Barnham Flooding December 1993
Flooding is not a recent occurrence in either Barnham or Eastergate. The area is low lying and the water table is high. Slindon and Walberton both drain towards our villages; there are several rifes (streams) flowing north to south and open ditches such as alongside Hill Lane in Barnham. One rife forms the boundary between Eastergate and Westergate (in Aldingbourne parish) and runs parallel to Fontwell Avenue and Church Lane, crossing under the A29 near to Elm Tree Stores.
Another rife, denoting the old boundary between Barnham and Eastergate parishes before the merger, runs from the Walberton area through Hedge End Wood, then adjacent to the Trading Post/ Outside Interest shops, before going under the Barnham Road and railway line, thence through Marshall Close and on southwards parallel to Church Lane, and crossing Highground Lane. This rife is joined near Parsonage Farmhouse by water from Lake Lane that comes under the road at the junction of Lake Lane and Barnham Lane. Low lying Barnham also has a history of poor drainage and foul sewerage with excessive surface water overwhelming the system. It was not unusual for sewage to be seen bubbling up in various places around the village and for toilets to ‘back up’ (and I am told this has not been fully alleviated in 2020).
1960's Barnham Road Flooding
In December 1993 the situation came to a head to the horror of many residents.
*The following is taken from ‘Barnham Matters’, the newsletter of Barnham Residents’ Association, now disbanded:
“December 30th 1993 will surely be remembered as one of the blackest days in Barnham’s 1000 year history. Torrential rain (around 40mm in 24 hours) caused severe flooding on the afternoon of the 30th. As darkness fell, more and more properties became victim to a disgusting mixture of rife water, sewage and diesel oil. Parts of Orchard Way, Farnhurst Road, Warren Way, Lake Lane, Dial Close and Barnham Road were seriously affected.
“South of the railway line, parts of Marshall Close, Highground Lane and Hill Lane suffered. Then, over the next few days it became clear that the flooding extended to Stempswood Way, Elm Grove, Spinney Walk, Wentworth Close, Downview Road and Ewens gardens.”
Mr and Mrs Britton, living at Dial Close, were badly affected by the flooding and in February 2011 Mrs Barbara Britton recounted the events of that day. By then 92 years old, an outspoken and outgoing lady, Babs told me she had served on the Parish Council, revived the Barnham Gala, and was president of the local Women’s Institute.
On December 30th 1993, it rained. Babs and her husband spotted water coming in under the front door and when they turned around, it was coming in under the back door. Within an hour and a half it was up to their knees. Bill gathered everything he could and made sure that he passed the kettle, crockery, cutlery, biscuits and so on up to Babs who was halfway up the stairs. Their thoughts were only to be able to make a cup of tea as they were going out to eat that evening…
Later, with the electricity cut and the ground floor under rife water, sewage and diesel oil, the RNLI arrived in the dark to rescue them. There was concern about an elderly neighbour who lived alone and often napped in a chair in the afternoon. Unable to get a response, the lifeboatmen broke into the house to find that no one was at home – she had gone away for Christmas. They were taken to Churchill House in Goodacres to spend the night in the residents’ lounge. Little sleep was had, though, as an evacuated confused elderly lady kept trying to put on the light and had to be told time and time again that there was no power.
The next morning, they returned heartbroken to find eighteen inches of sludge in the house and the Barnham Road running with water like a river. They were upset to have lost irreplaceable family photographs and heirlooms. The couple spent two months in a hotel in Shripney Road, several miles away from Barnham, while everything downstairs was replaced including all kitchen appliances, furniture, electrics, heating and personal effects. Drawing a line at replacing their parquet flooring, the insurance company arranged for it to be deep cleaned.
Moving back into their house months later, Mr and Mrs Britton were unable to relax. They fitted removable flood-barriers to their two doorways and, in 2000, when heavy rain fell, they appeared in the Bognor Regis Observer (Thursday November 9th) preparing for the worse behind three tiers of sandbags, having emptied downstairs cupboards and taken all they could carry upstairs.
Back to mid-afternoon on the day in question, a van and a bus were stranded in two feet of flood water: the passengers were rescued by the fire brigade. However, the fire brigade had to be stood down when several unidentified canisters were carried along in the floodwater and were deemed to be a potential hazard to the crew.
*The Eldridges at 2 Rose Cottages, 20 Barnham Road, had just returned from the Isle of Wight where they had spent Christmas with relatives. The water appeared in their back garden and despite their efforts they were unable to keep it out of the house. The safety of their four children aged 6, 9, 12 and 14 was paramount so, battle lost, they abandoned their home for higher ground outside the Barnham Hotel. They were taken in by the Donabie family in Elm Grove South who already had a full house. Later that evening they suddenly remembered the two guinea pigs – which thankfully Chris was able to rescue by wading through waist high water. Returning next day it was to see ‘utter devastation’:
‘There was mud and slimy water everywhere, furniture was overturned, cupboard doors opened, belongings strewn all over the ground floor, an awful smell, the scene was something we never want to see or experience again.’
