark is said
to have been from 12 to 15 inches below that of the late flood.
I have said that this flood of August, 1888, visited the south-west
of Essex, and in fact the district visited may be contained very nearly
within lines drawn from Witham, on the north-east, to Loughton, on
the north-west, from that place to south-west Ham, from south-west
Ham to Tilbury, and from Tilbury back to Witham. The places
which suffered most appear to have been:—Chelmsford, Romford,
Ilford, Woodford, South-West Ham, and Barking. At Chelmsford
the High Street and other streets were flooded, the iron bridge over
the Cann was swept away, and some boundary walls were washed
down. At Romford great damage was done, the High Street being
flooded, as well as other streets. The brewery of Messrs. Ind,
Coope and Co. received great damage, and much property was carried
away. The low lying marshes at Ilford were flooded, the Great
Eastern Railway between Ilford and Chadwell Heath stations was
submerged in some places to a depth of 6 or 7 feet, and the traffic
stopped. At Woodford, water rose to a considerable height in many
of the cottages near the river, the flood also stood at a depth of more
than 4 feet in parts of the Lower Road leading through Woodford
Bridge to Chigwell. At South-West Ham much damage was done
and distress brought about among many of the inhabitants by the
amount of water, and the time during which it remained. On
August 8th, the flood had not receded from parts of this district.
Between Barking and Plaistow, on the London and Tilbury Railway,
the ballast under the permanent way was washed away, and a gap
caused in the line. I may further mention that at Brentwood the
railway, which lies in a cutting, was flooded, the water standing at a
level of several inches above the floors of the waiting rooms and
offices of the station.
It is, therefore, not unnatural that we should expect to find heavy
rain-falls in the neighbourhood of these places, in that part of the
country in fact which is watered by the Wid, the Ingreburn, the
Bourne, and what I may call the lower Roding.