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38
RIVER LEA FLOODING.
A complaint was received in the Public Health Department at
2.30 p.m. on Friday the 14th March, 1947 that flooding had
occurred on the banks of the Lea. The Chief Sanitary Inspector and
the District Sanitary Inspectors immediately went to the Lea and
found that people in Spring Lane were marooned and that assistance
was required to get them out of their dwellings. The police,
on the request of the sanitary inspectors, made an arrangement with
the Fire Brigade for rescue service.
The Housing Manager was immediately informed of the
situation so that he could arrange for the reception of people taken
out of this property. The Housing Manager immediately got in
touch with the Rest Centre Service who made arrangements for the
accommodation of anybody requiring this service in the Rest
Centre at Bromley-by-Bow. Nineteen people were removed at this
time by carrying them through the floods. The proprietress of the
"Robin Hood" public house agreed to supply all refreshments that
she was able to obtain to these people as they were brought from
their houses. At the same time the Food Office were informed of what
was happening and asked to make arrangements for food permits. The
W.V.S. were also informed and immediately sent down a 12 lb. tin
of chocolate suitable for immediate preparation. The W.V.S. also
distributed clothing and blankets and other articles where the position
was causing hardship, and got into touch with the Mayor on
the subject.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also visited the scene of the
flooding with a view to arranging as much help as possible and later
distributed relief from the Mayor's distress fund and from the fund
of the Lord Mayor. »
Arrangements were made with the police to transport to the
Rest Centre such people as were willing to go there. The great
majority of the families chose to make arrangements with friends
and relatives and, although six persons went to the rest centre, only
two finally remained.
Essex Cottages were also flooded but it was impossible to
evacuate the families from these premises at that time. Willow
Farm Cottages were also flooded and the same thing applied there.
As regards Essex Wharf, contact was made by telephone with
the owner, who lived there, who stated that the residents were
supplied with water and necessities and that there was no immediate
cause for anxiety.