The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-07-20 00:00:00

GREAT FLOOD IN BRIDPORT.

The heavy rain of Wednesday, which continued
without intermission for about 24 hours, as was ex-
pected, caused the rivers to overflow in Nome places to
an alarming extent' and we were informed by in-
habitants who have lived in the neighbourhood of the
West Bridge for wise 30 years that they have not
known the water rise so high during that time. In
East-road, however, it was not so high as many can
remember, and it is thought that so much rain could
not have fallen in the vicinity of the river Asker all in
that of the river Brit.
The water was at its highest between three and four
o'clock n Thursday morning, at which time many of
the homes near the West Bridge were thssled to the
depth of two or three feet, and the water washed
through the passages in a rapid stream.
St. Michael's lane was converted into a deep water
course, the houses were inundated, and in one instance
the water was two stairs high, and the furniture was
floating about in the kitchen in the early twilight.
At Roper's Buildings farther down the lane, the
depth f water must have been very great, for at
eleven o'clock the houses could not be approached,
and therefore we could not ascertain what damage, if
any, had been done.
In South-street the water flowed back nearly as high
as Mr. Keecb's shop, and between Mr. Phillips's
(Fisherman's Arms Inn) and the Crown Inn, the
water was three or four feet deep even at ten o'clock
in the morning, and the road was rendered impassable
to ivedestriana
At the old Brewery it was thought advisable to
renno e the horses early in the morning, and here a
pup was drowned, the mother and the other pup
escaping.
Much damage ham been done in the low lying dis-
tricts to the gardens, and Mr. Walter Gale, -living in
St. hfichael'a-lane, considers he must have had at
least a sack of potatoes washed out of ground, but at
the time our parcel was made up we had not had time
to ascertain the extent of the damage in other places
in this respect.
Such a flood coming in the month of July is some•
what remarkable, but we have been told that about
six years ago there was an overflow in the same month,
and that then the water was even higher than now in
61.1111 e places.
Messrs. Whetham's milh in St. Michael's-lane, was
flooded, and work could not be begun till a late hour
on Thursday morning.
The good housewives had a very unpleasant time of
it, for after the water had left their habitations, mud
to a considerable depth covered the floors, and its
removal was a work of a very arduous nature.
How the houses fared in the Harbour road, we have
not heard (and we could not approach them), but,
judging from previous occasions, the underground
kitchens at Purtville mud have been pretty well

At twelve o'clock, the water had returned to the
beds of the rivers, and no rain fell, but dark clouds
still covered the sky, and knowing Wares eapressed the
opinion that "it was not all down yet."

IISEMORIAL CARDS.-
1.11. The friends of deceased persons are invited to
Inspect a variety of MEMORIAL CARDS, embossed,
cameo, or plain, at the orfiLm of this paper, 8, High
West-street, Dorchester; at 4, Queen-street, Bridport;
or at 7, Bond-street, Weymouth.
95 Emboesed Cards, with name, dates, ages, and a
verse of poetry, or text of Scripture, supplied for 3s.

FORTHOOZEINN MALIN BY AUCTION.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21.
Dorchester Agricultural Society's annual exhibition and
dinner.
Dorchester Market—Sale by Mr. T. S. Morgan.
THURSDAY, JULY 2.2.
Furniture sale at the Corn Exchaniie, Dorchester, by Mr.
T. Ens.,
FRIDAY. JULY 21. Annual sale and letting of Mr. IL Feukiss's Southdowu
Rains, at Blandford, by Mr. Ensor.
SATURDAY, JULY 24.
11 Devons, the property of Ur. W. Watts, deceased, in
the Fair Field, Dorchester, by Mr. G. Symonds.
Wr.Damusr, Amy 223.
Dorchester Market—Sale by Mr. T. S. Morgan.
FRIDAY, JULY M.
Castle Ilill estate. by MORITA. Norton, Triad, Wateey
and Co.

FRIDAY AUGUST 6.
Dorchester Fair-110 rams and ram !aloha, tho prorertY
of Mr. Geo. Homer. by Mr. T. Nowt.

BIRTHS.
July 0, st New-West, Weymouth, the who of hlr Aralroff
Graham, of a son.

July t Winiburue Minster, the wife of Walter Wyk
it e•
Smith, C.P., of a daughter.
July 12, rit Dual; Lease, Witelnunplon, the wife of Mr
Walter Christopher, of a son.
July 12, at Clenston, the wife of Mr JlllllOll U. Ilurtt, of A
Der

July 13, at High West-ttreet, Dorchester, the wile of Mr. IV
%els, of

July IS, at Vlotoria-ruad, Dlandford, the of Lr J, J.
(lick., of a daughter.
July 11, at it. Andrew's-square, Weymouth, the wife of lir
W. Isfaur. of • son, prematurely.
July 15, at the Old Bank, Portland, Mrs. Zillwoo‘l
daughter.
July 17, at Lucerne House, Dartmouth, the ade It.
Fowler, Esq., 11. N.. of a son.
July 17, at 74, St Mary-street, Weymouth, the ail. of Mr S.
J. Fowler, of a son.