11/03/2024
Tonight is the 160th anniversary of the 1864 Great Flood. The details are well covered elsewhere, but in short at least 280 people of all ages were killed in one of the biggest disasters in UK history.
On my walks and talks on the subject I find it very interesting to look at the politics of what happened next, because while the flood itself is not as well known as it should be, the subsequent effect on Sheffield and how it was run are even less so.
Following the flood the Sheffield Water Works Company paid out nearly half a million pounds in compensation, but covered the costs in year on year increases in the water rates. The company remained very unpopular with both the people and the local authority for many years, eventually leading to a House of Lords case in 1887 that found in favour of the Sheffield Corporation taking the water service into local authority control, which was no small achievement in itself. This cost the incredible sum of over £2million, well over £100million today and was a very radical step.
Following the success of that policy Sheffield Corporation took over the power company and the horse tramway company in the 1890s, leading to Sheffield becoming the first major town or city to electrify its tramway in 1899. I believe all that can be traced back to the flood and the after effects.
Finally one of my favourite Sheffield buildings is the Water Works Company HQ on Division Street, covered in the symbolism of various water gods etc, but look at the datestone. 1867. At the peak of its unpopularity, blamed for deaths, putting up bills, with the council wanting to remove it from the city, SWWC built this grand town centre edifice. A clear two fingers to its critics and the city fathers. It says to me, 'do your worst, we are staying'.
