Person    | Male  Born 11/3/1770  Died 15/9/1830

William Huskisson

Huskisson is famous for being the victim of the first fatal railway accident (not quite true), being run over by the train known as Stevenson's Rocket, at the opening ceremony of the Manchester to Liverpool railway. He and some friends had taken a ride in a train, the Northumbrian. At Newton-le-Willow they had descended from that train when the Rocket came into view. Huskisson did not get out the way and fell in front of the on-coming train.

He died later that day at Eccles. There were previous fatal accidents on the railways, but Huskisson’s was the first to be widely reported. The Duke of Wellington who was present at the accident and not a friend of Huskisson, described his death as ‘an act of God’. The subsequent enquiry absolved the railways of any responsibility.

Huskisson had previously escaped from another unlikely accident, when a horse fell on him during his honeymoon. Born at Birtsmorton Court in Worcestershire. MP. Buried in Liverpool's St. James's Cemetery.

Peter Duby adds the following: “Member of Parliament (for Morpeth), a president of the Board of Trade and colonial secretary in 1827/28”.

Huskisson railway station, near Liverpool, opened in 1880.

Londonist's telling of the story is excellent.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Huskisson

Commemorated ati

Huskisson statue

Noting the stance and the toga, Osbert Sitwell described this statue as "bore...

Read More

William Huskisson

London County Council William Huskisson, 1770 - 1830, statesman lived here.

Read More

Other Subjects

F. H. Bristow

F. H. Bristow

Town Clerk of the Bethnal Green in 1952.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Herbert Ashcombe Walker

Herbert Ashcombe Walker

Railway manager. Born Talbot Road, Paddington. London & South Western Railway General Manager 1911 - 1923. Southern Railway General Manager 1923 - 1937. Director 1937 - 1947. In charge of the d...

Person, Industry, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Sir Francis Lycett

Sir Francis Lycett

Methodist Worthies by George John Stevenson Vol IV, 1885, has a biography which tells the story of the 50 chapels, claiming that he laid the foundations of 40. We find this hard to believe (show us...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, Religion

1 memorial
Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke

Economist, philosopher, author and statesman. Born in Dublin. MP 1766-94 with the Whig Party.

Person, Philosophy, Politics & Administration, Ireland

3 memorials
James Stephen

James Stephen

Anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Dorset.  Trained in law and worked for a time in the Carribean where he saw the cruelty to slaves and became an abolitionist.  The death of his first wife deepened hi...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Religion, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial