MP William Huskisson was struck by the celebrated Rocket locomotive at the inauguration of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway in 1830 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments
A past station in St Helens bears the unfortunate distinction of being the location where the first individual perished in a train accident in Britain. Liverpool’s MP, William Huskisson, was hit by the famous Rocket engine on September 15, 1830, amid a procession to commemorate the opening of the Liverpool-Manchester line.
Parkside 1st station, situated in St Helens, was among the original passenger stops of the renowned Liverpool and Manchester Railway. A formal inquiry into the incident determined that it “was purely accidental.” Although historically a part of Lancashire, the area is now located within Merseyside. The demise of Mr. Huskisson is commonly recognised as the inaugural fatality of the railway era, and a monument was constructed at the site of the incident the following year.
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He numbers amongst several prominent persons buried in St James Cemetery, situated on the grounds of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. His mortal remains were interred within a mausoleum in 1830.
On Saturday, September 18, 1830, the London Evening Standard reported on the official inquiry into the passing of Mr. Huskisson. A segment of the report reads: “Upon the Earl of Wilton’s arrival at one o’clock, his statement was recorded by the coroner.”
It further detailed that “He indicated that Mr. Huskisson, accompanied by several other gentlemen, were positioned outside the royal carriage, with the door ajar.
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“As an alert was issued regarding the Rocket engine’s approach, he attempted to manoeuvre around the door’s edge, resulting in some entanglement.
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“His movements subsequently became disoriented, and while in such a condition, the Rocket advanced past him, knocking him to the ground. Consequently, his left leg and thigh came to rest on the outer rail of the track upon which the Rocket was travelling.
“His lordship affirmed that the occurrence was purely accidental, and no culpability could be assigned to the directors, engineers, or the mechanical apparatus.”
According to Historic England records, William Huskisson was born in 1770 at Birtsmorton Court, Worcestershire, and while generally acknowledged as the first railway-related death, an earlier incident was recorded three years prior to his untimely end.
Historic England’s website declares: “On September 15, 1830, during the inaugural ceremony of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, a venture he had strongly supported, Huskisson met his fate, falling into the path of Stevenson’s approaching ‘Rocket’ engine during a pause at Parkside.
“Although commonly regarded as the first fatality of the railway age, a previous death on the Stockton and Darlington railway, in 1827, has been noted. A monument was installed at the site of Huskisson’s accident in 1831.”
In November 2020, the Liverpool ECHO disclosed that Liverpool Council was again considering proposals to place a statue of an important Black Liverpudlian on a platform formerly occupied by a proponent of slavery.
The concept of commissioning a statue for the William Huskisson platform on Princes Boulevard was first introduced at a full council assembly earlier that year, prior to being forwarded to the culture and tourism select committee.
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The statue of Huskisson, a Member of Parliament who defended slavery in parliament and obtained monetary assistance from slave traders, has been absent from the platform for several years, having been removed following the Toxteth Riots.
However, it wasn’t until the road underwent refurbishment in 2020 that an inscription was added, signifying increased interaction with the L8 community.