Sheffield Independent February 11, 1897

Floods in the Don and Dearne Valleys

The two rivers in the neighbourhood of Mexborough were so swollen on Tuesday night that yesterday there was a wide area of land submerged in the valleys.

The Don rushed past Mexborough very rapidly, at a greater height than it has been known to be for years. It covered adjoining gardens and fields, and in the vicinity of Denaby united with the canal, navigation on which was completely stopped, owing to the strong current. The water was level with the top of the bridge at Denaby. But for the fact that the highway leading to Mexborough from Denaby has been recently raised, the flood would have swept over it and stopped the traffic.

About a mile away, on the Pastures, below Melton on the Hill, hundreds of acres were underwater, and the highway was about 3 feet submerged.

At Barmbro’ Mill there was a wide sheet of water, and indeed from Bolton on Dearne to Conisbrough the flood was more extensive than it has been known to be since 1892.

The thoroughfare leading from Bolton to Mexborough was blocked in this way, the current been so strong that even vehicular traffic could not be safely carried on.

The Midland Railway Company officials have been in the habit of allowing persons make use of the high embankment during flood time, as a matter of convenience, but yesterday this was quite prohibited, and officer been said to be station on the line to prevent any trespassing.

The inhabitants are quietly submitted to the non-raising of the road is true, but it is expected that pressure will be put in the Doncaster Rural District Council to have the necessary work attended to.

At Conisbrough the flood encroached upon the premise of Messrs Kilner brothers, glass bottle manufacturer, also from the building containing a pumping engine, contiguous to the new Cadeby Main Colliery, and entered a timber yard, farmyard and the lower rooms of some dwellings at Burcroft.

The current broadened out in the locality of Sprotborough, overflowing the canal towpath in many fields. Later on in the day the waters were generally subsided stop