Remembering the floods of 1953 - a personal account

Carolyn Dance, who lived in Hunstanton and was 7 at the time, tells us what she recalls about the devastating storm

Carolyn has some clear memories of the fateful night on Saturday, January 31st, 1953, “I do remember sirens going off that night. It was incredibly windy, I can remember the wind, and it not being a very pleasant night.

“In the morning I went down to get a drink of water and I turned the tap on and it was sea water. My uncle, who was an American at the local airbase, let us know what was happening, and my mum got called out on the ambulance.”

Her parents, Joyce and Harold Driffill, like many residents, rushed to help with the rescue efforts.

Joyce, having been a nurse during the Second World War, worked with the local ambulance service, and Harold volunteered for the fire brigade.

The devastation after the storm

Their home at the time was being renovated to eventually become a hotel, so there were spare rooms where people, some of whom had lost almost everything, stayed.

“I remember a lot of mud, I don’t know why, I remember the footprints. And I remember everybody being incredibly sad, it was like the whole town was sad.

“There were great big pans on the Aga, and non stop tea, non stop coffee and soup - and people just coming in.  I remember my mum coming back and emptying all the cupboards of sheets and blankets and towels.”

Carolyn's Aunt Emma married an American from the local airbase nearby, Staff Sergeant Brown.  He was among fellow Americans who waded through the water pulling rubber boats - tragically sometimes recovering dead bodies.

"There was like a horrible cloud over everything, people didn’t talk in front of me because I was a child. I subsequently found out that it was a pretty horrific time."

Caroyln's parents (left) and her Aunt Emma and American husband Paul (some years later)

The home of another aunt, called Ethel, was completely destroyed - her and her husband Charlie came to stay 'for some time'.

“There used to be a little track, between Hunstanton and Heacham, and all the way along there were wooden houses.

“I remember when the floods had subsided going down, and the devastation along that road, it was like matchsticks - it was such a lovely happy little road.

“I couldn’t understand why Auntie Ethel was crying, they had to stay with us for quite some time. They had nothing, I remember seeing my auntie in my mother’s dress and saying why’s Auntie Ethel wearing your dress? It was awful, it was really bad.”

Carolyn and her late parents

I ask what Carolyn thinks of the way her late parents helped, opening their home to so many in need - rushing to help alongside the emergency services.

She replies simply, “That was the way they were.  Just about everyone helped in some way.

“I know the devastation that my father saw made him instantly join up to Hunstanton Fire Brigade. He realised the need for volunteers.

“I think my parents would be glad there’s a remembrance service - I know the effects of that night remained with them forever.”