Details of the Accident

Place Norwich (Thorpe), Norfolk, England
Date Thursday 10th September 1874, 9:45 p.m.
Railway Company Great Eastern Railway
No. of Fatalities 27
Cause of Accident Head-on collision on single line
Description Misunderstanding between station inspector and telegraph clerk allowed the London Liverpool Street to Yarmouth express to enter the single line section at the same time as the mail train approached from the opposite direction (from Yarmouth) on the same single line.

Sources/Further Reading

  • Birmingham Daily Post, Saturday 12th September 1874
  • Bradford Observer, Saturday 12th September 1874
  • Illustrated London News, 19th September 1874
  • Red for Danger, L.T.C. Rolt (Sutton Publishing)
  • The Great Thorpe Railway Accident 1874 - Heroes, Victims, Survivors (Phyllida Scrivens, 2021)
  • The Ipswich Journal, Saturday 19th September 1874
  • The Times, 12th September 1874
  • The Times, 14th - 19th September 1874 (multiple editions)
  • The Times, 21st - 30th September 1874 (multiple editions)
  • https://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/blog/2014/09/the-thorpe-railway-disaster-1874/
  • https://youtu.be/W_asoT5kkpg?si=ywtZKz4Y-rTV87Si (SarahWithTheTrains)

List of Fatalities

23 of the 27 fatalities that have been identifed so far are listed in the table below together with brief notes on any other information found so far.

The last column shows the General Register Office (England and Wales), Statutory Register (Scotland), General Register Northern Ireland or Civil Registration for Ireland reference where this has been identified.

Surname First Names Age Occupation Residence Notes GRO/SR/GRONI/GROIE Reference
BETTSElizabeth29, Wife of John BETTS1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
BETTSJohn William24Railway fireman (GER), Wife and unnamed son were also killed. Died of injuries1874/Dec Norwich 4b 101
BETTSUnamed6 weeks, Son of John BETTS and wife1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
BROWNSusan33, Died of injuries1874/Dec Norwich 4b 101
CASSELLFrederick46Sgt. Major, West Norfolk Militia Staff1874/Dec Blofield 4b 141
CLARKEThomas40Railway driver, Driver of the express train. Buried in the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich
GILDINGLaura Harriet Curetine4Grafton Street, Mile End Road, London, MDX1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
GILDINGSarah38Grafton Street, Mile End Road, London, MDXMother of Laura Harriet Curetine GILDING1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
HUPTONJob John45Harness makerGreat Yarmouth, NFK1874/Sep Norwich 4b 99
LIGHTJames25Railway fireman, Fireman of the mail train. Buried in the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich. Eldest son of Isaac and Lucy Light. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35831419/james-light)1874/Dec Blofield 4b 141
LINCOLNSusan35Housekeeper to Mr. COYTEThorpe Hamlet, NFK1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139
MURRAYMarianne Elizabeth27Mariander Lane, Norwich, NFK1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
PAGEGeorge47Leather sellerWestern Street, Norwich, NFK1874/Sep Norwich 4b 83
PRIORJohn49Railway driver, Driver of the mail train. Husband of Sarah Ann nee ANDREWS. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35831352/john-prior)
SEWELLFrederick William35Railway firemanNew Nelson St, Lowestoft, SFKFireman of the express train. Husband of Emily with four children.1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
SKINNERRussell William40GentlemanNewmarket Road, Norwich, NFK1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139
SLADEStandley Richard40AuctioneerLondon, MDX1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
STACEYHenry56Minister of religion12 Upper Street, Giles Street, Norwich, NFKHusband of Ann STACEY. Formerly of Beccles SFK. Independent Minister.1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139
STACEYMary Ann5212 Upper Street, Giles Street, Norwich, NFKWife of Rev. Henry STACEY1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140
TAYLORMary Ann46Forewoman to Mr Caley, haberdasher Norwich ,
TURNERH.S.ConfectionerLower Goat Lane, Norwich, NFK
WARDRobert50Sergeant (military), West Norfolk Militia Staff1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139
WOMACKGeorge Robert38ClothierDove Street, Norwich, NFK1874/Sep Norwich 4b 83