During that momentous evening when the water was at its highest and the whole village plunged into darkness, the RNLI inshore lifeboat crew provided invaluable help and is mentioned by several residents. *Mr and Mrs Lanigan, the licensees of the Murrell Arms before Mervyn and Daphne Cutten, had retired to a bungalow in Dial Close. Their daughters had managed to get as far as the Barnham Hotel to bring them to safety and were told that they had been moved to Churchill House – together with their cat in a basket and their cockatiel in a cage. With no way of reaching them, they enlisted the help of the RNLI who offered not only to take one of them there but to pick up the parents and bring them to the higher ground at the hotel. It was now 8.30pm on a dark and cold December night. This was the scene at Churchill House:
‘The mostly elderly evacuees were sitting around in the semi dark of the residents’ lounge, the gloom barely relieved by a few candles and torches. The shadows made their faces seem even bleaker but it was the sea of shock and bewilderment compounded by a pervading air of hopelessness. One of the most startling things was the complete lack of noise. No-one was talking in anything above a brief, quiet whisper, but generally no-one was talking at all.’
The lifeboatmen, true to their word, brought the Lanigans, the cat, the bird, and a gentleman with a cocker spaniel whom they picked up on the way, safely to the Barnham Hotel. It was now 10.30pm.
Mr and Mrs Lanigan, as with all the people who lived in the bungalows in Dial Close, lost everything.
Praise must also go to the local residents who helped that afternoon and night and in the aftermath. The Barnham Residents’ Association covered the postal village of Barnham which was represented at that time by two parish councils – Barnham and Eastergate with the rife as its boundary. The Residents’ Association set up a relief office above the hairdressers (number 42 Barnham Road) and I have the card system that was used.
What is evident is that whilst many people were fully insured and were able to return to their homes several months later, many were not. To help with the clean-up, buckets, mops, gloves and disinfectant were distributed. Having removed fitted carpets, carpet pieces were also given. In addition, some clothing, bedding, towels, furniture, kitchen utensils and children’s books were donated. The school offered to help a lone parent with school uniform for her child.
The cards tell of residents who are elderly or alone or pregnant and of children who are traumatised. They also mention the help given by the Womens’ Institute, Citizens Advice Bureau, the Rotary Club and Lady Caroline Marshall, wife of the local MP. *Councillor W Britton, a flood victim alongside his wife (see above) wrote a statement to Barnham Parish Council dated 25th January 1994 where he complained that the police were warned of flooding in Barnham Road at 2pm on the day but did not appear or act. He also says:
Sandbags were not available until 3 days after the flooding. Skips asked for five times eventually arrived 6th January.’
However, he also has praise for the firemen and:
‘Womens’ Institute as usual were quick off the mark, one member provided food 10 hours after the flood, others handling our laundry and running errands, plus numerous offers of assistance. The volunteer group organised by Claire and John Auckland [Barnham Residents’ Association] (who took us home for the first hot meal in three days), has done a magnificent job, including working with Meals on Wheels for those without cooking/heating facilities.’
The Aftermath
After the clean-up came time to assess the causes and solutions. Ditches were dug/cleared and hopefully maintained so that properties in places such as Hill Lane and Ewens Gardens/Downview Road would not suffer again. It was said that a piece of polythene or tarpaulin had contributed to the main flooding and a new grill was fitted where the rife flowed under Barnham Road. However it was also apparent that the culvert under the road and railway was insufficient and a second was installed. The Barnham Drainage Group was set up to meet with Southern Water, the Environment Agency, WSCC and ADC. The Environment Agency undertook to clear the rife between Marshall Close and Highground Lane twice a year, although this was later reduced to annually. In Marshall Close, an improved screening and pumping station was installed to disperse excess water into the rife with ‘as little sewage as possible’. Extensive drainage work was carried out to alleviate the ground water/surface water/ sewage problem that had blighted Barnham for years.
The Bognor Regis Observer (May 20th 1999) front page leads with an article headlined ‘Sewage pipe repair fund of £2m ‘may not be enough’ ’
David Green, ADC’s engineering services manager, said “Whatever we do today, in ten or 15 years’ time might well need to be addressed again.” Arun Head of Environmental Health Paul Unsworth said, “We are fighting against nature, both in terms of what is deposited on the ground and what happens underground.” The article stated that Barnham suffered from being below sea level and from ground conditions which caused pipes to move. [Indeed the pipework under the Barnham Road, scheduled to close the road for 6 weeks, took nearer 6 months and all traffic, including buses was diverted through Farnhurst Road.]
Did the work solve the problems? Residents will know the answer to that.
Click on the documents below for the memories of the flooding from:
Also,
Statement by Councillor W Britton
Postscript: Bognor Observer article December 6, 2001 ‘A plaque to mark high water’
Thanks to John Donabie, local photographer, ex member of Barnham Residents’ Association and ex parish councillor, for contributing most of the photographs that can be found on Flickr by clicking HERE.
Both John and I hold additional photographs. Thanks to all who have contributed to this archive and if anyone has anything to add, I hope they will contact me via the Parish Council office.
Sandra Lowton
December 2020