Kirtlebridge Rail Crash 1872

[abrach1]

I have just discovered that one of my ancestors, Alexander Kennedy, from Glengarry, Inverness shire was killed in the 1872 Kirtlebridge rail crash when 12 people were killed. I don't know how he came to have been on the train and so I wonder if anybody happens to know the names of the other 11 people who were killed in the accident.

[Yorkslass]

Hello abrach1,

I've had a look at the Historical Newspapers website, and there are many reports of this accident.

One which gives good detail is from the Morning Post, October 3, 1872, and reports the following -

"The following is a list of the killed -

Alexander Kennedy, aged about 33, farmer, Balnaglaster, Craigard Estate, Inverary.  He had been down with some sheep for Mr Hutchinson, sheep-dealer, near Carlisle and was returning home to Perth"

The others listed as killed were - Caroline Spicer aged about 25 years, an aged female, name unknown, a female child named Baker, John Gordon, Thomas Lloyd, Dr John Carson Mennock, Mrs Hind and her son, Acland Monroe and William Myersceurch.

There's a really full report here, which you may already have seen - but it doesn't mention names of those killed or injured - it's a very long report, in PDF form.  http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_Kirtlebridge1872.pdf

Yorkslass

[abrach1]

Hello Yorkslass
that is just a wonderful piece of info you have given me - thanks a lot.
I couldn't figure out what a crofter frm Invergarry was doing on a train down in Dumfries shire but now you have expalined it.
Thanks again for your help - much appreciated.
Abrach1

[Yorkslass]

You're welcome. 

I wish I could have posted a copy of the newspaper report, but couldn't, due to copyright. 

It made me wonder how the reporters at the time knew about what he was doing there.  Perhaps he'd spoken to other passengers who were able to tell. 

I hope he didnt leave a widow and a lot of children - poor man.

Yorkslass

[abrach1]

Hello again Yorkslass
no, he wasn't married and the death certificate had very few details on it - wrong age and no parents. If it hadn't been for the mention on his gravestone about him having "met his death in a railway accident" I would never have known. It was a long way to take his body from Dumfries shire to Invergarry in 1872 but I'm glad he was taken home to be laid to rest in kindred soil.
Regards
abrach1

[harrywrag]

hi abrach,
                  just picking up on some more info were you aware that alexanders cousin was also on the train the newspapers have him as in one named evan kennedy ,another has him as ewan kennedy (more likley he is ewan) ewan sadly had his foot amputeded and criticaly ill at dumfries infirmary

[abrach1]

Hello Harrywrag
Just trying to figure out if it was Alexander's brother Ewen or cousin Ewen. I believe there is a newspaper report saying that Ewen died in Dumfries Infirmary but on checking Scotlands People he does not appear in the 1872 death index.
Many thanks.
abrach1

[harrywrag]

hi abrach,
                extract  from the scotsman dated 4th oct 1872 from dumfries we learn that the men who were taken their are progressing as well as can be expected one of them evan kennedy had one of his feet amputated near the ankle he was a cousin of alexander kennedy glengarry who was among the killed and both were on their way back to the north from carlisle to wich place they had gone in charge of a quantity of stock.         

extract from the scotsman dated oct 5th 1872 ewan kennedy who is in dumfries infirmary is in a critical state his foot was amputated and mortification threatens, his case however is not quite hopeless.

it says cousin in the paper but could be wrong info and it is brother.

                                                                                harrywrag

[abrach1]

Hi Harrywrag
I have established that it is his brother as he didn't have a cousin named Ewen Kennedy. Still perplexed as to why the papers said that he had died - they must have got mixed up with another person who had been in the accident.
Thanks again
abrach1