Holme Valley flood 1852

[Gillum]

Hi
My first post relates to some family fire side chat regarding an Eastwood family member of mine, a Whisk Manufacturer of Netherthong.  It was claimed a baby was found by the Eastwoods floating down the Holme, in the flood waters, in a chest of drawers.  The baby was saved and then adopted or taken in, any of the baby's family having perished in the flood. There are reasons I could go into to suggest the veracity of the tale?  My query is - was there a list of all the unclaimed, families unknown, infants unable to speak for themselves registered with the authorities and perhaps put up for adoption etc?  I can find no evidence that the Eastwood baby was ever legally adopted - or was the whole valley in turmoil and people simply acted altruistically?
Regards to all
Gillum

[Calverley Lad]

I can only find a list of bodies found (and named) together with a list of missing persons.
A SERMON
ON THE
HOLMFIRTH FLOOD.
BY THE REV. JOSHUA FAWCETT, A.M.,
INCUMBENT OF WIBSEY CHAPEL, AND CHAPLAIN TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD BADSTOCE.
Extracted from the above.
 Brian

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

The Huddersfield papers carried several lists of the dead and missing and gave a lot of details.
Try contacting the Huddersfield Local History Library they might be able to help.

John

[Calverley Lad]

The written account of the flood did not make any reference to any Eastwood families that I could find!
Gillum: I could if required send you the full list of named/missing bodies found.
 Brian

[Gillum]

Thanks a lot Brian andJohn
Yep I agree there are a number of named lists of the bodies found, it even hit the Guardian.  I list of about 91 names, as you say Brian no Eastwoods. There are also a number of descriptions in the Holmfirth papers and by local History buffs ('Huddersfield One' - comprehensive) and I did read one compiled at the time by engineers who walked up the Holme describing the Havoc.

However to confirm your findings no list of infants found, unidentified.  Were they put up for adoption?  Was everything done legally with records taken?  To clarify my 4Th Great Grandfather Edward Eastwood b1818 was living at The Hagg Thongsbridge at the time of the flood and may, repeat may, have taken on the baby in the chest?

Again thanks - I Will try the Holmirth paper again.

David

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

There were not any adoption lists in those days, orphaned children were usually taken in by members of the family or taken to the workhouse or industrial school/orphanage.
Formal adoptions didn't stat until the 1900s, back at the time of the flood most adoptions were private some were done by solicitor but a lot of those records have not survived.

John

[Gillum]

Thanks John
That just about puts this one to rest
Signing off Thanks to all
David

[dobfarm]

Its is hard to believe a business man would not have made efforts to find out info of the baby in due time after the flood, when things got more rationalised in the community and that he did not made efforts in the parish to find out if any of a deceased married couples or single women, that were victims of the flood, who had a baby baptised with in the year or so before the flood 1852. If a full list of married couples (or single women illegitimate births/baptisms), who died in the flood 1852  can be obtained now and check against baptisms (Also GRO birth index) of baby's in Holmbridge, Thongsbridge  & Holmfirth area of all denomination between 1850 to 1852, then check the 1851c for the unknown baby's of families of deceased parent(s) in the later flood 1852 and the Eastwood family 1861c for the infant by age and name then -?.

[Gillum]

Sorry for the delay I've been off the grid for some time.  Thanks very much for your suggestions, sounds like work I will check the list of those who perished and then the local Parish records of their families for any surviving baby infants of theirs at the time.  Sounds simple shhsh.  Thanks again and I must find out how to sign off on this one.
Cheers
David