1953 Mablethorpe flood 'victim' did not die as reported
THE great flood of 1953 claimed the lives of 42 people in Lincolnshire – but one man has come forward to claim that one of those listed as dead actually survived.
Mablethorpe was one of the hardest hit areas and claimed the life of James Robert Pye, of Regents Road – or so it was thought.
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NEW INFORMATION: David Knighton, of Immingham, who was nine at the time of the floods. Picture: Rick Byrne
Sixty years on, a flood survivor has come forward claiming there was confusion in identity and Mr Pye did not die that night.
David Knighton of St Andrew's Way, Immingham, said: "In the Grimsby Evening Telegraph, the final edition of the day, dated February 2, 1953, names the dead from the floods.
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"One of the names listed was James Robert Pye. At the time, I was nine years old and lived next door with my great-grandma and I know Mr Pye did not die that night.
"In fact, he continued to live next to me for the following two or three years before he moved away.
"When we were evacuated we were with Mr Pye and I remember hearing people trying to get in contact with his wife to tell him that he wasn't dead.
"What I believe happened was Mr Pye and a colleague were working, possibly in Jacksons Amusement Arcade, in High Streetn when the flood struck. In their rush to get to home they each picked up the other's jacket.
"So when a body was found with Mr Pye's jacket and documents in it, it was presumed that it was him.
"To this day I don't know the identity of the poor man who died other than it wasn't Mr Pye."
If you can shed any light on the circumstances, e-mail dan.russell@gsmg.co.uk or call 01472 372236.
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