Princess Alice Disaster

[Stillhomewardbound]

This is probably one of the dullest pictures I will have taken this summer. It's a drab bit of the Thames just down from Woolwich and upstream from Barking, yet here was the site of what remains as Britain's worst peace-time disaster. Precisely, a tragedy that unfolded 135 years ago as of yesterday (3rd September 1878).

Eeerily enough I have cycled past this point so many times over the last twelve years and for some reason I stopped today to take a picture. Never had done before.

Anyway, the story is ... back in 1878, about 7.30 of an early September evening a pleasure cruiser, the Princess Alice, was returning from a day-trip to Gravesend with a complement of some 800 passengers while a much larger vessel (Bywell) was coming downstream from the Millwall Docks.

She was Bywell Castle and her log, according to wikipedia.org, takes up the story thus:

"The master and pilot were on the upper bridge, and the lookout on the top-gallant forecastle; light airs prevailed; the weather was a little hazy; at 7:45 o'clock P. M. proceeded at half speed down Gallion's Reach; when about at the centre of the reach observed an excursion steamer coming up Barking Reach, showing her red and masthead lights, when we ported our helm to keep out toward Tripcock Point; as the vessels neared, observed that the other steamer had ported her helm. Immediately afterward saw that she had starboarded her helm and was trying to cross our bows, showing her green light close under our port bow. Seeing that a collision was inevitable, we stopped our engines and reversed them at full speed. The two vessels came in collision, the bow of the Bywell Castle cutting into the other steamer with a dreadful crash. We took immediate measures for saving life by hauling up over our bows several passengers, throwing overboard ropes' ends, life-buoys, a hold-ladder, and several planks, and getting out three boats, at the same time keeping the whistle blowing loudly for assistance, which was rendered by several boats from shore, and a boat from another steamer. The excursion steamer, which turned out to be the Princess Alice, turned over and sank under our bows. We succeeded in rescuing a great many passengers, and anchored for the night."

It was a shocking event that ended in an horrendous loss of life. Six hundred out of the eight hundred passengers perished in the raw sewage saturated waters that prevailed at this point in the river (from major outlets at both Crossness and Barking).

The full story can be read here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Princess_Alice_(1865)#The_disaster

The event coincided with the discharging of huge quantities of raw sewage at Barking and Crossness and the loss of life of those caught in the wreckage and in the putrid waters reached over 650 souls. In today's money, as you might say, that would have been thirteen Marchioness Disasters.

[Pabmusic]

...In today's money, as you might say, that would have been thirteen Marchioness Disasters.

Indeed. The huge amounts of raw sewage came from Joseph Bazalgette's new sewage system for central London, which discharged here (there was a financial limit, of course, so the discharge pipes were closer to London than he had wanted). So the cost of the Victoria Embankment was - in part - paid by the residents of Barking.

[David-G]

Interesing. I had heard of this but did not know any details.

Just one question - where does the Princess Louisa fit into things?

[Stillhomewardbound]

It was a heading error on my part now corrected by our Admin heros. It's just that Victoria had that many children I got confused.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Indeed. The huge amounts of raw sewage came from Joseph Bazalgette's new sewage system for central London, which discharged here (there was a financial limit, of course, so the discharge pipes were closer to London than he had wanted). So the cost of the Victoria Embankment was - in part - paid by the residents of Barking.

Quite so, Pabmusic, but his system had improved conditions upstream immeasurably and he did establish an infrastructure that is still the basis of today's sewage treatment and dispersal system.

[Pabmusic]

Quite so, Pabmusic, but his system had improved conditions upstream immeasurably and he did establish an infrastructure that is still the basis of today's sewage treatment and dispersal system.

Oh yes, I quite agree. A wonder of technology that's rightly lauded.

[salymap]

Thanks shb, that's a dreadful tragedy I don't think I've ever heard of. In fact I definitely haven't as it's not a thing to be forgotten.

Living so near the river I can't understand why it's not commemorated in some way.

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks shb, that's a dreadful tragedy I don't think I've ever heard of. In fact I definitely haven't as it's not a thing to be forgotten.

Living so near the river I can't understand why it's not commemorated in some way.

I also had never heard of it. Gallions Reach is equidistant between my house in London and a friend in Essex. We often meet for a coffee and catch up there. Puts a another perspective on the venue now.

[Padraig]

Eerie enough indeed, Shb, but not a bit dull. Your story changes the picture, which has left plenty of room for the added details. That stretch of river suddenly looks ominous, and the grassy path in the foreground offers a welcome escape route.

''Light airs prevailed'' - perhaps the crew was rehearsing some G&S selections?

[Nick Armstrong]

Eerie enough indeed, Shb, but not a bit dull. Your story changes the picture, which has left plenty of room for the added details. That stretch of river suddenly looks ominous, and the grassy path in the foreground offers a welcome escape route.

Couldn't put it better. Chilling stuff and unknown to me too.

O Lord, methought what pain it was to drown,
What dreadful noise of waters in my ears,
What sights of ugly death within my eyes.

[Stillhomewardbound]

I have just come cross by the local preservation society

"There was no memorial to the drowned souls on the north side of the river so, in 2009 the members of the Creekmouth Preservation Society raised funds through the local community and The Lottery-Awards for All scheme, to commission a Welsh slate memorial plaque. It now sits on an incline at The Creekmouth Open space - the site of Creekmoth Village - overlooking the spot in the river where the tragedy took place."

I'll have to go in search of that. So far, it has not been apparent to me.

http://www.creekmouth.net/3.html

[salymap]

I have just come cross by the local preservation society

"There was no memorial to the drowned souls on the north side of the river so, in 2009 the members of the Creekmouth Preservation Society raised funds through the local community and The Lottery-Awards for All scheme, to commission a Welsh slate memorial plaque. It now sits on an incline at The Creekmouth Open space - the site of Creekmoth Village - overlooking the spot in the river where the tragedy took place."

I'll have to go in search of that. So far, it has not been apparent to me.

http://www.creekmouth.net/3.html

Thanks shb, I was going to say 'too little, too late' but glad to hear about the Creekmouth efforts.

[Stillhomewardbound]

"Princess Alice" memorial update:

I established that there's a memorial at Woolwich Cemetery (Plumstead) where 120 of the victims were buried and despite the rain I ventured there to photograph it. I then crossed the river to go in search of Creekmouth where there is a recently installed memorial on the river's north bank. Alas, I got lost in a maze of proposed business parks awaiting develop and the all too predictable Retail Park, so will have to resume that quest on another occasion.

Anyway, here is the Woolwich memorial and one of the faces which reveals that it was erected by public subscription based on 23,000 people contributing sixpence each.

[salymap]

Thanks again shb. I'm going to ask amateur local historian cousin if he's heard of it. Although he's perhaps more Kent than Thames.

[Stillhomewardbound]

That monument stands about 15ft tall by the way. It looks long overdue for a bit of refurbishment.