Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 16 January 1939

Flood Menace Getting Worse

Late last night the flood menace at Bolton-on-Dearne, where the river Dearne overflowed its banks, was getting gradually worse.

On the Mexborough road the bridge was unable to cope with the tremendous rush of water, and the floods swirled over the road, creating a danger to traffic.

Many allotments at Bolton Common were hidden under the spreading floods. At Wath Road, Bolton, the normal course of the river was entirely obliterated by the floods, which extended to the L.N.E.R. line near Wath Station.

Further along the valley flood water encroached on the Adwick-on-Dearne cricket field.

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 20 January 1939

Watch On Roads

Flooding was so severe in the Dearne district that, watchmen were last night placed on duty on the road between Hickleton and Thurnscoe to warn motorists. Even Hickleton village, one of the highest points in the district, has been affected.

As a result of the River Dearne overflowing, more acres of pastureland are submerged than has been known for many years. At Bolton-on-Dearne, the floods have crept right up to the Wath Main Colliery and continue almost uninterrupted along the valley.

The Adwick-on-Dearne cricket field is now almost entirely under water, and two by-roads, one from Bolton to the Barnborough Colliery, and the other across the pastures between Harlington and Mexborough, are impassable.

At Bolton-on-Dearne, several cottages on the common are almost surrounded by water.