Carole Peck (Nee Disney)
Memories of a 12 year old in the Canvey Island Floods 1953 - Part 3

"It was as far as the road was made up. Our road was unmade, full of ruts and had a dyke running the length of it. He said that we must pack a suitcase and go to the bus stop, where army Lorries would evacuate us. My new school uniform was the first thing to be packed. It was my job to go over the road to my Grandparents, to warn them. It meant going over a wooden plank over the dyke to their garden. I noticed as I went over that the water had risen in the dyke up to 6 inches below the bridge."

1950: Carole's Gran and Grandad (Walter and Daisy Disney), who were taken by rowing boat from their bungalow "Edge o' Beyond" down Zelham Drive to the awaiting army lorries.

"When I returned, it was level with the bridge. We then, having got everything ready to go, paddled down the road. The water by then was lapping over the top of my Wellington boots. I actually found it all exciting, but my Mum was crying as she thought she would never see her home again. I was in charge of our two wire haired fox terriers, Lassie and Chum. The cat (Fluffy), which had adopted me when I was walking along the sea wall one day, had to be left to his own devices."