The 1953 Floods
On the night of 31 January 1953, the sea at Herne Bay rose 7 feet above normal and wreaked havoc in the town. The pier structure was attacked, fishermen’s boats were smashed onto the promenade, and water poured into low-lying streets, filling basements and ruining ground-floor rooms. Even as the waters finally receded, they left behind foul-smelling mud and silt.
The Great East Coast Storm killed so many people across Europe that Herne Bay was lucky to escape fatalities, but there was significant damage at a time when people were still recovering from the privations of World War Two.
Visit the Museum to see:
The momentous East Coast storm in stunning photographs
Photo above Beach Street Herne Bay © Derek A Darby