Local Councillor Alf Partridge Rows Across the Playing Fields

Flash Flooding in Brook Road Sept 1968

It had rained very heavily for two days and the rainwater ran down from the high ground, the drainage system simply could not cope.  The result was flooding in the Brook Road area.

Listen to eyewitness accounts of efforts to repair the drainage pumps, how residents watched the flood waters creep up Brook Road hoping it would not reach their homes and the rescue of people and vehicles from overwhelmed houses.

Below is the flood relief area that Alf Partridge saw from the train as a large lake.

To listen to residents talk of their experiences click here.

See newspaper report.

Flooding in Cumberland Avenue

Pumping station 2013 at the bottom of Brook Road, that Alf Partridge reached by rowing boat to effect repairs to the pumps.
Margaret March
The junction of Fleet Road and Brook Road directly outside the maisonettes, which the flood waters almost reached.
Margaret March
station lake
I did not recognise Benfleet.
Alf Partridge describes his arrival at Benfleet Station only to be greeted by a huge lake of water on the field by the station.
The rescue of residents from Brook Road
Alf Partridge describes how police, ambulance and himself help get people out of flooded homes to safety.
Rowing across the playing fields at Brook Road.
How Alf Partridge reach the flooded pumping station and manage to repair the pumps.
Hairdryer used to clear the flooded underpass.
Traffic jams in Benfleet High Road as cars couldn't get through the water at the under pass. Fireman and Police help to get the pumps going again in adverse conditions.
Breaching of sea defence wall.
How the standing water that remained was drained by breaching the sea defence wall into Church Creek
More detail as to how the rainwater was drained away.
A frightening description of how a gap was made in the sea defence wall of Church Creek so the water could drain away.

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