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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BETTS | Elizabeth | 29 | , | Wife of John BETTS | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | |
BETTS | John William | 24 | Railway fireman (GER) | , | Wife and unnamed son were also killed. Died of injuries | 1874/Dec Norwich 4b 101 |
BETTS | Unamed | 6 weeks | , | Son of John BETTS and wife | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | |
BROWN | Susan | 33 | , | Died of injuries | 1874/Dec Norwich 4b 101 | |
CASSELL | Frederick | 46 | Sgt. Major | , | West Norfolk Militia Staff | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 141 |
CLARKE | Thomas | 40 | Railway driver | , | Driver of the express train. Buried in the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich | |
GILDING | Laura Harriet Curetine | 4 | Grafton Street, Mile End Road, London, MDX | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | ||
GILDING | Sarah | 38 | Grafton Street, Mile End Road, London, MDX | Mother of Laura Harriet Curetine GILDING | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | |
HUPTON | Job John | 45 | Harness maker | Great Yarmouth, NFK | 1874/Sep Norwich 4b 99 | |
LIGHT | James | 25 | Railway 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 |
LINCOLN | Susan | 35 | Housekeeper to Mr. COYTE | Thorpe Hamlet, NFK | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139 | |
MURRAY | Marianne Elizabeth | 27 | Mariander Lane, Norwich, NFK | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | ||
PAGE | George | 47 | Leather seller | Western Street, Norwich, NFK | 1874/Sep Norwich 4b 83 | |
PRIOR | John | 49 | Railway driver | , | Driver of the mail train. Husband of Sarah Ann nee ANDREWS. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35831352/john-prior) | |
SEWELL | Frederick William | 35 | Railway fireman | New Nelson St, Lowestoft, SFK | Fireman of the express train. Husband of Emily with four children. | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 |
SKINNER | Russell William | 40 | Gentleman | Newmarket Road, Norwich, NFK | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139 | |
SLADE | Standley Richard | 40 | Auctioneer | London, MDX | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | |
STACEY | Henry | 56 | Minister of religion | 12 Upper Street, Giles Street, Norwich, NFK | Husband of Ann STACEY. Formerly of Beccles SFK. Independent Minister. | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139 |
STACEY | Mary Ann | 52 | 12 Upper Street, Giles Street, Norwich, NFK | Wife of Rev. Henry STACEY | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 140 | |
TAYLOR | Mary Ann | 46 | Forewoman to Mr Caley, haberdasher Norwich | , | ||
TURNER | H.S. | Confectioner | Lower Goat Lane, Norwich, NFK | |||
WARD | Robert | 50 | Sergeant (military) | , | West Norfolk Militia Staff | 1874/Dec Blofield 4b 139 |
WOMACK | George Robert | 38 | Clothier | Dove Street, Norwich, NFK | 1874/Sep Norwich 4b 83 |