8870916wry
Details of the Railway Fatal Accident
| Location | Hexthorpe nr Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, 16th September 1887, 12.15 p.m. |
| Railway Company | London & North Eastern Railway |
| No. of fatalities | 25 |
| Cause of accident | Collision |
| Description | Hexthorpe Junction was normally worked under a permissive block system but at the time of the accident block working was replaced by two flagmen which allowed for the volume of trains in connection with the St. Leger race meeting to stop at the ticket platform for the checking of passenger tickets. At the time of the accident, two trains were in the section, both Midland Railway trains. The first train was at the platform with the second one waiting for the ticket platform to become free and as the first train moved off, the second train approached the platform. As a third train operated by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) approached the junction, the signals were cleared and the driver assumed that the line was clear, the handsignals by the flagmen were ambiguous and the train had less efficient brakes. The crew of MS&LR train should have been aware of the special working but this was at the time that there were trials of different types of brake on trains. The inquest held that the driver and fireman were to blame. The trial was the first big legal case where the A.S.L.E.F. trade union were involved and they employed counsel to defend their members. The driver and fireman was found not guilty and the railway company later accepted responsibility. |
Sources/Further Reading
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexthorpe_rail_accident
- https://oldrailwaystuff.com/the-railway-disaster-at-hexthorpe-near-doncaster-16th-september-1887/
- Official Investigation Report available – see www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventlisting.php
List of Fatalities
25 of the 25 fatalities have been identified so far. They are listed in the table below together with brief notes on any other information that has been found.
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 (this reference can be used to order a copy of the official death certificate).
| Surname | First Name | Age | Occupation | Residence | Notes | GRO/SR/GRONI/GROIE Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARNSLEY | Henry Joseph | 31 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | |||
| BEAMONT | James William | 39 | Husband of Susannah BEAUMONT? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 437 | ||
| BEAUMONT | Susannah | 41 | Wife of James William BEAUMONT? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| BRADBURY | Thomas | 36 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| BURLEY | Mary | 36 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 437 | |||
| CALOW | Frederick | 38 | Husband of Mary CALOW? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | ||
| CALOW | Mary | 35 | Wife of Frederick CALOW? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 437 | ||
| DAUGHTY | Edward | 36 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | |||
| FILLINGHAM | Mary Alice | 33 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| HALE | Jane | 38 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | |||
| HARDY | William | 42 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| HAWKSWORTH | Daniel | 55 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 437 | |||
| KIRKLAND | Frank | 22 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| LEE | Frederick | 19 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| MIDDLETON | Elizabeth | 35 | Mother of Walter MIDDLETON? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| MIDDLETON | Walter | 1 | Son of Elizabeth MIDDLETON? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| MITCHELL | Arthur | 29 | Husband of Mary MITCHELL? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| MITCHELL | Mary | 24 | Wife of Arthur MITCHELL? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| RODGERS | George | 41 | Husband of Jane RODGERS? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | ||
| RODGERS | Jane | 40 | Wife of George RODGERS? | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | ||
| RUSSELL | Eyrie | 22 | Buried Sheffield General Cemetery. | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | ||
| SWIFT | James Moxey | 35 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 417 | |||
| THOMPSON | Addy | 46 | Died later of injuries | 1887/Dec Doncaster 9c 453 | ||
| THORPE | Frederick | 38 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 416 | |||
| WHITE | Henry | 65 | 1887/Sep Doncaster 9c 437 |