Details of the Accident

Place Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England
Date Friday 2nd September 1898, 8.10 p.m.
Railway Company Midland Railway
No. of Fatalities 7
Cause of Accident Vandalism
Description Whilst the 6.45 p.m. London St.Pancras to Manchester express was running through Wellingborough station at 70 mph, two boys pushed a luggage trolley off the edge of the platform into the path of the train. Train ploughed into an embankment and several carriages were wrecked.

Sources/Further Reading

  • British Journal of Photography, 7 Mar 1986, p275-6
  • Gravestones in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester
  • The Times, Monday 5th September 1898
  • The Times, Tuesday 20th September 1898

List of Fatalities

The 7 fatalities are listed in the table below together with brief notes of 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
BUTLERRose Anna5194 Upper Conduit Street, Leicester, LEIWife of George BUTLER who was a Midland Railway porter1898/Sep Wellingbro' 3b 102
CLARKMary29, Unmarried. Daughter of Mr. C. CLARKE of the Laurels, Kings Norton nr Leicester LEI. Died of injuries 3rd September at the house of Nurse Kay, Wellingborough.1898/Sep Wellingbro' 3b 102
DIXArthur William29Commercial traveller for Messrs Bastow and Co., DrapersDairy Farm Road, Derby, DBYDied of injuries 3rd September in Northampton General Infirmary1898/Sep Northampton 3b 43
JOYCEWilliam29Train firemanGrove Road, Leicester, LEI1898/Sep Wellingbro' 3b 102
MEADOWSEdwin55Train driverLeicester, LEI1898/Sep Wellingbro' 3b 102
RICHARDSONPercy21Shoe manufacturerLower House, Leicester, LEI1898/Sep Wellingbro' 3b 102
THORNTONJoseph69Boot and shoe manufacturerLeicester, LEIDied of injuries on the 19th September at Northampton General Infirmary.1898/Sep Northampton 3b 45