... Eastern Valley Havoc of Great Storm ...
.. Wednesday 27th May 1931 ..
The `Free Press of Monmouthshire` newspaper, reported on Friday 29th May, that South Wales had suffered seriously as the result of a storm, the intensity and duration of which have not been equalled for thirty to forty years.
The Eastern Valley would appear to have received the full force of the awe-inspiring storm which commenced at about 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday and continued unceasingly until well after midnight.
During this remarkable period the fierce sheet lightning was almost constant ... Ear splitting thunder claps occurred at regular intervals.
Torrential rain commenced to fall about 10 o'clock, and within a few minutes many places were flooded.
. A Night of Terror .
- Many Families Rendered Homeless -
.. A collection of photographs showing the results of the Storm at Upper Cwmbran..
- Click on small thumbnail images to see larger versions -
Miners Cottages
Bus Terminus
Upper Cwmbran Road
Junction Graig Road Tram Road
Upper Cwmbran Road
Clearing away the debris
Upper Cwmbran Road
A Night of Terror Wednesday 27th May 1931
- Cwmbran In Darkness -
- ELECTRICITY FAILS WHEN STORM AT IT'S HEIGHT -
Owing to a breakdown at Trethomas, Cwmbran and Croesyceiliog were plunged into darkness at the height of the storm and for a time panic reigned.
The storm did considerable damage at Cwmbran, and flour and bread destroyed and other damage done at the bake house of Mr. W. J. Woodward, Oak Street, is estimated at �150.
The printing works of Mr. E. Charles Price, Coronation Road, was flooded, but little damage was done.
The new road from Hollybush to Henllys was partly washed away and the `Sandy brook` overflowed and flooded Hollybush House, carrying a footbridge away.
Hollybush, Abbey Road, and the Oakfield district were flooded when the canal overflowed it's banks.
Mr. John Garnsworthy, Ton Farm, Cwmbran, reported that a thunderbolt fell in a field near his house and damaged the kitchen. No one was injured.
The road at the Terrace, Ponthrydyrun was flooded to a depth of several feet and buses had the the utmost difficulty in avoiding a large fissure in the road.
Several hundreds of tar barrels which had been kept in stock at the pitch and tar works at Lower Pontnewydd were found on Thursday assisting in a blockade of the river at Ponthir.
Llantarnam river bridge, carrying the main road traffic from Newport to Pontypool is impassable, and traffic has to travel via Pontnewydd or Ponthir. One of the pillars of the bridge was undermined and gave way, causing a fifteen foot hole in the roadway.
Upper Cwmbran Damage : At a special meeting on Tuesday evening (June3rd) of Llanfrechfa Council, Mr. W. J. Manzey, surveyor, reported that damage to the extent of �4,000, had been done to the Upper Cwmbran Road. The Council recently made the road from the Lowlands, Pontnewydd to Upper Cwmbran at a cost of �7,000. An appeal to the Ministry has been made for a grant towards it's repair.
.. Works Closed Down ..
- Damage in Southern Part of the Valley -
Considerable damage was caused in the track of the storm at Pontnewydd. The brook running under the line near the Redbrook Tin Plate Works overflowed and tore down with torrential force through the cutting between the platforms of the Upper Pontnewydd station to a height of three feet, carrying with it debris, barrels and baulks, washed down from the brook. It's course ran through the Goods yards of the station right through the houses at Cromwell Place, finishing up at the allotment gardens below, and washing up the soil and produce, leaving great channels in the ground two feet deep.
The water from the brook rushed through the Redbrook Tin Plate Works and the Avondale Works, which are in close proximity, with the result that the furnaces and boiler fires had to be extinguished at the Redbrook Works and the Avondale Works, where work was brought to a standstill. There will be no resumption until Monday. When the force of the water had subsided the works resembled a lighthouse on the shore after the receding tide.
.. Train Services Disorganised ..
The rushing water continued it's devastating course to the Lower Pontnewydd station, where it dislodged many of the coping stones on the platform. The train service was disorganised until 7.45 a.m. on Thursday, when a train ran from Cwmbran conveying a number of workmen and school children to the top of the valley.
Further up the line at Sebastopol, the water swept down the hill on to the recently constructed halt, washing half the station on to the line and depositing earth and stones to a depth of three or four feet. The platform was partially washed away.
... FLOOD VICTIMS ...
.. Monmouthshire Council Chairman's Appeal ..
- PERSONS HOMELESS, BELONGINGS RUINED -
Dear Sir,
Many persons in this County in, poor circumstances have suffered severely in consequence of the recent disastrous rainfall.
I have been asked to open a subscription list in order that they may in some measures be recouped in respect of the serious loss they have sustained through damage to furniture and buildings. Several persons are homeless, their personal belongings having been irretrievably ruined. I hope a ready response will be made to this appeal in order that immediate assistance may be given in distressed cases.
Donations may be sent to me at the County Hall, Newport, Mon.
I am, Sir,
Your Obedient Servant,
W.J.SADDLER (Ald),
Chairman,
Monmouthshire County Council.
An advertisement from the London Hosiery Co.
.. Empathy ? .. A Marketing Ploy ? .. or both ? .. Click here and decide yourself ..
.. Headlines, reports and the advertisement - from the Free Press of Monmouthshire, Friday 29th May and Friday 5th June 1931..
.. Background and atmospheric `enhancements` - Webmaster ..
