Murder Mile UK True Crime Podcast - "one of the best British & UK True Crime podcasts"
  • PODCAST
    • About the Host
    • About the Music
    • About the Sound
    • About the Research
    • Legal Disclaimer
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact

London's Deadliest & Often Forgotten Disasters

24/11/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
If you love true-crime podcasts, subscribe to Murder Mile true-crime podcast on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podbean, Pocketcast, Stitcher, Acast, Tune-In, Otto Radio or Libsyn
Picture
Given the sheer size and scale of the City of London, with it's ever-expanding populous of roughly 9 million people, it's truly remarkable that we haven't suffered more disasters than we have. Of course, when we think of London tragedies we all (rightly) think of the 7/7 Bombings, the 1940/41 Blitz, the King's Cross Fire and The Great Fire of London, but - sadly - many of London's deadliest disasters have been almost completely forgotten, lost to the mist of time. 
What follows is a (un-comprehensive) list of London's deadliest and often forgotten disasters, complete with links in red to any interesting articles, so you can read about them for yourself and share with friends so those who died won't have died in vain and will no longer be forgotten. 
The Denmark Place Fire - On the 16th August 1980, in an illegal nightclub at 18 Denmark Place, a disgruntled customer - who felt he'd been overcharged for a drink - set fire to the building, killing 37 occupants. Although there has never been a memorial to the dead, this remains London's deadliest blaze since the Blitz. Murder Mile Walks is the only walk in London that covers this forgotten tragedy. To hear the full story, download episode one of the Murder Mile podcast.
The Colney Hatch Fire - On 27th January 1903, in a timber-framed annex of The Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum, 52 patients (all female) were burned alive in the Jewish wing, either in their beds or huddled in corners. This remains the worst peacetime fire in London's history since the medieval period. In 1993, Colney Hatch (renamed Friern Hospital) ceased being a psychiatric unit and is now private luxury apartments. 
The Great Beer Flood - On the 17th October 1814, a colossal beer vat at The Horse Shoe Brewery situated on Tottenham Court Road ruptured, causing a wave of 135,000 gallons of locally brewed Porter Ale to flood the street, killing eight people, including a family who drowned in their own basement. Read more about it in my blog.  
The Soho Cholera Outbreak - On the 31st August 1856, several outbreaks of cholera erupted in Soho, killing 616 people (one sixth of Soho's population). How did it start? Who solved it? How was it solved? Why is there a pub named after Dr John Snow on Lexington Street? And how did this tragedy change the way that we all live today? Read the full story in my blog
The Bethnal Green Tube Disaster - On a rainy night on the 3rd March 1943, an air-raid siren sounded, which lured hundreds of people to come to Bethnal Green Underground for shelter from the bombs. Unfortunately in the rush for safety, one person slipped on the wet steps and what followed became the London Underground's deadliest accident, with 173 people killed and 62 injured. Read more here. 
The Fatal Vespers of Blackfriars - On the 3rd July 1322, 52 men & women were crushed to death, as they waited for alms (money for the poor) when the floors of the Blackfriars Monastery  collapsed. The only accurate account I can find is this tiny morsel. And yet, on 26th October 1623, 95 members of a Catholic Congregation were killed (with many more injured) when the chapel floor gave way. 
The Toxic Sewer of Pimlico -  On the 12th October 1849, three workers - Thomas Gee, Daniel Peart and John Attwood — entered a sewer on Willow Way and never returned alive. When their bodies were finally recovered, their faces, necks and chest were completely bronzed, as a result of deadly carbonic acid. Read more here.
The SS Princess Alice Disaster - On the evening of the 3rd September 1878, a paddle-steamer named the SS Princess Alice collided on the River Thames with military coal-ship called the Bywell Castle just by Tripcock Point (near North Woolwich Pier) and sunk, with the loss of 650 lives. This is the greatest loss of life in any shipping disaster in the history of the Thames. 
The Marchioness Disaster - On the evening of the 20th August 1989, a pleasure steamer called 'The Marchioness' -  which was hosting a private party - fatally collided with a Thames dredger known as 'Bowbelle'. The heavier dredger pulled the much lighter pleasure-craft under the water, killing 51 people. 
The Great Fire of London (1212AD) - When anyone mentions The Great Fire of London we all think of the 1666 fire, which destroyed great swathes of medieval London, but which miraculously only killed six people. A much deadlier Great Fire of London (of which there have been many) occurred on the 10th July 1212 and killed 3000+ people on London Bridge alone. Read more. 
Regent's Park Skating Disaster - On the 15th January 1867, with ice-skating being the latest craze and winter in full swing, hundreds of people flocked to Regent's Park. But with the thin ice unable to cope under the weight, 200+ skaters plunged into the icy cold waters, with many being weighed down by heavy Victorian winter clothing. Only 40 bodies were recovered. 
Moorgate Tube Crash - On the 28th February 1975, on the HIghbury branch of the Northern Line, a packed tube train failed to stop and came to an abrupt stop when it hit the wall of the southern terminus, killing 43 people and injuring 74. Of course, something (or should I say someone) more horrific was riding the Northern Line around that time. He was the London's Underground's very own serial killer. 
Battersea Park Big-Dipper Accident - On the afternoon of 30th May 1972, five children were killed and thirteen were injured when a three-car wooden train on the Big Dipper at Battersea Park detached from its drive train and hurtled backwards at great speed, fifteen metres above the park. Read more. ​
Theatre Royal Fire - On the 30th September 1808, a fire broke out at The Theatre Royal in Covent Garden killing 26 theatre goers, fire-fighters and even bystanders. Read more. 
Regents Park & Hyde Park Bombing - On the 20th July 1982, the IRA (Irish republican Army) detonated - within 2hrs of each other - a bomb at Regent's Park & Hyde Park. The first explosion in Hyde Park killed two soldiers and injured twenty-three others, with the second bomb in Regent's Park killing six soldiers and injuring twenty-four people and numerous horses. Read more. Warning: graphic images. 

