On This Day in Wembury
30 August 1950 — Wembury Vicarage Flooded
On this day heavy overnight rain flooded Wembury Vicarage. The vicar, Reverend K. Tagg, awoke at 5 a.m. to find torrents of water pouring through the downstairs rooms. Devon County Fire Service was called from Plymstock. A swollen stream had overflowed, sending muddy water down to the low-lying vicarage and blocking drains. The flood level reached several inches to a foot. Firemen quickly diverted the flow and helped clear up, while preventing a potential fire when an electric table lamp shorted on contact with the water. Despite the damage, Rev. Tagg still took morning service and noted that nearby fields were submerged—something he had not seen in his nine years at Wembury.
Reflection: The vicarage flood shows how vulnerable parts of Wembury can be to sudden downpours. The risks of blocked drains, electrical hazards, and flash flooding were starkly revealed in 1950, just as they remain in the village today.
Source: Western Evening Herald, 31 August 1950 (reporting the events of 30 August).