George Corfe - Railway Accident 1882

[pandacub]

My ancestor George Corfe died on Sept 13th 1882 at Guys Hospital.  He was 26 years old and a labourer on the London and Brighton Railway.  Cause of death was "ruptured liver by being jammed between a railway truck and platform at Willow Walk".  (I am not sure which part of the body got ruptured as that word on the death cert isn't too clear but I think it says liver.)  I believe Willow Walk was a goods depot near the Bricklayers Arms railway station in Southwark. 

I would like to find out more about the accident.  I have found a few websites with archives of railway accidents but none of them mention this incident.  Possibly they are only for passenger fatalities and I'm assuming this was a work related death.  I also looked at newspaper archives but couldn't find anything.  If anyone could point me in the direction of anywhere else to look I would be very grateful.  Thank you. 

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
There are two reports in the papers .I'm struggling to view either but the one I can see is from the South London Chronicle 23 Sep 1882
The inquest on George Corfe of 7 Brockley Terrace? porter who was killed Willow Walk Goods Station.
It seems George and another porter were trying to load a goods truck about half past eleven on Wednesday , as it was on a turntable by the platform.They came to close the door and the truck moved.It was unknowingly connected to another by hydraulics .They ran towards the platform but before the deceased who was holding on to the door could get off he was jammed between the truck and the platform.Mr R A Milligan house surgeon said the deceased died almost  immediately on arrival.The injuries were very severe externally and the deceased died from a ruptured liver.The jury returned a verdict of accidental death but considered there had been carelessness shown in not knowing the trucks were coupled.

The other paper is Reynolds Newspaper 24 September 1882 but I can't get that to load.
Sorry


Ciderdrinker

[tonepad]

FATALITY AT WILLOW -WALK STATION
... FATALITY AT WILLOW - WALK STATION. The Southwark coroner - held on inquest at Guy's Hospital this morning on the budy of George Curfe, aged 26. From the evidence of George Catchpole, a porter at the Widow Walk Goods Stati, n, it transpired that on Wednesday ...

Published: Monday 18 September 1882
Newspaper: Evening News (London)
County: London, England
Type: | Words: 146 | Page: 4 | Tags: none


From the https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/search

I do not subscribe to the archive, so can not see the whole article.


Tony

[pandacub]

Thank you so much Ciderdrinker and tonepad.   I'm pleased to have an explanation as to what happened. 

[tonepad]

Another newspaper:

ELECTRIC LItIHTINU,
... ACCIDENT AT WILLOW WALK GOODS STATION. On Monday, Mr. W. J. Payne held inquest at Guy’s Hospital upon the body of John Corfe, aged 26, residing at 7, Brockley Terrace, Alvey-street, Walworth, who died after being crushed at Willow Walk goods ...

Published: Saturday 23 September 1882
Newspaper: South London Press
County: London, England
Type: | Words: 1386 | Page: 5 | Tags: none


Tony

[GrahamSimons]

Try The National Archives. Item RAIL1053/71 might have something but you'd need a visit to Kew as the documents aren't digitised.

[pandacub]

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate your help.

[Stanwix England]

From the suggestion tonepad gave.

Fatality at Willow Walk Station

Evening News (London) - Monday 18 September 1882
The Southwark Coroner held an inquest at Guy's Hospital this morning on the body of George Corfe, aged 26. From the evidence of George Catchpole, a porter at the Willow Walk Goods station, it transpired that on Wednesday night he and the deceased were assisting to put the door up on a goods truck which was standing on the turn-table. The truck started suddenly through being attached to another which was connected with a hydraulic rope, but at the time it was not known they were coupled. They ran rapidly towards the platform and before the deceased, who was holding on to the door, could get off, he was jammed between the truck and the platform. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death, and considered there had been carelessness shown in not seeing that the trucks were uncoupled.

[Stanwix England]

Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper - Sunday 24 September 1882

Basically says a very similar thing with the following additional details. The accident happened on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. George Corfe lived at 7 Brockley Terrace, Walworth. The accident happened on Thursday, and George Corfe died on Friday.