Bedford
Weather
Floods of 1947

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Trouble started during the early part of 1947 when there were continuous frosts causing the ground to become "as hard as iron" (Bedfordshire Times).  Then, in the first week of March a blizzard started which lasted for three days resulting in snowdrifts of between 5 and 10 feet. When Bedford and the surrounding countryside was truly covered with snow the rain and high winds set in.  None of the melting snow or heavy rain could sink into the frozen ground so floods quickly began to appear.

The floods in Bedford lasted from Friday the 14th March to Tuesday 18th March during which time the river rose 6ft above normal at the town bridge.  Midland Road and Commercial Road were partly under water and River Street, Cauldwell Street and St. John's were under 2ft of water. The surrounding villages also suffered and many were cut off by the flood waters.

Sources:

• Bedfordshire Times Newspaper cuttings 1947 (copies available in Bedford Central Library)
• Bedford Floods of 1947 by Richard Wildman in Bedfordshire Magazine Vol. 26. p.11-15

Floods of 1947, by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2005

Page last updated: 22nd January 2014