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Details of the Railway Fatal Accident

LocationHither Green, Kent, England
DateSunday, 5th November 1967, 9.16 p.m.
Railway CompanyBritish Railways (Southern Region)
No. of fatalities49
Cause of accidentDerailment
Description19.43 Hastings to Charing Cross was approaching Hither Green at speed when a wheel struck a small wedge shaped piece of steel that had broken away from the end of a running rail. This piece of broken rail caused a derailment. Poor track maintenance was blamed.

In 2017 a memorial service was held to mark the 50th anniversary. I am proud to have helped by providing a list of the victims for use during the service.

Sources/Further Reading

  • Bexhill Observer, 1st December 2008
  • The Times, 7th November 1967

List of Fatalities

49 of the 49 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. If there are more than 25 records, they have been split into separate pages – please use the navigation below to move to other pages.

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.
ASHLEE Rose Margaret 36 Gladstone Road, Crowborough 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 312
ASHMORE Elizabeth Tamara 20 Headley Down, Bordon 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 376
AUSTIN Howard L. 17 Etchingham 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 376
BARTLETT Janet E. 18 Old Bakery, The Ridge, Hastings 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 378
BOHANE Jennifer Ann 26 Saxonbury, Mayfield Lane, Wadhurst 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 271
BRANCH Jacqueline 16 London Road, Hurst Green 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 378
BREEDS Gay E. 17 Student at Thomas Peacocke (now Rye) College Cross Way, Addington Bench erected Rye SSX in memory 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 312
BREEDS Judith M. 21 Student at Thomas Peacocke (now Rye) College Cross Way, Addington Bench erected Rye SSX in memory. Daughter of Mary BREEDS 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 312
CANNON Dorothy V. 57 Priory Road, Hampton 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 371
CHARLTON Kathleen 73 Bollo Lane, Chiswick, London W. 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 310
CHEVALLIER Veronica B. 34 Eamont Street, St John's Wood, London N.W. 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 376
COVENEY Eric G. 64 Eckington House, South Tottenham, London N. 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 340
CRONK Terence D. 19 Bishops Close, Wateringbury 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 238
DUTCH Edith Olive May 65 Walham Grove, Fulham, London S.W. 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 340
FLETTON Eric H. O. 64 Loughton Way, Buckhurst Hill 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 272
FORSTER Rev. Harold Theodore Gibson 51 Harrow 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 377
HARDWICK Julia H. 28 Mayfield Road, Tunbridge Wells 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 273
HARDWICK Marion Gay 23 Mayfield Road, Tunbridge Wells 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 273
HAYCRAFT Charles 23 Rock Robin Farm, Wadhurst 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 237
HAZARD Jacqueline A. 20 Acorn Drive, Nottingham Married. "An expectant mother" 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 377
HEPPENSTALL Gillian Mary 29 Mark Cross 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 271
KEMP Ella Gladys 40 The Stream, Cartsfield 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 238
LAVENDER Bernard John 44 Kings Drive, Wembley 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 274
LAVENDER Irene E. 44 Kings Drive, Wembley 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 273
LAVERS Mark Clifton 20 Bowmans, Burwash 1967/Dec Lewisham 5D 341