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Workers killed at work (builders)

Categories: Property, Tragedy

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The thousands of building workers who have lost their lives at work.

Researching one of these terrible events reminded us that we have found other memorials to people who died in 'accidents' at work. We don't like the word 'accident', since it suggests that nothing could have been done to prevent the death and that is seldom true. We've put together a list of these memorials to deaths at work (many but not all, building workers). To keep it manageable we have excluded: those serving in the emergency services, those killed in terrorist attacks or by war-time bombs, and those killed in rail crashes or on the road.

1853 - ten workmen killed at the Sydenham Crystal Palace construction site.

1877 - six crew members killed during the voyage bringing Cleopatra's Needle to London.

1895 - four men killed at the sewage pumping works, East Ham (Postman's Park).

1899 - one man killed in a boiler explosion at a Battersea sugar refinery (Postman's Park).

1899 - one stewardess drowned (Postman's Park).

1901 - three workmen poisoned by gas at a Stratford distillery ((Postman's Park).

1912 - about 900 crew members lost on the Titanic.

1917 - 73 people were killed in the Silvertown explosion, at a factory producing TNT for the war.

1969 - one demolition worker killed in the Dudgeon's Wharf explosion.

1975 - two engineers killed trying to rescue a third who also died, at Watneys' Mortlake Brewery.

1979 - four men involved in the design of Burgess Park killed in an air crash near Biggin Hill (not certain this was work-related).

1990 - three men killed by the gases in a sewer in Commercial Road.

2000 - three men killed in a construction crane at Canary Wharf.

The death toll at each of the events recorded on plaques in Postman's Park may be higher, but the plaques do not mention deaths of any except those attempting rescue.

In 2006 the statue to the thousands of building workers who have lost their lives at work was erected.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Workers killed at work (builders)

Commemorated ati

Ainsworth & Sharp

We could find nothing about this incident, until we asked Richmond Council's ...

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Burgess, Clark and Whittard

In memory of Martin Burgess, Peter Clark and Michael Whittard, who died on 21...

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Burgess Park designers - 1979 air crash

Geoffrey Mills was the pilot - see his page for more details. Our information...

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Cleopatra's needle - crew members lost

{A list of 6 names, oddly not in alphabetical sequence - see Subjects commemo...

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Crystal Palace workmen's grave

Twelve workmen were killed, but we are unable to find out where the other two...

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Show all 13

Other Subjects

4th Duke of Queensberry

4th Duke of Queensberry

Nobleman. Born in Peebles and known as 'Old Q'. He was appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King George III in 1760. Immensely wealthy with a reputation as a gambler, particularly in horse-raci...

Person, Politics & Administration, Property, Scotland

1 memorial
Rotherhithe Old Town Hall

Rotherhithe Old Town Hall

 Built in 1895 by the architects Murray and Foster.  The caryatides can be seen in the image either side of the entrance at the right. In 1905 Rotherhithe merged with Bermondsey and St Olave and t...

Building, Politics & Administration, Property

2 memorials
C. R. Foster

C. R. Foster

Builder active in 1871.

Person, Property

1 memorial
United Friendly Insurance Company

United Friendly Insurance Company

The Picture source has: "United Friendly Life Insurance was founded back in 1908, with their Head Offices based in London 42, Southwark Bridge Road, SE1."

Building, Property

1 memorial
Eagle House - Clapham

Eagle House - Clapham

Country house built by Benjamin Bond, when Clapham was fashionable for out-of-town residences. After 1889 the estate was sold and the main house and many of the other buildings were pulled down.   ...

Building, Property

1 memorial

Previously viewed

W. T. Stead - SW1

W. T. Stead - SW1

SW1, Smith Square, 5

Plaque unveiled by the then Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Catherine Longworth and Miles Stead his great great grandson.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
2012 Olympics Bell

2012 Olympics Bell

E15, Olympic Park

The quotation, from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', was spoken by Kenneth Branagh at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Roberts statue

Roberts statue

SW1, Horse Guards Parade

Unveiled by the Duke of Connaught and we thank Jamie Davis for finding this link to the British Pathe news film of the unveiling. This i...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Clive of India - statue

Clive of India - statue

SW1, Clive Steps

John Tweed was the sculptor of the statue.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Guildhall - Pepys bust

Guildhall - Pepys bust

EC2, Guildhall Yard, Guildhall

The arcade contains four modern busts, left to right: Pepys Cromwell Shakespeare Wren and a statue of Whittington to the left.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator