Leeds Mercury (29/Jun/1839) - Holmfirth

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PUBLIC DOMAIN DEDICATION
This page is part of the Holmfirth Flood Project and its content is believed to be in the Public Domain.
The following is a transcription of a historic newspaper article and may contain occasional errors. If the article was published prior to 1 June 1957, then the text is likely in the Public Domain.

HOLMFIRTH.

HOLME RESERVOIRS.

On Sunday afternoon we had a very heavy fall of rain for about an hour, which caused the dykes to swell rapidly. Considerable damage was done to the works at the Bilberry reservoir. The flood broke through the temporary embankment that had been raised for diverting the watercourse, and filled up the site of the intended reservoir to the height of the facing, about 10 or 12 feet ; and as no puddle had been got in, as soon as the water began to run over, it commenced washing away the embankment, and continued till it cleared it nearly to the foundation. About 1000 yards of it were washed away and a considerable part of the puddle trench was wrecked up. A temporary pentrough, which had been erected for conveying water across the valley, to supply a neighbouring mill during the making of the reservoir, was broken down and washed away, and the mill will be put to a stand for a week or two. A number of planks, work tools, &c., were washed away, and the whole of the damage is estimated at from £150 to £200. Some little damage was done at the Holme styes reservoir, but the works there are in a more forward state and the flood was not so heavy in this valley. The Boshaw reservoir is in the most advanced state, the mason work of the tunnel being completed, the embankment and puddle bank are finished to a considerable height, and these works have sustained no damage from the flood. The contractors for the Bilbery reservoir, upon whom the damage will fall, are Messrs. Sharp and Son, of Dewsbury.