Details of the Fatal Accident

Place Cross Drove Level Crossing, Hilgay, Norfolk, England
Date Thursday 1st June 1939, 12.00 a.m. (midday)
Railway Company London & North Eastern Railway
No. of Fatalities 4
Cause of Accident Collision at level crossing
Description The 11.02 a.m. express passenger train from Hunstanton to Ely struck a lorry loaded with straw on the crossing, leading to the train being derailed. The lorry driver was blamed for the accident.

Sources/Further Reading

  • The Official Accident Report, Saturday 12 August 1939 (www.railwaysarchive.co.uk)
  • The Times, Friday 2nd June 1939
  • The Times, Thursday 29th June 1939
  • The Times, Thursday 6th July 1939
  • The Times, Tuesday 6th June 1939
  • Yorkshire Evening Post, Friday 2nd June 1939

List of Fatalities

The 4 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
AKREDMarySandy Lane, Denver, NFKMarried
PICKETTLily49, Married1939/Dec King's Lynn 4b 779
SNELLINGEthel BeatriceOld Brompton Road, London, MDXUnmarried
STANTONWinifredGreenways, Dersingham, NFKUnmarried