The fatal accident to Mr Huskisson
The carriages conveying the Duke of Wellington and other distinguished visitors had stopped at the watering-station at Parkfield for the purpose of taking in water and, at the same time, allowing the various carriages on the northern line of road to pass by, in order that all might have a view of the duke and his distinguished associates.
It happened that the place where the grand carriages were thus kept standing was most unfortunately chosen, for on each side of the rail-road was a deep pool of water, approaching within about three feet of the rails; so that any person who descended from the carriages was compelled to descend between the two lines. The directors had, indeed, in their placards particularly requested that no person would descend from the carriages when they stopped for the purpose of taking water, but this caution was very generally disregarded.
After the two leading engines in the procession, the Phoenix and the North Star, had passed the grand carriage, an interval of several minutes took place before the arrival of the Rocket; and a number of gentlemen descended from the carriage, and walked to and fro upon the road. Amongst them was Mr Huskisson; but he, we believe, had a cogent reason for alighting, arising out of the peculiar state of his health. He was standing near the grand carriage along with several other gentlemen, and was, we believe, engaged in conversation with a lady in the carriage; when some alarm was created by the rather rapid approach of the Rocket.
If all the gentlemen had stood still in the middle of the space between the two lines no harm could possibly have happened to them; but all the gentlemen endeavoured to get out of the way with great precipitation. Not being able to retreat to the north side of the railroad, on account of the pool of water, they all endeavoured to return to the carriage from which they had descended, and Mr Huskisson who was last, had his hand upon the door, waiting until the person who preceded him had gone up the steps. The door was so large as to extend, when standing open, across the whole of the space between the lines, and Mr Huskisson, having his hand upon it of course stood very near the line on which the Rocket was approaching.
At this moment the engineer of the Rocket called to him to get out of the way, and a similar call was made from some person in the grand carriage. These calls and the near approach of the engine, appear to have bewildered him, and prevented him from adopting the only course by which he could escape, namely, that of standing close to the carriage into which he had been endeavouring to enter. He remained standing at the extremity of the open door, against which some part of the approaching engine struck, and forced it back with some violence against the side of the carriage, and Mr Huskisson, at the same moment, fell upon the ground between the two lines of rails.
This article is drawn from the archive at the Newsroom