Oddly, given that London is surrounded by two of the busiest airports in the world (Heathrow and Gatwick), as well as Luton and Stanstead, London has had very few peacetime air disasters.
  • The Staines Air Disaster - 18th June 1972, 118 fatalities
  • The Vicker's Vanguard Crash - 27th October 1965 - 36 fatalities
  • Northwood Mid-Air Collision - 4th July 1948 - 39 fatalities
  • British European Airways Crash  - 31st October 1950 - 28 fatalities
  • Mill Hill Plane Crash - 17th October 1950 - 28 fatalities
  • Sabena Air Crash - 3rd March 1948 - 22 fatalities
  • KLM Croydon Air Crash - 9th December 1936 - 15 fatalities
  • Edmonton Air Crash - 4th September 1938 - 13 fatalities
  • Southall Plane Crash - 2nd September 1958 - 7 fatalities
  • Graham Hill Plane Crash - 29th November 1975 - 6 fatalities
And one infamous "near (but now nearly forgotten) air-accident" almost occurred on 5th April 1968 when RAF pilot Alan Pollock performed a series of dangerous and unauthorised low-level flights over several famous London landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament, Embankment as well as flying through the upper span of Tower Bridge. ​(image is an artist's interpretation of the incident)
Obviously this isn't a comprehensive list of many of London's forgotten disasters, there are many disasters in London (and across the world) which often go unreported; sometimes because a more important news-story has taken precidence (as with the sinking of Titanic's twin sister - The Britannia - barely a few years later) or because - in the case of the Denmark Street Fire - the bulding was primarily full of illegal immigrants, so nobody (including the press) cared. 

If you liked this blog, you may also like London's Bloodiest Execution Sites. 

Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 12 murderers, including 3 serial killers, across 15 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
1 Comment
Helene
30/11/2016 23:06:44

Fascinating and shocking at the same time. So sad so many deaths are not widely acknowledged nowadays.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a crime writer, podcaster of Murder Mile UK True Crime and creator of true-crime TV series.

    Become a Patron!
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016



    Picture
    Subscribe to the Murder Mile true-crime podcast

    Categories

    All
    Adverts
    Assassinations
    Canalkillers
    Cannibal
    Celebrities
    Curious-stuff
    Deadly-families
    Execution Sites
    Forgotten Disasters
    Head Injuries
    Killer Interviews
    Killer Profiles
    Killer's Books
    Killers By Age
    Killers By Birthday
    Killers By Birth Name
    Killers By County
    Killers By Diet
    Killers By Drink
    Killers By Height
    Killers By IQ
    Killers By Job
    Killers By Lunar Cycle
    Killers By Marriage
    Killers By Motive
    Killers By Music
    Killers By Nickname
    Killers By Star Sign
    Killers By Weight
    Killers = Dead Or Alive?
    Killer's Kids
    Killers Last Meals
    Killers Last Words
    Killers Mothers
    Killers Not Caught
    Killers On TV
    Killers & Pets
    Killer's Religion
    Local History
    Mass Graves
    Mistakes
    Murder
    Murder Mile
    Nicknames
    Obsession With True Crime
    Pod
    Podcast
    Poisoners
    Q & A
    Serial Killers
    Soho Murders
    The Dangers Of Booze
    The Innocent
    The Law

    Note: This blog contains only licence-free images or photos shot by myself in compliance with UK & EU copyright laws. If any image breaches these laws, blame Google Images. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

BUSINESS ADDRESS

ABOUT MURDER MILE UK TRUE CRIME

(c) Murder Mile Walks, P O Box 83
15 Ingestre Place, Soho, W1F 0JH
Murder Mile UK True Crime is a true-crime podcast and blog featuring little known cases within London's West End but mostly the square mile of Soho, with new projects in the works
  • PODCAST
    • About the Host
    • About the Music
    • About the Sound
    • About the Research
    • Legal Disclaimer
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact