The 1930 Flood
The sea broke through at Winchelsea Beach just west of Dogs Hill. The Old ‘Ship Inn’ was washed away.
The chickens in our back yard perchd on anything going to get out of the water, they were wishing they were ducks!
Mr. Warson’s pigs in the field off Tram Road were attempting to swim but cutting their own throats with their front trotters.
Three feet of water in our cellar, my dad had to chop a hole in the concrete floor later to drain the water away. In retrospect we can see why all houses west of the main road had cellars. (Builders on flood plains take note). There was no school because the approach road was under feet of water. Us kids went catching sprats that were trapped in their thousands in the ditch by Spun Concrete. Wally Robus fell in of course. We retrieved his hat and he came to no harm. His father said “Ah well! perhaps he won’t need a bath today”.
From Rye’s Own October 2003
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