David Hiley 1700-1767 (Part 3 - Morton Beck)

David Hiley (snr) was buried at St Mary's Church, Luddenden on 12th August 1767. The entry described him as a Weaver from Ovenden, and that

He was drowned in Martin Beck on Rumbles Moor the 4th Instant and found the 11th Instant

(drowned on 4th August and found on 11th August)

Martin Beck is now known as Morton Beck and Rumbles Moor as Rombalds Moor.

Morton Beck is formed by the merging of a number of streams and rivulets on Rombalds Moor. The beck has a huge catchment area and flows for about 6 km before joining the River Aire between Keighley and Bingley.

Rombalds Moor

Morton Beck

In August 1767 disaster struck West Yorkshire following what was described as the greatest flood in living memory.

Below are some excerpts from The Leeds Intelligencer on 11th August:

About three o'clock on Wednesday morning last (5th August), the inhabitants about the bridge in this town, were greatly alarm'd with a sudden and uncommon swell in the river, which rose upwards of two yards perpendicular, in the space of an hour.

The river Wharf was higher than has been known for near 20 years past.

One farmer at Leathley lost about 20 sheep, and two horses.

At Morton Banks near Keighley, part of a house with the furniture were swept away; and a great number of other persons in that neighbourhood are almost totally ruined.

Great numbers of oxen, horses, and sheep in the feeding pastures were taken away by the current, some 3 or 4 miles.

A man, who was bathing at Dewsbury, was so terrified with the lightening on Tuesday night, that he unfortunately got out of his depth, and was drown'd.

We will never know the circumstances of David's drowning or why he was in that area at the time of the great flood. There were a number of mills built on the banks of Morton Beck over the years so perhaps he had left Ovenden to find work as a weaver there, even though he was aged 67 at the time. There are no records of other members of David's family living in that area at the time so it seems unlikely that he was visiting his family. From Ovenden to Morton Beck is a distance of about 12 miles.

Next post: David's burial